The border vidette., 1924-07-05
ARlzONA'S GREATEST INDUSTRY

| bilt StlClUCIS vi Tie SUdbe's WILL
an estimated payroll of 500, 900,
OC0, according to figures obtain
ed by the Arizona Industrial con
gress, showing the magnitude Of
Arizona's principal industry and
it's relation to other interests.
This employment is divided
among twenty two producing
copper and gold mines and ten
smelters, located in seven coun.
ties. Properties in progress of
development would bring the
total number of men employed
to the neighborhood of 10000,
it is estimated and the industry 5
aggregate annual payroll to
more than $3O,OOO,O00.
These figures indicate that the
mines of Arizona employ as
many men as are engaged in all
other manufacturing industries
of the state, plus all the men en-.
gagged in farming in the state, lis
the 1920 census reported 1915
farmers, and 1926 persons en-.
gagged in manufacturing enter
prises.
Even more striking, however,
are figures showing that about
rs, 600 people live in communi
/, ties of the state which depend
entirely or chiefly upon the min
ing industry. In other words,
these $4,000 people, represent
ing almost one fourth of Ari
zona's population, depend for
their prosperity on the opera
ton of the mines. This includes
not only the families of the men
actually engaged in the industry
but business and professional
men, their employees and fami
lies, living in the mining sec.
tiOnS.
The mining industry's payroll
of around $50, 900, 900 year con
titntes the largest purchasing
power Of any single group of
residents, as ctically all of it
is expended in Arizona, and goes
into Arizona trade channels. In
addition to this, the mines them.
selves expend more than SIS, 0O0,-
600 year in direct purchases of
Arizona products. The real to
tai spent at hons is many times
this amount, however, when
purchases of Products in the
mining communities themselves
are considered.
Economically the mining in
dustry is almost independable to
other industries of the state.
Directly affecting as it does one
fourth Of Arlzona's population,
it provides the principal markets
for many other industries, in
Guiding most manufacturing as
we'll as agriculture. A major
portion of the states farm pro,
duce, excluding such crops as
cotton, cantaloupes and lettuce
which are intended for eastern
shipment, goes into mining dis
tricJs, which in the course of
year return millions Of dollars
to Arizona farmers.
Similarly, the mining industry
directly affects every citizen Of
the state by the great share of
taxes it bears. Mining proper.
ties of all kinds make up ap-
proximately AZ per cent of the
assessed valuation of taxable
wealth, and hence pay AZ per
cent of the taxes. Figuring &C.
cording to this basis, the indus.
try paid around $7,5O0,O00 of
Arizona's total taxes for all pur-
poses last year. In number of
counties and cities mining prop
erty pays far more than AZ per
cent of the taxes, while Of course
in others it does not enter into
taxation to any material extent.
But taking the state as a whole,
the mining industry pays nearly
half the cost of government
and if it did not exist other in.
dustries and citizens would have
to pay the difference, with re-
sulting large increase in the unit
tax.
Large as the amount paid for
taxes, a still greater amount is
paid by the mines in freight,
making the mining industry one
of the principal, if not the prin.
cipal, factors in railroad opera
tons in Arizona.
In the aggregate, mining ope
rations mean around $50, 600, 900
year to other Arizona indus
tries. The greater portion of
this amount goes for labor, but
nevertheless finds it's way into