Arizona republican., 1917-06-11

Why is it that Mesa does such an
enormous business?
This is a question that is often asked
by strangers in the little city of some
5000 persons lying to the southeast of
Phoenix People coming from other
sections of the country cannot under
stand it at first. Most towns of that
size are doing business for a 5000
population or perhaps for q farming
community that will possibly double
that population. But Mesa holds a
strategic position in the Salt River val
ley, supplying not alone a large and
thriving farming community but a large
and prosperous mining area as we'll
How large is the territory served
by Mesa?
That is the next question asked
The question is answered in various
ways The first way would be to
say that it serves a territory OF
from $4,000 to 10000 persons. The
every line, because the territory is
varied. ranging from all manner oc
farming to all manner of mining
Mesa Is the gateway to large mining
communities and in consequence does
large freighting business far be-
Yond TIE boundary of its natural
agricultural area.
SO when the stranger enters Mesa
he is held in the grasp Of the spirit
of business. is so charmed that he
must ask hundreds of questions in
order to ease and satisfy his mind
The stores are all doing a large
business, The most OF them are
working beyond their capacity, in
point of equipment and space; but
capacity means little to these mer-
chants, for when they outgrow them
selves they simply go ahead ard i'm
prove and enlarge. In this way they
simply tight their way up to keep
abreast OF their own business.
1t has been a town of fortune max
ing. History of Mesa is the history
of success. the history Of the poor
man who has started with nothing
almost and built himself and his
business into six figures. This has
been done in the mos cases in from
ten to fifteen years
Mesa business is carried on almost
by young men. and every business
man in Mesa is remarkably young in
spirit and method Mesa cannot be
said to be ahead of the times be-
cause the times are very good at
present but Mesa is in loving touch
with the very pulse of these times
and is moving along rapidly in per-
feet sympathy with every phase OF
progress.
There are . number of stores in
Mesa which are doing business
equal to similar stores in Phoenix
and one store is doing the largest
business of ary store of its kind in
the state.
Bio Forwardino Point
The main street and intersections
are alive all day with vehicles. Some
of these are the property of farmers
come to trade but the observer win
see large loads OF freight going out
almost all the time for the mines
and communities remote from Mesa
Many supplies are needed and Mesa
offers the greatest inducements and
most convenience for trading
This leads to the fact that Mesa is.
and must always he wholesale
community. Several of the largest
stores sell wholesale goods These
stores buy in large quantities. pay
ing mostly cash with the result that
they get everything purchased in
large quantities ct the base rate and
can afford to sell goods as low as
Phoenix or the coast. which, plus the
close proximity to the field supplied
places Mesa really out of reach of
competition One store by actual
figures can prove that it sells goods
cheaper than the coast or Phoenix
basing its contention upon discounts
for cash for wholesale purchases in
large quantities.
Second Cityln Valley
Mesa is the second CITY in size and
importance in the Salt River valley.
located eighteen niles east of Phoeni::
on The Arizona Eastern railroad