The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-07-19
FORWARD OR BACKWARD
WHICH SHALL 1T BE?
Shall We Have a Chamber of Com
merce or Shall We Not? A
Question That is of Vital I'm
p0rtance to Every Citizen

fects business also effetts the citizens
II is customary for the citizens of any
town or city to leave il to the business
men TO look out for the community
welfare; if new enterprises are TO be
secured or any move made for the
betterment of local conditions, the
people as a whole look to the business
men to finance it ard secure it. The
general run Of property owners seem
to feel that such a course is proper
and right, and they feel this way
largely because it has always been
that way.
1t is not the writer's purpose to
find fault with the people of Tucum-
carl outside of business circles, neither
is it his intention to give undue credit
where it does not belong. His one
object is to wake everybody to real
ization Of their obligations to the COM
munity in which they live, and to make
it possible for improvements to get a
foothold-improvements Of perma-
nent nature that will be of benefit to
every individual whether he be in bus-
ness or not.
During the year just past Tucum-
carl has had a sure-enough-live-Ch Cham
ber of Commerce, and the people have
pulled together as they have never
pulled before, and with what results
The mention of few things accom-
plished will be all that shall attempt
here. though many matters of minor
nature-all tending toward a greater
Tucumcari have been handled success
fully. First, will call you attention
to the Grain Elevator. For years we
had been trying to get market es-
tablished in Tucumcari for products
of our fields, but with no success.
About one year ago the Tucumcari
Chamber of Commerce took hold of
this proposition in an organized, and
systematic manner, with the result
that we now have an up-to-date grain
elevator and market for practically
every kind Of grain that the farmers
raise, and people in charge of it that
pay the highest market price for ev-
erything that they handle. Last year,
of farm products were marketed in
Tucumcari outside of eggs and butter.
The next big achievement was the
Chautauqua. This splendid series of
entertainments received the unquali-
fled endorsement of every citizen in
the town. and the good it has done us
will never be known. The Chautau-
qua was made possible through the
efforts Of the Chamber Of Commerce
and by the guarantee which was sign
ed largely by the business men.
The biggest thing yet that Tucum-
carl has landed is the Ozark Trail
from st. Louis via Amarillo, Tucum-
carl to Las Vegas. want to give
credit here for the enthusiasm and the
support given by the
citizens at the Amarillo convention to
this cause, many of whom were not
and are not now members of the Cham
ber of Commerce. Their efforts in
the last lap of the race were greatly
appreciated and they did splendid work
But. had it not been for the constant
and persistent efforts put forth by the
Chamber of Commerce during the
many months preceding this conven-
ton, all the efforts of every citizen
at the convention would have counted
for naught. To the untiring efforts
and the splendid ability of our secre-
tary, Mr.. Case, belongs the greater
credit for the securing Of the Ozark
Trail. We possibly will not realize
a great deal out of the Ozark Trail
this season, but by next summer our
roads will be in shape, the route log
ged and advertised, and the results
will surprise the most sanguine. We
IAN reasonably expect from so to 100
,ars of tourists through Tucumcari
every day during the summer months. |
Another enterprise that will, in a
short time, be launched, is a fibre fac
tory. A plant that will convert the
green bear grass into marketable
fibre. Already manufacturers are bid
ling for the entire output of the
plant, and it is going to mean much
10 Tucumcari and Quay county. II
will not only create market for the
raw material on n profitable basis, but
t will give employment to citizens of
our town. The Chamber Of Commerce
IS responsible for the launching of
his enterprise.
For the future, we have number
IF possibilities that we want to see
become realities. Among them is
ienominational college, new and ad-
squate depot (this has already been
assured us just as soon as war condi-
lions improve), Y. M. C. A. building,
4 camping ground for tourists, etc.
The truth of the matter is, that to
a live town new possibilities are show
ng up almost every day; nobody de-
sires to locate in or invest in a dead
Town, but they are on the lookout for
i've people to live among and do busi-
ness with.
Has it ever occurred to you that IL
costs money to maintain a Chamber
Of Commerce? That everyone of the
enterprises secured have cost money?