Arizona republican., 1907-05-26
STANDING INVITATION
FROM KELVIN COUNTRY
Phoenix Will Do Well to Accept 1t Before
1t is Withdrawn
CursOry Description of the Most Promising Mining
District Under Development In Arizona, and
a Hint of Its Future Greatness.

There has been mention IN these
columns from time to time, of the
coming Importance to Phoenix in a
commercial way, of the Kelvin and
Ray districts. and the adjacent coun-
try. That the situation might be more
accurately described and the real facts
more vigorously hammered into the
Phoenix people. a representative of
The Republican recently visited that
section and Travelled over the most of
it. The opinion formerly given is now
revised. Instead Of that region being
of coming importance, it is stated
with emphasis that it is of present"
Importance. Good time has been lost
already by the commercial interests
of this valley and the opportunities
are slipping by. BY the testimony Of
the geography and the development of
the railroad systems. that country be-
longs to the Phoenix merchants in a
commercial way by just as clear a
title as the orange belt and the sugar
beet acreage.
That is, of course, assuming that the
Phoenix merchants care to take ad-
vantage of their opportunities and
claim their own. If they don't, this
business will go elsewhere as certainly
as water runs down hill. for even
mans own children may leave him if
he don't close herd them. Business
will not force itself extensively on any
body who does not invite it, any more
than the rising generation will break
down the doors to the family home
when the key is turned on the inside
and the embers burn low in the fire
place. This Pinal county business.
valuable at present, and still richer in
promise. like the rapidly filling honey
comb. is waiting for whoever goes
after it and Tucson is going after it,
with a vigor that commands respect.
Tucson is handicapped however. and
Will be for a year or so. until the
Bowie railroad connection is made, and
Tucson freight goes in by way of
Tempe. only nine miles from Phoenix.
But there is no handicap in the world
so bad as that of inactivity. which is
toe greatly displayed in this valley,
and the PinaI county people appre-
ciate the desperate efforts of Tucson
10 get and hold this trade. Personal
acquaintance and appreciation go
long way toward putting that city on
an even basis with Phoenix today. a
case in point was mentioned the other
day in Kelvin. A man there placed a
$4,000 order for hardware and machin-
cry in Tucson. Asked why he did not
buy in Phoenix, which was much near
er. he said the Phoenix merchants do
not keep the stocks required in many
lines and we have to go to Tucson or
go right by Phoenix to Prescott. More
than that. the Phoenix merchants do
not call on US and get acquainted
They don't act as though they cared
particularly about our trade.
This is not true of all Phoenix mer-
chants, but it is true of entirely too
many of them. The situation is that
Phoenix as a whole community. does
not appreciate the magnitude and im-a
portance Of the Pinal county business
else it would be reaching out to grab |
IL. The board of trade should interest |
itself ard excursions should be run |
business mems excursions. frequently |
The Phoenix business men should !
make II a point to 60 and get ac-
quainted. whether they have anything |
10 sell right now or not. They should |
study the needs of that country and |
then prepare TO supply them for it is |
more convenient for Pinal county to |
buy its merchandise here than any |
where else. There are some thousands |
of people right now in the Superior, |
Kelvin. Ray, Christmas and other set |
Elements and they all eat and wear |
clothes. This in addition to the min |
ing supplies that the large operations |