The Coconino sun., 1926-01-22
BUSINESS REVIEW OF
ARIZONA SHOWS GAIN

good level in December, fittingly +
closing a year that had seen further
progress for the state. Most retail +
lines reported excellent holiday trade
jim many cases the best in some /
years-and 1926 came into being with |
encouraging prospects for the future.
Results of the year in agriculture
varied. The cotton market did not
come up to expectations, but num-
Der of crops showed increases IN
value, and total value of the years
farm production will be about the
same as in 1924. Arizona's crops are
given an aggregate value OF S34,OO0,-
0O0 in preliminary figures of the U.
S. department of agriculture, and
farm products NOT included are ex-
pected to raise the total to about $780,
900 900. Cotton ginning IS nearly
over, and the first half OF the Salt
River valleys lettuce season ended
with good returns.
In livestock a more favorable out
look continues. Range and stock con-
ditions are generally good; the fat
cattle market holds a good level; early
lambing has been excellent, and more
activity in wool is expected when
shearing begins this month. Cattle
shipments outside the state for the
first ten months of 1925 were 204 900
head. with indications the years total
would be around 100000, but this in
cludes a considerable number shipped
to pasture during the early part OF
the year. Lamb shipments probably
viii be about the same figure.
Unofficial estimates indicate that
Arizona produced about 700,000,000
pounds Of copper in 1925, exceeding
1925 peace time record of 676,000,-
600, and total value of the states
metal production is expected to eX-
ceed sos, 100000. Mining operations
in the state show little change from
previous months.
Construction of all kinds remains
active. Building construction in many
cities for the year was the largest
since 1920. New construction and I'M
provements made by the Santa Fe
railroad on its lines in the state dur
ing 1925 amounted to $3,500,000 with
S6,000,000 scheduled for 1926. Con-
struction of the Southern Pacific's
new main line through the Florence,
Casa Grande, Salt River and Lower
ella valleys is expected to be finished
next summer, at a cost of S15,000,0O0.
This road also is finishing a $4,000
600 program at Yuma including a new
bridge, new yard facilities and new
station, and is making several other
improvements. Construction of the
S4 400 900 Horse Mesa power dam Of
the Salt River Valley Water Users
association is well under way; this as
it- Ixvn
canal-lining program; work on the
40,000-acre Roosevelt conservation
district project is going ahead: and
the S5,500,0 900 Coolidge (San Carlos
dam which will irrigate 100000 acres
in the Florence-Casa Grande is ex-
pected to be begun early in the new
year. Good progress has been made
on the several big mine construction
jobs under way.
Banking transactions in principal
cities of the state, as reported to the
Arizona Industrial congress, showed
material Improvement over both Ne
vember and December, 1924, exceed
ing figures for those months in al
most all cases.
Favorable conditions for early
lambing, and maintaining of fat cat
tie prices at good levels, have main
tanned the encouraging outlook for
the livestock industry. Range condI-
tions continue good, aided by preci-
pitation the first week of December
and the first week of January, and
stock is generally in good shape.
Early lambing has been very good,
with q high percentage of lambs.
Desert feed thus far has been salts
factory, and with additional rain
during the rest Of the winter the out
look will be excellent. Shearing will
begin within the next week or so, and
more activity is expected in the wool
market once wool begins to move,
since Arizona is the first of the new
clip to reach the market each year.
Fat cattle prices have been good,
steers bringing to 812 cents pound,
cows 3 to 5l2, heifers and calves Z
to 8. Operations of the Arizona Cali
fornia Cattlemen's Cooperative Mar
keting association have been a great
stabilizing factor, and cattle feeders
of the state have experienced con-
siderable benefits, as have range
cattlemen.
Shipments of cattle to points out
side the state were unusually heavy
in 1925, due to forced movement dur
ing the spring owing to range condi-
tions. During the first ten months
$4,000 head were shipped, and the
years total may be brought as high
as 100000 head by figures for No
vember and December. Lamb ship
ments were probably about this same
figure, as prices were excellent