El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-26

year 1917 was the year Of greatest progress in the
history Of the southwest and this in spite of the
handicaps Of the war-handicaps which all accept
with patriotic sprt-and if the year 1918 is not year of
greater development than it viii be because the
duct Of the calls upon southwestern people to devote
their tine energy and money to It and let the growth Of
this big domain 90 on more gradually
IF there has been any slackening down in any part Of
the southwest in the past few months it has been confined
chiefly to building and the only places in the United States
which have not had the experience those where
the activities of have made building necessary. Other
wise the same excellent progress which has been made in
the past years is being made
El Paso has made wonderful growth in the past wear
greater development than anyone will realize until he
looks at the figures winch are most convincing Following
few of them:
The total jObbng business of FL Paso last year was
about Sszoooooo, increase Of 100000 1916 and
900 statesmen the road for FL Paso distributors
BUILDING ACTIVITIES WERE THE GREATEST
EVER KNOWN HERE. PERMITS NUMBERED I761 AS
AGAINST 1854 FOR 1916. TOTAL VALUATION OF
BUILDING IN FL PAS0 IN 1917 WAS Ss77o7s7 WHILE
THAT FOR 1916 WAS Ss,551ooo, AN INCREASE FOR 1917
OF S2Is,Szs. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IF THE WAR
had NOT CAUSED SLOWING DOWN OF BUILDING,
THE 1917 VALUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN sAsooooo.
AS IT WAS, BUILDING ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THREE
PUBLIC AND BUSINESS BUILDINGS, 10 WARE
HOUSES, THREE SCHOOLS, O. APARTMENTS AND
SEVERAL HUNDRED RESIDENCES
Banks have made remarkable gains in deposits and in
total business transacted The combined deposits De-
cmber were sz7Is5ooeo The total cleangs for the
year were Szo66o6o77oe as against SI5I244s36o for
1916 increase for 1917 of S5545zss4o yet in 1916
figures certainly show plainly than otherwise possible
the great increase in business transactions in e Paso dur
ing the year just ended and refute the claims sometimes
heard Of slump in business" since the declaration
Of last April s.
Comparatively few people, even long time residents Of
Fl Paso, realize that Fl Paso is the cattle shipping center
Of the southwest They do know there several packing
plants here, all doing thriving business, but
It IS the headquarters for many brokerage businesses and
that into the city and out of it shipped thousands Of
head Of cattle sheep hogs and horses annually.
LAST YEAR 7I5o CARS OF LIVESTOCK WERE RE
cEIVED AT Ell PASO STocKYARDS THE RECEIPTS
1cTAIED 100000 CATTLE AND CALVES, z655oo SHEEP
AND GOATS 1880 HORSES AND MULES AND 10000
HOGS, A TOTAL OF $4,000 HEAD.
Street paving kept progress with the expansion of the
city Thirty miles Of streets paved, making the total
paved street mileage In the city II6o5. Thry-wo miles
Of paved road built in the county, excluding the city
The waterworks system improved to the extent of
SIz5ooo BY extensions which give the city water supply
now Of 100000 gallons a day.
COMMENT ON THE GREAT DEVELOPMENT IN Ell
PAS0 CANNOT BE CONCLUDED WITHOUT MENTION
OF THE FACT THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE
ABOVE ACTIVITIES. Ell PASO PATRIOTIC CITIZENS
RAISED S5,oooooo FOR WAR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
LIBERTY BONDS, RED CROSS AND Y. NJ c. A. FUNDS
LoTTED TO THE CITY IN SOME RESPECTS THIS IS
TO BE CONSIDERED THE MOST ENVIABLE RECORD
MADE DURING PIE YEAR.
The trade territory surrounding FL Paso has also shown
great Improvement The exports to Mexico through the
port of FL Pas0 have increased S5oooo last year
Mexico has made great strides in the past year, despite the
obvious handcsp which the government Of president Car
rs1za Is striving to remedy.
ARIZONA, IN 4 PERIOD OF UNEXAMPLED PROS
PERITY, HAS PROVED 4 GREAT FIELD ITS PRO
Is THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS KIND ANY
STATE EVER MADE. ITS COTTON, CATTLE, HAY
AND DAIRY PRODUCE BUSINESS HAS BEEN
GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE AND ALL MERCAE-