The Coconino sun., 1924-01-25
ARIZONA SHOWS MUCH
PROSPERITY in 1928


The new year finds Arizona in the
] best general position since the begin
i ming of the period of depression in
d 1920. Production was increased in al
i most every line, and although there is
need of improved market conditions
1 in copper and cattle, the outlook is
generally favorable.
Agriculture made decided progress
during the year. Preliminary reports
of the u. S. bureau of agricultural
economics place the value of ten
leading crops at S3O,000,000, against
4 $23,O00,000 for 1922. Crops not in
Guided bring the aggregate for 1928
/ to more than $35,000,000.
| In the cattle industry progress was
much slower, but there was some i'm
/ provement, with prospects for the next
year more favorable. Sheep men had
a successful season.
Copper production of the state set
peace-time record, amounting to
/ 600,000,000 pounds according to early
estimates. The price remains unsat-
1 isfactory.
4 Lumber production showed pro-
nounced gains over 1922, and manu-
featuring plants generally report ma
terial gains. Wholesale and retail
trade on the whole showed consistent
/ advances over corresponding months
of the previous year.
Checking transactions for larger
cities of the state as reported to the
Arizona Industrial Congress for De-
cember exceeded those for the same
month Of 1922, but in a majority of
cases fell below November figures.
Crops Show Increase
Agricultural Arizona made a decid-
ed comeback during 1923. Value of
the states leading crops in point of
age-corn, wheat, oats, barley,
grain sorghums, hay, cotton, pota-
toes, sweet potatoes and dry edible
beans, jumped to $30,052,000 from
$23,162,000 in 1922, which in turn had
increased from S17,016,000 in 1921.
These figures, as given in the pre-
liminary 1928 crop summary of the
Arizona office of the U. S. bureau of
agricultural economics, are all the
more impressive when it is remember
ed that citrus and deciduous fruits,
cantalOupes and lettuce, and cotton
seed and alfalfa seed are not included
in the total. These crops and others
not included bring the aggregate value
of the states agricultural production
well above 35,000,000.
Cotton was responsible for the big
gest part of the increase, value of the
crop of 1000 bales being set at $14,-
10000, against $7,0l2,000 for the
$4,000 bales in 1922 The 1923 figure
does not include the value Of the seed,
tentatively estimated at $1,200,000.
Sheepmen Prosper Most
The year just closed was favorable
to sheep men of the state; in the cat
tie industry progress was compara-
lively slight, although on the whole
prospects are little better than a
year ago. Range conditions were US
ually satisfactory, but markets have
not advanced sufficiently to see cat
tlemen out of the woods.
Indications are that total shipments
of cattle from Arizona ranges during
the year, both to other states and to
other Arizona points for fattening OF
slaughter, exceeded 250,000 head
Earlier estimates on shipments of
sheep and lambs were 100000 head,
while the wool clip, as previously re-
ported, totaled 5,8O0,000 pounds.
Steer prices are reported slightly
better than year ago, with cows
about the same. The advance in prices
paid for fat stock is a source of en-
enlargement, as is the fact that in
other range states the industry an
apears to be nearing the end of the
process of liquidation, with some pros
poets Of a revival during the next
year. Such a development of course
would be Of great help to Arizona
cattlemen.
Cooperative marketing of cattle
has received good deal of consider
alton during the past twelve months,
both on the part of the Arizona Cat
tie Growers association and individ-
uals, and 1924 may bring forth some
definite plan of action.