1909 was a very good year for Globe

Before looking ahead at our own New Year quickly approaching, we wanted to take a moment to look back to 1910 when the local newspaper, the Arizona Silver Belt ran a full page article on Globe, with the bold headline:

“Growth Phenomenal During Year Just Closed”

Globe Outdistances All Rivals In Growth

“When Globe ushered in the new year at midnight, this morning, it left behind one of the most prosperous years in the history of this, the most thriving mining city in the territory.”

The article, as it was written is quite dense and the scan makes it hard to read, so I have listed a few of the highlights from that most prosperous of all years – 1909. 

Growth of Globe

• *The population of Globe increased 20% ending with nearly 13,000 people in Globe proper. Contributing to this, according to the article, were new mining camps and new towns, “of which Miami is a notable example.”
• *The city’s wealth also increased and ended the year with nearly three-quarters of a million dollars more in worth in taxable property than the year before.
• *The largest bulk of this increase came from the addition of a dozen new businesses and public buildings.

Building Activity

• *”Not another city in Arizona can approach Globe in the amount of building which has been done in the last year…Structures have been built with the confidence of the men who bore the expense…reflecting growth that is solid, substantial…”
• *Amster Buildings- Large two-story brick structure at Broad and Oak street. 
• *Sultan Building- A handsome two-story brick building adjoining the court house. The entire lower floor is occupied by Sultan Brothers’ department store with the second floor reserved for their offices.
• *Gila Valley Bank- “One of the handsomest bank building in the territory located at Broad and Mesquite streets.
• *Jones Building – Located at Broad and Oak street, it contains six business rooms on the ground floor and offices on the upper floor.
• *Post Office – The new postoffice building adjoins the Jones building. The main floor will be occupied by the post office and the upper floors will be used as an annex to the Dominion hotel.
• *Empire Theater – The new theater will seat some 800 people and be fire proof in every way. The state is amply large and the loft high enough to acomodate any traveling theatrical company.  
•  *Dealers’ Ice Plant- The new plant of the Dealers’ Ice & Cold Storage at Oak and Pine streets is equipped to turn out 25 tons of distilled water ice a day.
• *Other new structures include the Sidow & Eder building on South Broad, the new apartment house of Nora hall on east mesquite and the new fire house.  

Municipal Improvements

• *The purchase of the water system of Pinal Mountain water Company at a cost of $170,000. By purchasing this system, Globe now controls her own water supply. The plant is currently earning 15% annually . Earnings have gone back into improving the service and acquiring more water. 
• *City streets are being improved, paved and widened
• *The fire department added a new chemical engine; a machine drawn by two horses and carrying 1,000 feet of fire hose in addition to a chemical tank. 
• *A new fire house is also nearing completion and will house the new engine and furnish sleeping quarters.

General Improvements

• *The new Miami extension of the Gila Valley Railway and an extension of the Arizona Commercial Copper Companys’ rail line to Copper Hill is underway.
• *Improvements to the Gila Valley railway includes an enlarged yard and numerous additions to the shops. Two new locomotives and much additional rolling stock has also been acquired during the year.
• *The Consolidated Telephone company is now installing a new and up to date switchboard. When this is complete the old hand-ringing phones will be dispensed with and a thoroughly metropolitan service given to the people of the city.
• *Western Union Telegraph company has built a new line to Miami and is stringing additional line of wire between Globe and Bowie, to handle vast increase in business.  

Better Freight Rates

• *A reduction in  freight rates of 15 – 30% was secured through the efforts of the territorial railway commission and the Globe Chamber of Commerce. 

Mining Development

• *”The mining business of Globe is an industrial giant in embryo…will force a recognition of her supremacy as the Queen City of Metals.” 
• *Notable contributors include the old Dominion, the inspiration, the Miami, the Arizona-Commercial, Superior & Boston, the Warrior, the Live Oak, and the Cactus mines. 

Forecast

• *A new Globe-Durango railroad. Surveyors are now at work on this line and it is expected that Globe will be the southern terminus.  The construction of this line will place Globe in direct connection with Colorado and give this district the benefit of enormous coal supplies. 
• *Another railroad project is the extension of the Phoenix & Eastern railroad through the box canyon of the Gila River and on through to the Southern Pacific line near Lordsburg. 
• *Globe is anticipating a new sewer system. A new passenger depot to be built, several street car promoters have been after local franchises in the city/ New buildings are being planned including the Elks building on Mesquite street and a new county jail has begun preliminary work.
• *A new wagon bridge will be built across Pinal creek and a host of public and private plans are underway.

“And with so much prosperity in evidence in Globe…it is with entire sincerety and without a single apology for Globe or the Globe district that the Silver Belt wishes every one of the residents of this great copper center a happy and prosperous new Year.