davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
Ell CENTRO sc. 1Oc, 15c.
and GENERAL PRICE
STORE.

Here Is an establishment which the
city long needed. and we take pleas
ure in stating that the venture i,
meeting with marked success in Er
Centro. This store carries all kinds
of goods in notions, household articles.
dry goods. light hardware-in fact.
almost anything, and many bargains
can be picked up in this place for the
very modest sum of p cents or less.
Although known around the district
by the above catchy title. this store.
unlike others of similar name in the
larger cities, does not confine itself
10 a maximum limit of l. cents or -
cents IN price, but is built up or broad
er lines and carries practically every
thing in useful kitchen ard household
ARTICLES, hrooms. glassware. filters and
? variety of hardware, irrigation and
farming implements unobtainabIa
elsewhere at az especially low figure
Ihe proprietor Mr 3. .. Erwin. is a
Keen business men, and. as he IS civ
ING cur townspeop'e just what the.
wan, al the price they want to nav
and Is dealing literally and honor
ably with them. we consider that he
Is an Important addition to our citv.
It is stores Of the tea-twent.tbir,
variety that prove Of value to any
rowing community whore little
hnick-snachs Of the useful kind found
IN these establishments are contiru-
ally in request. and we therefore bid
the proprietor e. this long-feIt want
welcome To our commercial field Wit,
the assurance hat here is plenty of
room for his lire of goods, though he
has already amply demonstrated that
TACT himself in the growing amount
ot business being daily handled here.
The Five-Ten-Fifteeu-Cent Store j.
.'tlated in the heart of the business
section Of the cry on Nam street and
las proven d very welcome addition
70 the commercial life OF the commun-
ity.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
E. J. SMITH
A Progressive Pioneer
Realty Operator. Rancher
and Land Developer.

In making mention of many Of In
rerial Valleys representative people
in al walks Of life, the subject of this
sketch merits a high place here as we
note a record of some of the "s,roag
ones"-those who are adding lustre 10
the annals of Imperial Valley his
tory.
Mr.. Smith has been a resilient a.
the valley for several years-to be
more exact. about fourteen years, so
that he is one Of our pioneers" He
came to the valley when there was no
railroad, but withal. had there been
one, with similar funds as he then
had, the chances are he would have
come just about the same way that he
did, namely on "Shank's mare. Mr.
Smiths first move on arriving was -
get to work and earn some eaiH. Thi-
he did by brain, Drawn, thrift and per
severance. till today he is the owree
of nearly loo acres Of scrip land IN
the aeighborhood Of Brawlcy. and 100
where ne is now located, between Sis
bee and Signal Mountain, on which he
pitched his tent about one year ago.
In that time he has put on many fine
Improvements. including a good house,
wh.eh. We might add Is most beauti-
fuilr oraamented with his excellent.
charming aad estimad.e wife lie has
also LIT in between 500 and 500 trees
on his ranch of a. orchard of a.
kinds OF high class var.c-ies. He has
100 acres in alfalfa. j. the rear f.
ture Mr. Smith contemplate. erecna.
a new fine barn on his Dls9e aad q
3,0o0-gallon tank for watering nuG.
poses. He l. In No. water district
This gentleman IS q dynamo e eueT-
gy and work Is shi- hobby. NJ
Smith Is a valley booster ard believe
in putting his shoulder 70 the wheel
when movements are on foot for the
upbullding Of the community In hi
edition Of the Imperial Valley Pres
o. rs 4e-.ts IL Smith commands
place ot honor IT this roll call.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
D. G. WHITING

MIR. ID. G. Whiting is a prominent
farmer-capitalist and fruit grower
living within a few miles of town
who was originally the holder Of sec
ton of valley land, all of which, with
the exception of 20 acres, has been
recently disposed of. He has planted
his land to a thousand grapefruit
trees and some cactus for chicken
feed. He came to the valley Is years
ago when the settlers here were few
and far between, but with the subse-
ouent thrush of farmers and upbulld-
inc of the towns. Mr.. Whiting wa
naturally among the first to reap the
sccruiup benefits. and, as he quantity
nuts it. i didn't make the money
II lust grew. like Topsy.' These day
he owns one of San Diego's finest
apartments, built at a cost of $4,000,
and which is held on an eight-year
lease at 500 per month. Mr.. Whit
ing was educated at the Vermont
State Normal School back in 1868,
subsequently acted as pupil-teaches
enc wear, and migrated west in 1870,
having been resident in California all
the time since with the exception Of
two years in Nevada and Idaho. He
followed dairying and stock raising,
eventually taking up desert claim
in the Imperial Nalley-a full section.
The climate here has agreed with him
and. though we'll up in years, he IS
out I'm the open air all the time, break
ing colts and attending to little jobs
around the farm. Mr.. Whiting has
four children. Of whom two boys and
u girl are in the valley and the other
girl in San Diego. the latter having
changed their names to Mrs. {. H..
Dickson and Mrs. J. H. Doran, and
the boys names being Arthur c. and
Walter {. Whiting. Likewise Ms
young and charming wife is his So
lace and comfort, together with the
good word and work he can do in
conjunction with the Methodist church,
Of which he is an active and ardent
member.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
THE SQUARE
DEAL" GROCERY
Situate at sol Main Street in
the CITY of FL Centro.

In making mention in this edition
of tie Press of the careers Of the
leading business men in all lines, here
are Two gentlemen guiding the desti-
nies of the above concern who must
certainly not be omitted, were it only
for the happy title they have chosen
as representing their business stand
ards and which precept they honest
ly endeavor to carry out in every
title of trade passing through their
hands. The good old square deal
how we have often longed for it
dreamed Of it. more often, alas, missed
getting it, and sometimes sworn We
would have died for just one fain.
glimpse of it. However. whilst cas-
ually beating our way through the
may intricacies of FL Centro's busy
section the other evening and keeping
our starboard optic open for the ju-
dicial expenditure of two bits to best
advantage wherewith to allay the Scri-
borial hunger, this Square Deal to-
tenn flashed across our pathway il
binding radiance, and. entering there
in. we were astounded at the none
tary capacity of a lonesome quarter
in this haven of good things and shall
henceforth for ever and day endorse
the apt motto of Messrs. Rapson ana
Williams, who were responsible fol
its nativity in this district
The senior partner in the firm has
been resident in the valley during tn,
last seven years. with number o:
years experience in the grocery bus
iness TO his credit. while the junior
partner. Mr.. F. 5. Williams. is a mar
of several years experience in the
trade and previously held a respon-
sible position in one Of the Missouri
banks.
What Fred Rapson and his partne,
cannot supply in the grocery line viii
be pretty hard to get hold of in the
Imperial Valley today.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
w. T. HEFFERNAN, M. D.
Specialist in Eye, Ear, Nose
and Throat Diseases.

The medical profession of lmperia.
county maintains position abreast of
the times. Her surgeons perform sue
oessfully the most difficult operations
from day to day. and her physicians
treat in a scientific manner the most
difficult diseases. Those engaged in
the practice of their profession in
this locality rank among the best. Dr..
W. T. Heffernan. FL Centro's special
ist, is an energetic and ambitious men,
her If the medical profession and is
we'll equipped for the great respon-
sibilities that rest upon the shoulders
of the modern day physician and sur
eeon. DR.. Heffernan is a specialist
in diseases of the eye, ear, nose and
throat. He has studied in Vienna,
Berlin, Paris and London during the
last six years, and came to reside II
El Centro last November. He is a
native of Ohio and graduated from
the medical department of the Uni
versity of Cincinnati. Since coming
TO Ell Centro he has made many
friends and acquaintances among the
PEOPLE of this district, is greatly es-
teemed in the community and enjoys
a lucrative practice. His office is in
the Davis building at Ell Centre, the
telephone number being 233. He prac-
tieel medicine fifteen years prior to
specializing in diseases of the eye,
ear, nose and throat.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22

pany. supplying five towns here with
electricity. Mr.. Holt was a true pio-
neer, with absolute faith in the fu-
ture of Imperial Valley, as may be
gauged from the many enterprises in
which he interested himself such as
when they told him it was 2S miles
to send a telegram, and he thereupon
got the poles shipped in and linked
UP the line inside a month. He in
augurated the first newspaper at I'm
rerial, built the first church there,
ard staked many poorer than himself
to water stock at a time when they
needed It worst. At the present day
he has the largest holdings OF any
one in the valley. is president of the
Holton Interurban Railroad Imperial
Valley Gas, California Land
Company and stoekholder in
several banks and other en-
terprises. and, finally, no one man
has done more active work for the
advancement of Imperial county than
has W F. Holt, a living proof of the
Shakespearean adage;
There is a tide in the affairs OF
men. that, taken at its flood, leads
on 10 fortune"
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
NEW YORK UNDER
WRITER'S AGENCY
InSurance-Life and Fire
A. J. Snee. Resident Agent.
Ell CentrO.

Today q man may be enjoying the
best of health and tomorrow he may
be dead-knocked senseless on the
highway by 5-ccnt jitney or run
over by an express train. He may
even drop dead of heart failure while
going about his business. How sad
and solemn sound the words. in the
midst Of life we are in DEATH" bu.,
nevertheless. they are only too true
and we never know how soon or sud.
den the call of the Grim Reaper may
come to any of Us. Therefore. no
matter what occupation they follow,
on the farm or in the office, it be-
hooyeS all thinking men with the vel
fare Of their families or relatives at
heart to take out al insurance policy
to me utmost extent of their fiuar-
cial condition.
NJ. a. J. Snee has been for nearls
nine years a resident of this city and
has made a speciality of life and fire
insurance. handling only companies l.
the front rank of the business. He
is agent for the National and Mutual
Life offices. and, being d man of higa
Intelligence, business faculty and en-.
terpriSe, has naturally built up a BIZ
connection IN the valley. The need OF
insurance Is becoming every day more
and more clearly recognized and the
business here has assumed large pro
portions in the hands of Mr Snee, who
has the faculty Of making friends as
well as patrons-a most important
item i'm this line Of commercialism. H
covers the whole valley in life AMI
Fl Centre II fire. This gentleman is
also resident agent for the New York
Underwriters Association. whose Pa
cific coast department is conducted
from san Francisco. at S39-341 San
some street.
-. b. C-..:l-a.1. ~ S@se g-1a-.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
BALRIDGE DRUG CO.
6O9 Main Street, Ell Centre

Where, few years ago, the chic
requirement of a pharmacist was that
he should have an established reputa-
tion for the careful compounding o.
prescriptions, it has now come to pass
that he must have, in addition TO
this. all the business sagacity and
astuteness of the retailer in other lines
of trade. An Ell Centre druggist who
is right in line with these newer es-
sentials is Mr.. Baldridge, whose at
tractive store is located at COS Main
street. In addition to a full line o.
standard drugs and complete assort-
ment of proprietary medicines, Mr..
Baldridge is careful to keep his stor=
we'll stocked with a tempting ami
tastefully-chosen line of toilet articles.
soaps, brushes, perfumes, stationery.
postcards and druggists sundries.
This store operates a fine soda foun-
tain, where attendants are busy at all
hours serving the public with ice
cream and cool, refreshing drinks.
Mr. Baldridge is one of the valley
pioneer druggists. He established
his present business a year ago last
January, is a well known druggist OF
wide experience and enjoys the con-
fidence of the physicians of this cit
as we'll as that of many prominen-
families in the vicinity. Phone loo
for anything wanted in the drug line
and it will be delivered promptly.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22

;. d. Walton belongs to the ia
nous Walton family, champion cottor
pickers of the world. Mr.. Walton Wa
the 21st child in his fathers nome Of
z6 children. He has not yet reached
the record OF his dad in this respect.
but his children are world beaters foe
picking cotton. Two years ago his
two boys and five girls at work in the
contest picked 3,176 pounds. Mr Wa
ton and family specialize on CONTRACT
work-leveling land. harvesting COZ
ton and the like. He was born in
Texas. His postoffice address is E
Centre.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
CRESCENT JEMELRY co
u atches, Diamonds. Jewel
ry, near PostOffice, FL
Centre.

\ representative jewelry firm and
one Of FL Centro's most progressive
commercial houses is the Crescent
Jewelry Company. under the manage
ment of Mr.. r. S. Couch. located on
Main street adjoining the postoffice.
This concern has been established in
the city over a period of three years,
in which time it has built up pros
porous and steadily-increasing busi-
ness and has become one of the best
known and popular firms of repute in
the valley. They carry a careful
ly selected stock. complete and up 10
date, of diamonds. watches. cut glass-
ware, clocks and jewelry of every de
serlpjion, - good a stock as will bc
found anywhere outside the large
centers Of commerce. They handle only
reliable goods and their prices are
always reasonable. They also make Il
speciality of expert watch repairing
and i'm this connection can guarantee
every satisfaction. Mr.. Couch. the
courteous manager. is Nirginian who
has devoted twenty-five years of hi,
life to the jewelry trade and the IN
tricate business of watch building, ard
the watch or clock that cannot be
repaired at his skillful hands has yet
to be manufactured. In addition to
being everything that goes to consti-
tute a successful business man, Nj.
Couch is a progressive and public
spirited citizen with a wide circle of
friends throughout this section.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
CENTRAL POOL HALL
521 Main Street. G. ". Nix
on. Proprietor.

In every city are favorite meeting
places where people interested IN dif-
fercnt occupations. amusements or
sports make up congenial gatherings,
and in such establishments many a
sporting contest has been decided
business proposition concluded or pol
itician's destiny determined by some
Of these groups of men. The Central
Pool Hall. at 521 Main street. is one
of he places in Ell Centro where many
questions of Importance are discussed
and, though most Of them relate 10
manly sports, other and more serious
matters are often considered there.
No expense has been spared in tha
equipment of this house, so that 1t
is not only the finest pool room in
FL Centre, but the equal to anything
in the county. Ten tables of the Bruins
wick Bake -Collender make, the bes,
that money can buy. are in the hall,
120-candlepower lights overhead fur
nishing the best possible light, and
the fixtures and fittings to match the
plac, are exceedingly attractive in ap-
pearance. Mr.. Nixon has recently
had big player-organ installed in
the rear and the walls are decorated
with sporting prints and a score
board containing the latest ball re-
suits each evening. At the cigar
stand a variety of brands of cigars
cigarettes and tobacco are carried,
affoldiog a complete selection for
every maa using the leaf IL any form.
A fire barber shop with three chairs
j, also run in connec ion.
Men who are interested and shiIled
1T 7ucH keen sports a. poo and pIi-
liaris would naturally be interested
IN other contests and usually are box
ing and baseball fans, consequently
excited discussions frequently take
place, though gentlemanly conduct is
always preserved, and. because Of the
good order maintained, as we'll as the
accommodations offered, the Central
Pool Hall is the favo-ite gathering
place with the best element of FL Cen
tro's business and professional life.
The proprietor, Mr.. c. w. Nixon. is
one Of the most progressive citizens
Of the community and among the most
enthusiastic boosters of the best lit
tie city in California.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
VALLEY
CREAMERY COMPANY
(IncOrpOrated)
Manufacturers of Fancy
Creamery Butter, Ell Cen
trO and HOItviIle.

Few things enter more Importantly
into the question Of our food supply
than does our milk and butter, ana
the dealer who is able to convince his
patrons of the purity of his supply
and of his care in handling it has
solved the problem of getting togeth-
er large clientele.
The Imperial Valley Creamery Com
pany, whose business is under the gen
eral management Of Mr.. J. A. Rob
inson, have a we'll deserved reputation
along the aforementioned lines. The
cream used by them is from inspected
herds, which are fed on the choicest
of foods, great care being taken to
insure their perfect health and the
cleanliness of their surroundings at
all seasons of the year. The product,
from the time it is taken from the
COW until it reaches the consumer, is
handled in such a completely sanitary
manner as to positively exclude the
introduction OF disease germs. dirt or
any foreign matter whatever, and all
cream is pasteurized as soon as re-
ceived at the factory. All the factory
utensils are cleaned daily in a scien.
tific manner, and the motto of the es-
tablishment is "clean goods through
out the various processes of success
full buttermaking.
The company. which has a branch
factory in Holtrille. is the largest o.
It's kind in the valley and caters to
extensive markets in San Bernardino,
Pasadena. Redlands and Los Angeles,
as we'll as attending to the local
trade. Five years ago the concern
was Incorporated which was the pio-
neer creamery in the valley They
are manufacturing a fine grade of
fancy creamery butter. the Rose
Brand with an output of 1000
pounds daily, keeping over 400 farm
ers ii the district busy meeting the
oeAiaHd Ioi thelf cream supply.
Mr.. Robinson. the treasurer and
general manager, has had many
wears experience in the trade, having
been previously in the same line OF
business in Wisconsin since 1881. He
was born in West Virginia and gradu-
ated from Wisconsin State Agricul-
tural College,
Air. \. c. Smither is president of
the company, v. b. Covington vice
president. Il. l. Mccartney cashier
and ". Kay Crawford, secretary.
The firm employs a staff of SIX in
their Fl Centre factory and five Al
HoItrille. and their premises are open
to inspection by the public at any time
during office hours.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-06-22
CLAWSON. HALL & CO.
BUY a Bale of Cotton"


Some few things we know about the
resources and capacities of the soil of
California, but that which is yet un-
known far exceeds our acquaintance.
ship with the land.
Imperial county has rich sandy
loan or sediment soil hundreds OF
feet deep. practically ineXhaustibIe
and suited to a greatly diversified
production. which will insure its be
coming one of the most productive and
therefore important counties in the
state. To make it so, however, re
quires stout hands and hearts and Il
spirit of intelligent investigation.
The cotton industry here is less than
10 years old and in 1914 yielded
around 10000 bales, marketed at over
S5,000,OO0, at the same time annexing
two worlds records-that for the ear
iest cotton ever ginned and also for
the :inest quality.
The most valuable variety of cotton
is the long staple, or Sea Island cot
ton. raised on the islands off the
South Atlantic seaboard, and the long
staple of Egypt. The planters in our
cotton states have never succeeded III
domesticating Sea Island cotton in the
interior and attempts to domesticate
there the Egyptian long staple also
failed. The United States Agricul-
tural Department took the matter up
and succeeded in acclimating and do
mestlcating long staple Egyptian cot
ton in California. More recently
there has been developed in this coun-
ty purely by local ingenuity a special
long staple known as Durango, which
promises to prove a revelation to the
cotton world because of its remark
ably long and sturdy fibre.
Long staple Egyptian cotton IS
worth 80 cents a pound; the seed is
worth $15 per acre A bale of cotton
weighs 500 pounds. Another import
ant point in favor of growing cotton
in this valley is that the dreaded boil
weevil cannot live in our dry climate
and is unknown here. Cotton is d
crop that quickly exhausts the aver
age soil. and in the eastern cotton
states there is no re-fertilizing cron
to rotate with it ard planters must
Rave recourse to costly chemical fer
tilizers. None of this is required here
owing to the extreme depth and prae
teal misunderstanding of the soil. as
above mentioned. However. to those
farmers who. like the skeptieal
Scotchman. "ha thesr doots" on this
point, the remedy lies IN planting half
their land in alfalfa and half in cot
ton and should they find the cotton
begin to exhaust the soil. then switch,
in which way dairy farming and hog
raising can go on alongside Of cot
ton.
Clawson. Hall & Co. with offices in
the Holt block. Il Centre. are heavy
dealers in the local cotton crop and
have been in business here since the
inception Of that industry in the val
ley five years ago. so that their repu-
tation for fair dealing is now wide
spread all around the district.
They VIII be pleased to give any in
formation required by growers on sta
JiStical points or current monetary
conditions of the cotton market al
any time they may call on or write
then.