Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-12-25
Arizona Seen by The
Industrial Con. Head
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are not yet available, but it APP
pears that lamb shipments for the
year exceeded 100000, while the wool
clip was very good, probably above
100000 pounds. ~'EN
In agriculture, Tie most import
ant improvement over last year was
represented by improved returns for
cotton Acreage was reduced, and
the 1927 crop probably will not be
more than 10000 bales, but average
returns were much better than in
1926 and this has strengthened the
farm situation materially. Grain acre
age was considerably increased, es-
pecially in wheat,-in fact, for a
time it seemed the wheat crop was
too large, for it amounted to good
deal more than the normal require
mentS of Arizona mills, the only
market for it, However, through a
campaign initiated by chambers of
commerce and the Industrial Con-
gress. sufficient support was received
from mercantile firms to warrant the
mills buying the entire crop, and at
advanced prices, so that grain growers
also received good returns. Alfalfa
production for the season increased
to 100000 tons, but the market dur
ing the early part of the year was not
favorable, although. the general poll
icy of shipping only the better grades,
and keeping poor grades on farms for
Stock-feeding proved of general bene-
fit to the growers.
Probably the :wo outstanding
points in the 1927 agricultural stu
alton in Arizona, however, were the
revival of the dairy industry, and the
further increase in interest in speci-
allied dairy industry, and the further
increase in interest in specialized pro-
ducts for outside markets which can
be grown to advantage in Arizona
because of climatic conditions. Let
tuce acreage last spring and this fall
was the largest on record, and for the
calendar year 1927 not less than 10,-
600 cars were Shipped considerable
increase when compared with Ga cars
in 1917. Cantaloupe shipments las
summer also set new record of 5000
cars, and there has been an increase
in practically all winter vegetables
Among other products of specialized
nature, considerable new acreage has
been planted to figs, dates, pecans and
especially citrus fruits
In mining, 1927 has peen year of
more or less marking time" on the
part of the large producers, though a
great amount of new development work
has been carried on throughout the
state and many smaller properties have
installed mills and begun production
to some extent. Neither the copper,
silver, lead nor zinc markets have been
very favorable, but production of
metals for the year apparently will
not be greatly below the 1926 figures,
when Arizona's metal output amount
ed to $111,000,0O0. Recently the mar
ket outlook has improved somewhat,
the position of.,copper strengthening
particularly. So far as future pros
poets are concerned, one of the years
most interesting developments has been
the new lead smelter now being oper-
ated at Douglas by the Phelps Dodge
corporation, which will give impetus
to development of lead properties in
the state.
The lumber industry also was handi-
capped by market conditions this year,
but the big northern Arizona mills
have maintained regular operations,
and production may show some in
crease over 1926. In this connection,
it is worth noting that use of Arizona
lumber within the state has increased,
due partly to results of the "Use Ari-
zona Products movement, and partly
to operations of three box factories in
the Salt River valley which supply
crates for lettuce and melon shipments.
In general business lines, 1927 has
compared favorably with former years.
ReceSsions have been reported from
time to time in individual branches,
but increased population has resulted
in increases in consumption of essen
tial commodities, and banking transac-
tionS in larger cities of the state, re-
ported to the Arizona Business Re-
view issued monthly by the industrial
congress, have generally been greater
than in former years Northern Ari-
zona benefited great deal last sum-
mer from the "See Arizona First
movement, receiving a very heavy
tourist traffic both from within and
outside the state, The greatest bust
ness progress perhaps has been in dis
tributing branches, as wholesale firms
within the state are now getting a
larger proportion of the Arizona bust
ness than ever before, and number
of large outside corporations have es-
tablished new branches in the state.