El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-17
GET FORTY MILLION
PESOS FROM
GUhYULE
Supposed Worthless Wood
Becomes Valuable Source
of Revenue.

Torreon. Mex. Dec. 17.-Forty million
pesos as an annual resource may con-
. stitute an important industry IN any
part of the globe. 1aat is Use es1imat-
ed value of the expectations of guayule
rubber from Mexico during the ear
1910 This industry is running neck
and neck with the mineral production
of Mexico for honors as producer OF
wealth Forty millions is considered
very conservative estimate, as ii is SAID
that the total output of the IA facto-
ries in Mexico for the year will be be-
tween 100000 and 25,O00,000 pounds
Although the present price OF the rup-
her is but IS cents gold, the price until
lately has been considerably over 81
gold per pound and large quantities
brought $115 gold.
And yet only a few years ago the
shrub had no value, was considered
detriment in fact Since the eyes of
the world were opened by American in
eenuity and enterprise in that direction,
however many fortunes have been
made out of the plant and everything
within reach of rubber factories has a
value.
Magic Word In Mexico.
Say the word "guayule" and every
nearer will sharpen his ears Ho"
many tons have you for sale?" Every
ton. every carload, every trainload finds
its cash purchaser almost before the
price demanded escapes the sellers lips.
\ Up to the year 1904 the shrub was
considered worthless. In fact, in that
year Don Amador Cardenas rejoiced
over the good fortune that came his
way when he contracted to sell 10000
tons upon his domain at Cerca at "a per
ton. Mexican currency.
First Plant Erected in 1905.
of 10
erection of the first rubber extracting
plant in 1905 inaugurated a new era IN
zuayule circles and the price OF the
shrub was sent up from 81 to S2o and
then to s35 per ton During the next
three years the prices leaped skyward
from $50 in 1906 to 1925 in 1908 The
demand for rubber increased through
out the world and guayule rubber was
graded IN a manner that made its man
ufacture most profitable. Competition
between guayule. factories added TO the
excitement and in 1909 the prices rang
ed between $500 and $3.50 per ton.
For the first eight months of 1910 the
heavy demand for the shrub and the
extraordinary demand for the product
caused another advance to $500 per
ton. In September however, the price
of rubber fell and since that month
guayule has brought between s175 and
5000 per ton. 1t is said that one hacen-
dado has been receiving an income of
$4,000 per month from his guayule
sales for many months The present
indications for asdownzgsrd-tenden-
CT, as the product obtained has reced-
ed from sl15 TO about so cents gold
per pound, the present ruling price
Has Its Ups and Downs.
Guayule crude rubber has an estab-
lished record, being of medium grade,
useful in multitudes of branches, in the
manufacture of rubber goods Like
many undertakings, however, the qua
yule industry has its ups and downs
and passed the crisis in the years 1907
and 1908 when the outlook for the cap
The reaction Of the past two years,
however. has served to yield returns
many fold on the capital and anxiety
which the venture has cost.
The future of the industry is being
looked forward to- with the greatest
of interest. not only by the investors OF
millions but by the thousands of qua
yule gatherers, the owners of hundreds
of teams employed in its transportation,
the railroad, the steamships and the
thousands of operatives and others who
profit from its extraction to say moth
ing of the hacendado, who is fortunate
in the possession of otherwise worthless
land with plenty of lime in the soil and
little or much guayule on it. The ledge
of solid gold blocked out on its surface
Is his and as it is now believed that
where one shrub is extracted numer-
Gus shoots appear TO take its place, he
bids fair TO have a perpetual income
dependent in size only upon the price
Of the rubber.