Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-11
CEMEN7PLAN7
DOING BIG
BUSINESS
FL0URISHING INDUSTRY IN
SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO
Promising Town and Farming
Community Building Up With
Manufacturing Industry as
the Foundation,


Especial correspondence 10 Morning Journal
Elida, n. M, Nov. 10.-It - proba-
bic that very few people in New
Mexico know that one of the largest
Industrial enterprises in the southwest
and n OF the largest cement plants
In the west is located down here in
this flourishing little town in south
ern Roosevelt county. The fact Is
there would have been no Elida save
for the establishment here of the
plant of the Elida Cement company.
Since It was built and put in opera
ton three years ago, however, a flour
ishing community has grown un
around the town. 1t has been discov-
cred that some of the best dry farm
ing land In the country lies adjacent
and AS a result there is very little
homestead land left in the immediate
district and the town is ON a very
prosperous business basis.
The Elida Cement company has 4
model cement plant turning out i
very high grade of cement, which IS
found useful for all structural pur-
poses where cement may be employed
It's president, DR.. C.. NJ. Murrell, and
It's general manager, j. l.. G. %Swinney,
are both practical cemen m%anufac-
turers and in the three years the plant
has been In operation have made n
complete success OF the enterprise,
placing the product all over the south
west.
n plant has a capacity of 100 tons
Of high grade cement daily and the
business is growing so that the plant
Is kept busy all the time. The depos-
its from which the cement is made are
practically limitless and as a result
there will be a Furnishing industry
here for a long time to come.
The product made here forms a
splendid plaster, which works easily
ana sets right and VIII carry moro
sand than any other plaster. 1t Is
used extensively in building concrete
walls and many of the business houses
Of this section are partly or wholly
constructed of the product of the
plant. This is true of many of the
buildings here, in Roswell and other
'Pecos valley towns and the product IS
now being sold all over New Mexico.
west Texas and in even more distant
markets. Several business blocks, tn :
Methodist church, the office OF the
Elida News, the postofice building
and United states commissioner
building are all built Of the product OF
this mill and also the Elida High
school building. a handsome building
SO by 76 feet, which cost but $4,000,
and which would have cost double
that amount had If been built of brick
or stone. Many homes in the sur
rounding country are built OF 1t and
the demand for the product Is growing
rapidly, especially in Roswell, Clovis,
Amarillo ana other towns nearby,
where it has been most extensively
used. proving hat it is in every way
satisfactory just now the company
is Invading Oklahoma with its prod
ucts and with great success. The beds
from which the raw material Is taken
have been pronounced by many eX-
perts the best south of the Dakotas,
and as a result this industry is grow
ing rapidly and will continue to grow
as the many uses OF the product be-
come better known.
Although 1t started with the CO.
ment plant, Elida has now grown into
a husky little town. 1t has a popula-
ton of 1,000, its business houses are
solldly built and attractive. and with
its large dry farming territory now
being brought under cultivation it will
soon develop into a Furnishing dis
trict. crops have been fair this year
In spite of the drouth and business is
normal, The homestead lands in the
vicinity of Elida are O practically
an taken up and the population of the
district As indicated by the fact that
there are already three rural free de-
livery mail routcs operating ana APP |
plications in for two more. which are
and which the population JUS
The town has a trade radius OF
twenty or thirty miles and this terri
tory is being extended as tho SUR
rounding district develops. Teh San
Tn Fe Is now prospecting for water
with 4 view To establishing a large
water supply plant here and good wa
ter Is found ON the farms n is sup
piled % the town from wells.
The Elida News recently suffered
the loss Of It's entire plant by fire,
The News, however. is enterprising. |
and has a new building under way.
The fire occurred on November 9Th
but the News has continued publica-
ton without interruption. Elida now
has two banks. our general merchan-
disc establishments. three grocery
two up-to-date barber shops,
good lumber yards, harness
shop. a fin Photographic studio. two
markets, two hotels. a restaur-
ant, two feed aud fuel establishments.
local and long distance.
connecting with an parts Of the Pcoos
two churches in mic buildings.
.ire schools and nice homes. All OF
he professions are well represented.
here t. "a first class band and three
business blocks are now under con-
'truction.
II is a pretty fair start. and when
4 Is recalled that Elida has a backing
u both farm land and manufacturers
. is caeV O. see that its future &C. as
.ured.