Imperial Valley press., 1921-10-03
WORK STARTS
ON RAILROAD
.FORGYPSUM
! mime
General Manager S. w. Dun
away Turns First Spade
of Earth That Marks Be-
ginning of Valleys Newest
ENTERPRISE.

The scoop of Imperial Valleys in
step forward today, when it was
learned that actual work of construc-
ton on the rs miles of railroad from
Maria, q little station on the San
Diego & Arizona railway, to the Gyp-
sum mines Of the Imperial Gypsum
and Oil company had been, started.
General Manager s. w. Dunaway,
in company with Chief Engineer
Howe and, Assistant Chjk4gHnK4Fs1v'
Coumstead Of the s. d. 4 A. railway,
Director ]. j. Abramson and Chief
Engineer E. E. Fuller Of the Gypsum
company, turned the first spade of
earth which marks the beginning of
Imperial Valleys newest and great
est industrial enterprise. e
Local busU ess men stated that the
example set by the Imperial Gypsum
& Oil company in beginning such a
gigantic building program at this
time and by showing it's willingness
to ahead with the development of its
mines would have very stimulating
effect on business throughout the
valley.
The property of. the Imperial VAL
ley Gypsum & Oil company comprises
about 400 acres lying approximately
20 miles west from Westmoreland or
approximately 25 miles north of
Maria from which point the connec
tion of the company's railroad to the
main line of the S, d: & A. is being
made.
government mining engineers have
estimated the deposit Of gypsum to
be near 60O,OO0,0O0 tons which is
said to be the largest known quantity
Of pure gypsum in any one mine in
the country. Labratory tests made
under the supervision of the Govern
ment at Washington, d. c., showing
the ore to analytic 81 to 99.1 pure
gypsum, being remarkable free from
foreign substances of any kind.
With such tremendous supply of
gypsum at their disposal, officials of
the company expect to be able to sup
ply practically the entire demand of
the Pacific Coast and the Orient. Re-
cent figures show that the city of Los
Angeles consumes monthly 10000
tons Of wall and casting plaster and
H
total sum of 100000 per month is
expended by these two cities for this
product. This figure is based on the
present worth of gypsum plaster, SIS
per ton.
Refining and manufacturing plants
of the company will be built at Maria
as will also the company warehouses.
Equipment at the mines will handle
1000 tons per day while the plant
will turn out 500 tons of finished
plaster. The plant when running at
capacity will provide employment for
upwards of 100 skilled laborers with
a daily payroll Of nearly $1,000.
The main plant will be builded at
a total cost of $150,000 to which will
be added later hollow tile block fac
tory and wall board factory. ITO
acres have been secured for the site
of the factory and townsite where
homes will be builded for the men en-
ployed.
The head offices of the company
are located in the Spreckles building
at San Diego with branch offices in
the Dunaway building, this city. 1t
is point of interest that the the
Spreckles building wall partitions are
constructed Of hollow tile gypsum
blocks as are also the st James and
San Diego hotels.
Men of unquestionable businesa
character and standing are back of
the company and included in the ros-
ter of its directors are such nanL as
Major w. T. Dunn, president of the
First National Bank of Brawley, Geo.
w. Anderson, president of the Imper-
ial Valley Hardware company, Ben