Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-08-19
WAR PRICES DIED
HARD IN TAMpICO
Money Came Easily in nesico's
Oil Metropolis and Was Spent
With Lavish Hand.
EVERYTHING WENT SKI HIGH
Prosperity Continued After Most Other
Communities Were Experiencing
Setbaek--city is Now Under
going Readjustment.

Nashington.-"Am who saw
prices sSyroeket at home aud who saw
themselves and their neighbors nearly
lose their sense OF money values.
would have felt thoroughly nj home ia
Tampico, the great Mexican oil town.
during the last few years" says a
bulletin issued from the Washington
headquarters Of the National Geo
graphic society.
This was the port 10 which United
States gunboats were sent recently
when the closing down of American
oil wells and refineries because of
heavy Mexican taxes threw thousands
Of men out of work, and disorders
were feared.
Floated to Prosperity on Oil.
'Tampieo long a port Of no great
Importance, has had mushroom
growth in the last fifteen years" con
tinues the bulletin, "lts population in
creasing from less than 1900 In 1906
to well over 100000 today. And the
explanation for this great stride for
ward can be given in one word-oil.
The biggest 'gusheF' the world has
ever known was drilled near Tampieo
In 1908, and scores of other huge
streams of oil have been opened up In
the same vicinity since. Hundreds OF
millions of gallons of oil have passed
through Tampieo, and the town has
been the financial and business head
quarters for fields many miles away.
Money flowed easily into the peck
els of "A large number of American
managers aud technical workers who
were brought In, and into the hands of
Mexican landowners, merchants and
day lahorers. The World war raised
the demand for liquid fuel 10 unheard
of heights and it seemed that everyone
in Tampico was becoming wealthy.
Conditions closely paralleled those IN
the oil towns of the United States.
silk shirts were not the vogue that
they were among the loungers along
every American Main street, but in
their way Tampicans became equally
as proficient spenders. There was lit
tie inclination to count the change.
The cost of all articles of food and ap-
parel rose tremendously. Rents
scared until ordinary accommodations
for Americans could not be obtained
for much under 500 to $500 per
month.
Because the after-thewar indus
tries of the world required petroleum
no less than did the navies of the fight
ing nations during the war. Tampico's
prosperity continued after most other
communities whose business was
auickened by the war were expert
encing setback. Now, belatedly, the
city is undergoing the REIMBURSEMENT
that came TO the rest of the world.
Has More Freight Than Vera Cruz.
Although Tampico owes Its pros
perity predominantly to oil, Ii has
other factors that contribute TO Its I'M
portance. Thanks to railroad from
Monterey, connecting with the mining
region of north-central Mexico, and to
excellent harbor improvements, the
town Is an important port OF entry
and export Ii has surpassed Vera
Cruz in the bulk of commodities han
died, though the latter city probably
is the port of entry for products of
greater aggregate value.
''The city of Tampico Is not direct
IN on the seacoast, but is situated n
few miles up the Panuco river, which
is broad and deep and affords anchor
age for large number of ocean-going
ships. At the mouth of the stream OF
La Barra is supplemental harbor.
Near the latter place is one of the
finest sea beaches to be found.
Until Tampico found its buried
treasure and shook off Its lethargy IL
was an exceedingly unhealthy place,
often being subject to epidemics OF
yellow fever Drainage and the appli-
cation of other modern methods of
sanitation have greatly improved the
health conditions. The families of nu-
merous American and English employ
ees of the big oil companies have
moved in, and a thriving English
speaking colony exists in the higher
western mart of the city"