Arizona republican., 1915-04-14
STORES ID
 CLOSE l5TH
Everybody Will Be Given Opportunity to Celebrate Filling of Reservoir; Rec ord Crowd Will Attend from Mesa Section


 fusion among the merchants and heads of business houses generally the past few days as to the closing of their places of bushes on Thurs day of this week. There were two distinct arguments pro and con re- lative to the closing agreement. It was definitely understood that the Phoenix stores would remain open for the day regardless of the cele- bration and the governors proclama- tion It was the opinion of some of the merchants that if the PhOe- nix places of business remained Open that Mesa would follow the same course. It was believed that visitors leaving the capital city between open ing time Thursday morning and eight or nine o'clock with o'clock with the regular business day being in pro- gress, and coming direct to Mesa where the business houses would be closed, that a wrong impression of the town would be gained. It was stated that there would be many peo- pie pass through Mesa for the first time and that their impression would be that Mesa was a dead one.
 However, yesterday afternoon the leading business men got together and announced that they were ready to take definite and final action and to show that they were in sympathy they would close their doors and give their employees and themselves an opportunity to assist in celebrating the greatest event in the history of the Salt River Valley. It was de- sired that notice be served upon Phoenicians who pass this way and find the town deserted that it is that same loyal spirit which aas made the town progress more rapidly than any other town in the valley the past year. If the Phoenicians are some- what skeptical as to the statement they are to be respectfully invited over any week day afternoon or morning to get an idea as to just what is meant by saying that Mesa is busy place.
 Moreover, there was another i'm portant feature that entered into the making of the decision to close even though apparently in the face of good business judgment and that was on account of the action taker by Globe and Miami. If those two towns. and in fact Gila county, 1: public spirited enough to close uI shop to assist us celebrate the fill ing of the reservoir, the Mesa mer- chants were of the opinion that this town should not be so ungratefu as to not reciprocate
 1 As soon as the decision wa! | reached to close. a petition was cir. | culated and the response was all tha could be asked for. There were n, | dissenting merchants nor business
 men. That they are grateful fo the Opprtunity to show their appre citation of the valleys big event wa
 spoken in no uncertain terms an,
 that furthermore they are genuinel,
 proud of the action taken by Gil;
 county and expect to show that ap preciation in no uncertain way a
 an early date. was made certail
 yesterday.
 The following leading firms signe,
 the closing petition yesterday after
 noon, it being assured that the en tire list would be completed som time today:
 A. & B. Grocery, R. E. Steel
 Grocery Co.,, Vance Brothers. Le
 sueur Grocery. The Toggery, Riggin
 Barber Shop, Mesa Cleaning an
 Dye Works, Modern Barber ShoI
 Mesa Furniture Store. o. S. Staple
 & Co.,, Jarrett & Blake, Johnson
 Pearce, Walter Hill Co.,, Woo Kee F
 Villman Barber Shop, Allison Davi
 Hardware Co.,, G. o. Wendell, A. I
 Richards. r. B. Easton. The bank
 will be closed in accordance with tn
 governors proclamation. Superinten
 dent Sherwood announced yesterda
 evening that the public schoo
 would also be closed for the day.