·~1 Semiannual Issue
l~I 
~TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 

A Monthly Summary of Business and Economic Conditions in Texas 
BUREAU OF BUSINESS RESEARCH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 
VOL. XXXII, NO. 8 TWENTY CENTS A COPY-TWO DOLLARS A YEAR AUGUST 1958 



The Business Situation in Texas 
By FRANCIS B. MAY 
The seasonally adjusted Index of Texas Business Activity declined in June from the May high point of 197% of the 1947-49 average to 193%. This represented a 2% decline from the preceding month. At this point it was 6% below its all-time high of 205% in May of 1957. In view of the many indications that the bottom of the recession has been reached, this minor decline is probably a random variation of the kind which affects all economic time series. These minor fluctuations may run in the same direction as the business cycle one month and counter to it in the next. In the long run their effect cancels out, the errors on the up· ward side offsetting those on the downward side. 
The first six months of 1958 showed an average level of business activity of 194% of the 1947-49 average, after taking seasonal factors into account. This was only 1% below the average level for the first six months of 1957. The reason for this mild discrepancy is that the 1955-58 business cycle began to level off at a rate near its peak value during the first half of 1957. The high value of 205% in May of that year was offset by a drop to 186% of the 1947-49 average in June. There were several months of good activity in the first half of 1958, notably January at 203 and May at 197, that helped to offset the February and March lows. 
On the whole, this recession has manifested itself in Texas primarily as an interruption of the upward progress of the economy, a leveling off, more than as a decline. There have been some poor months, but they were partly offset by some fairly good ones. The reason for this lies in the diversified nature of the state's economy. It is solidly based on agriculture, oil, and the manufacture of nondurable goods. The improvement in agriculture from the drouth. ridden years of the immediate past has helped to offset some of the decline in oil activity. The fact that the durable goods industries which have borne the brunt of the recession are concentrated in the North and East has meant that Texas industry was touched comparatively lightly. Even the manufacture of oilfield equipment, which has been hurt by the decline in oil production, has been helped by the high rate of activity abroad which has generated a sizable ex· port demand. There is nothing in the immediate outlook to augment the recession; consequently, recovery seems the most likely future course of events. 
Crude petroleum production in June rose to a level equal to the average rate during the 1947-49 base period. This 2% increase is the second monthly rise since the index reached its low of 97 in April. The 24% decrease in pro· duction during the first half of this year is a result of the high level of production during the first half of 1957 when allowables were raised in order to make up the shortage of crude in western Europe resulting from the closing of the Suez Canal. These months of high production resulted in the accumulation of large inventories which have aug· mented the effects of the recession and forced a drastic lowering of allowables to 9 days for July and 8 days for each of the three preceding months. Lowered inventories have resulted in improved allowables. In August, 11 pro· ducing days will be permitted by the Texas Railroad Com· mission. It is ironical that a new crisis has developed in the Middle East with the usual threat that oil shipments from 

Texas Business Activity 

Index • Adjusted for seasonal variation • 1947-1949=100 

250
250 
200 
200 
150 
150 
100 
100 
50 
50 
0 
0 

1940 '41 '42 '43 '44 '45 '46 '47 '48 '49 '50 '51 '52 '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 

there may be interrupted. Once more the basic fact of the unreliability of this source of supply is strikingly illumi· nated. 
Crude oil runs to stills rose to 129% of the 1947-49 aver· age in June after adjustment for seasonal variation. This 2% rise in the index is the more welcome as it is the first improvement in three months. A decline in demand for gasoline as a result of the recession plus large inventories plus imports of finished petroleum products to the East Coast have resulted in price weakness and general distress among refiners in the state. There is some danger now that reduced stocks and firming prices together with greater optimism that the downward phase of the recession is be­hind us will lead to overproduction. Because of their heavy capital investments, which result in declining unit costs as production increases, petroleum refiners are constantly sub­ject to the temptation to expand production. Overoptimism concerning the extent of the market may lead to rising in· ventories and price wars as the summer travel season wanes. 
Total electric power consumption jumped a healthy 11% in June. Reference to the index of industrial power con­sumption indicates that most of this increase was in home use of air conditioning caused by warm weather. The in­crease in the index of industrial power consumption is en­couraging. Part of it was undoubtedly due to improved activity in the oil industry. The fact that for the first half of this year the index averaged 9% below the first six months of 1957 is a reflection of the effect of the recession in general and the drastic reduction in oil activity in par· ticular. 
Ordinary life insurance sales in June increased 3 % over May after taking seasonal factors into account. This has been generally a good year for the insurance industry. The average size of families is increasing. This means that more insurance is needed. The continued advance of in­flation is also having an effect as policyholders come to realize that the erosion of purchasing power of their estates by advancing prices means that larger estates must be pro· vided. A third factor is the continued improvement in our standard of living. A large retirement fund must be pro­vided or the standard of living will shrink painfully after retirement. The 7% increase in ordinary life insurance sales for the first half of 1958 over the comparable 1957 period reflects these facts and a high quality of selling effort. 
Retail sales for the first six months of 1958 were 1 % below the comparable period of 1957. For the nation, re­tail sales for the first half of the year dropped approxi­mately the same percentage from the first six months of 1957. In Texas, as well as in the nation, it was durable goods sales that accounted for the drop. Sales of durables in Texas declined 7% when the two half-years are compared. Sales of nondurables in Texas in the first half of 1958 were 2% above the first six months of 1957. Much of the effect of the recession has centered in the manufacture and sale of durables. The lack of a large durable goods industry in the state, however, may mean that our recovery from the re­cession will be less dramatic than that of the nation. 
June retail sales fell 2% below May on a seasonally ad· justed basis. The decline was due to the fall in sales of non­durable goods (-4%). Durable goods sales rose 2%. For the nation, June retail sales dropped 0.6% after seasonal adjustment. 
Urban building permits issued in June were down 1 % from May. The decline was due entirely to the drop in non· residential permits issued. Residential permits in June rose 11 % above May after seasonal adjustment. For the first half of this year they averaged 28 % above the first half of 1957. Texas has a young and growing population.Effective demand for new homes improves as new families are formed, family size increases, and per capita income rises. While the peak rate of family formation is not expected until the early 1960's, the lack of adequate housing for existing families supplies a strong source of demand for better and larger homes. Recent improvements in financing terms initiated by the federal government and its agencies have effected a marked improvement in the rate of home construction. 

SELECTED BAROMETERS OF TEXAS BUSINESS 
(Adjuated for seasonal variation, 1947-49 =100) 
P ercent chan ge  
I n dex  J un e 1958  May 1958  A verage month J an-June 1958 1957  June 1958 from June 1957  J an-June 1958 from J an-June 1957  


Texas Business A ctivity  193  197  194  196  2  
Miscellaneous fre ight  
ca r loading in S. W.  
district ·-·············-······--·-·----­ 80  77  78  85  + 4  -8  
Crude p etroleum production  100  98  106  139  + 2  -24  
Crude oil runs to stills _________ _  129  127  130  147  + 2  -12  
Tota l electric power  
consumption ··--··········-­-----­ 356  320  323  332  + 11  3  
I ndustria l electric power  
consumption . .....................  333  329  330  363  + 1  9  
Bank debits __ _ ----------------------­ 230  235  231  229  2  + 1  
Ordinary life insurance sales  358  346  358  336  + 3  + 7  
T ota l retail sales _  198  202  2  
Durable-goods sales ---------­ 175  171  + 2  7  
Nondurable-goods sales __ __  211  219  4  + 2  
Urban building per mits  
issued* ·············-·-··  237  239  213  194  1  + 10  
R esident ial ----------­--------------­ 287  258  238  186  + 11  + 28  
Nonresidential ..................  187  234  187  205  -20  -9  
Farm cash income,  
unadjusted ----------------­ 86  60  81  66  + 43  + 23  

* Includes additions, alterations, and repairs. 

As we enter the eighth month of our third recession year since World War II, the outlook is generally favorable. There is no factor affecting the general level of economic activity in the state which seems likely to provide anything but an upward impetus, or at worst, to have a neutral ef­fect. The oil industry, which has suffered the most, is look­ing much better. Other industries seem likely to benefit from the general recovery in the nation which economists generally expect. The only area of disagreement concerns the extent and the exact timing of the recovery. One point of relative weakness concerns the long·term outlook for the state's oil producers. Texas' share of the domestic market for crude oil has shrunk from about 43 % to about 38 % because she has borne the brunt of the production cut-backs necessary to restore inventories to normal levels. It will be difficult if not impossible to regain these lost markets. Fur­ther, there is evidence to suggest that the future rate of growth of demand for petroleum may be nearer 3% a year than the 4%-5% of the past. It seems probable that a new source of dynamic growth for the state must be found. This source can be new industry. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 


Editor ........ ----------------------··-----------·-------·--John R. Stockton 
Managing Editor ................................ Robert H. Drenner 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
The Economy of El Paso ---·-·············--------------------···· The Business Situation in Texas --·-············----·········· 2 
Retail Trade --------------··-·······---····-----························ 4 Agriculture ----··········--------···-··················----------····-··· 6 Construction ·-·-··································------·············· 13 Local Business Conditions ...................................... 16 
Barometers of Texas Business --------------······----------·---28 
BUSINESS RESEARCH COUNCIL 
William R. Spriegel, Dean of the College of Business Administration (ertJ officio) ; L. G. Blackstock; C. P. Blair; E. W. Mumma; Eastin Nelson; and G. H . Newlove. 
BUREAU OF BUSINESS RESEARCH 
John R. St ockton Stanley A. Arbingast Florence Escott 
Director Assistant Director Research Supervisor Resources Specialist 
F ran cis B. May Stella Traweek Robert H. Drenner 
Statistician Consulting Statistician Research Associate 
Deirdre C. Handy Jacquie LeRoy Izumi Taniguchi 
Research Associate Research Associate Research Associate 
Arvid A. Anderson Peter F. M. McLaughlin Melvin R. Mason 
Research Associate Research Associate Research Associate 
Raymond F. Barker Tina Piedrahita Joan N. Houston 
Research Associate Statistical Assistant Statistical Assistant 
Candler P. CassMi ldred Anderson Roberta Steele 
Statistical AssistantStatistical Assistant Cartographer 
Mary Lou Hammack Marie Fletcher
Crescencia M. Stanley 
Senior Secretary Senior Secretary Senior Secretary 
Anna Merle Danz E va A. Arias Marilyn C. Whites 
Library Assistant Statistical Technician Publication Assistant 
Peggy J . Sullivan Dorothy W. Smith Robert Dorsett 
Clerk-Typist Clerical Assistant Offset Press Operator 
Da n iel P. Rosas 
Offset Press Operator 
Assistants 
Alice B. Ba.ghdassarian, Charles 0 . Bettinger, Isabela Cuadros. Ch arles R. Fee, Wayne Ferguson, Murphy M. McNulty, Jr., and Marie Payne. 
Published mont hly by the Bureau of Business Research, Colle><e of Business Administration, The University of Texas, Austin 12. Entered a.• second class matter May 7, 1928 at the post office nt Austin, T exas, under the act of August 24, 1912. Content of this pnbli­cation is not copyrighted and may be reproduced freely. Acknowledge­ment of s01arce will be appreciated. Subscription, $2.00 a year ; individual cop ies, 20 rAnts. 
Retail Trade: 
TOTAL RETAIL SALES DOWN; DURABLE GOODS IMPROVE 
By TINA PIEDRAHITA 
Dollar sales. Total dollar retail sales in Texas in June unadjusted for seasonal variation, declined 7% from Ma; and were 2% below sales in June 1957. For the January· June period sales were down 1 %from the same period last year. 
ESTIMATES OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES 
(Unadjusted for seasonal variation) 
Percent change  
Type of store  June 1958  Jan-J une 1958  June 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from June 1957  Jan-June 1958 from J an-June 1957  

Million s of dolla rs  
TOTAL ................ 1,00·4.5 Durable goods .............. 320.2 Nondurable goods ...... 684.3  5,831.2 1,787 .2 4,044.0  -- 7 •• 10  -- 2 5 ••  +  

**Change is less than one-half of one percent. 
After showing an 11 % increase in May over April, non· durable goods stores dropped 10% in June from May. Almost half of this decline, however, was due to seasonal factors. June sales in this category were even with June 1957, and, for the first six months of 1958, posted a 2% increase over January-June 1957. Durable goods sales, which showed considerable improvement in May', also im· proved slightly in June. Though sales were unchanged from the preceding month, there is usually a small seas· onal decline from the one month to the other. Compared with the same month last year, however, June durable goods sales were down 5%, and, in the six-month cumu· lative comparison, showed a 7% decline. 
June indices. The preliminary index of total Texas retail sales in June 1947-49=100 and adjusted for sea· sonal variation) was 198, four points below the revised May index. The nondurable goods index (211) was eight points below May. The durable goods index, however, rose 4 points from May to 175 in June. 
Retail Sales in Texas 

Index • Adjusted for seasonal variation • 1947-1949·100 

19AO ·,11 ",\2 '43 '44 ·45 "A6 '47 "48 "49 "52 ·53 ·54 ·55 '56 57 58 

Sales by kinds of business. The only sales increases in June over the preceding month by either durable or non· durable goods stores were reported by office, store, and school supply dealers (+7%); farm implement dealers (+4%) ; and lumber and building material dealers 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
(+3%). Sales of motor vehicle dealers were at the same level as in May 1958. Highest percentage month-to-month decreases were reported by florists (-29%) ; unclassified apparel stores (-24%) ; department stores ( -23% ) ; and family clothing stores and women's ready-to-wear stores (each -22%). In comparison with June 1957, best in­creases were made by gasoline and service stations ( + 15%) ; farm implement dealers ( + 11 % ) ; florists ( + 10%); lumber and building material dealers ( +7%); drug stores ( +5%) ; country general stores ( +4%) ; hardware stores (+3%); and women's ready-to-wear stores ( +2%). Gains for the first six months of 1958 over the comparable period last year ranged from 1 % to 19%. Sales in January-June 1958 were above January-June 1957 for farm implement dealers ( + 19%) ; drug stores 
(+9%) ; food stores and country general stores (each +7%) ; gasoline and service stations and florists (each +5%) ; lumber and building material dealers ( +4%) ; hardware stores (+2%); and women's ready-to-wear stores ( +1% ) . Sales decreases in the six-month compari­son ranged from 1 %to 11 %. 
RETAIL SAL ES TR ENDS BY KI NDS OF BUSINESS 
J a n-June  
1958  
Number of  June 1958  J une 1958  from  
Kind of Business  reporting stores  from May 1958  from J une 1957  J an-June 1957  


DURABLE GO ODS  
Automotive stores -··---·------­---·····  297  +  1  8  -10  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores ·················-····  165  7  2  + 1  
Lumber, building mater ial, and  
hardware stores ···-------------······  275  +  3  + 7  + 5  
NONDURABLE GO ODS  
Apparel stores ------­----­----­-­----------­ 223  - 21  6  3  
Drug stores -­----­---­------------------­--­-Food stores ·-----················-------·····  158 255  -- 10 9  + 5 ••  + 9 + 7  
Gasoline and service stations ....  599  +  2  + 15  + 5  
General merchandise stores........  195  - 20  3  1  
Other reta il stores ······-----------·-···  216  - 10  - 1  2  

**Change is less than one-half of one percent. 

J7olume of department and apparel stores. Sales of Texas department and apparel stores slipped 22% from May 1958, 5% from June 1957 and were 2% below Janu­ary-June 1957. Of the 33 reporting cities, only Corpus Christi ( +9%) and Victoria ( +2%) reported increases over May 1958. Decreases in sales ranged from 8% re­ported by Snyder to 43% reported by Cleburne. In the J~-to-June comparison, 9 cities bettered their sales. Leaders were Victoria (+21 % ) , Corsicana (+ 13%), Plainview ( +7%), and Beaumont (+4%). In the half­year cumulative comparison, 13 cities reported better sales for the first half of 1958. Best results were made by Bryan and Port Arthur (each +7%) ; Paris, Temple, and Vic­toria (each +6% ) ; Brownwood, Corsicana, and Lubbock (each +4%) ; and Greenville and McAllen (each +3% ) . Victoria was the only city to report gains for all three periods of comparison. 
Salea in Texas cities. Changes in retail sales in the 25 Texas cities reporting a large enough number of retailers to permit individual city listings showed 6 cities ahead of May 1958, nine bettering June 1957, and three above Janu­ary-June 1957. Increases over May 1958 were reported by 
AUGUST 1958 Texarkana (+22%) ; Plainview (+ 16% ); Henderson ( + 14% ); Wichita Falls (+ 13% ); and Corpus Christi and Victoria (each +2%). Gains over June a year ago were made by Plainview ( +46%) ; Texarkana ( +21 % ) ; Sherman ( + 15%) ; Waco ( +5%) ; Henderson, Victoria, and Wichita Falls (each +4% ), and Austin and El Paso (each +1% ) . In the January-June comparison, Temple 
(+8%) and Sherman ( +1% ) were the only cities to re­port increases, while Austin and El Paso remained un­changed. 
Although there were overall decreases in sales for most of the 25 reporting cities, there were _contrasting changes in different lines of business. In the June-to-June compari­son, Corpus Christi, with a 17% decline in total sales, registered a 17% increase in retail sales by lumber, build­ing material and hardware stores and a 23% drop in sales by automotive stores. Greenville had a 4% sales decrease from June 1957, but reported a 17% increase in drug stores sales and a 12% drop in sales by apparel stores. Amarillo reported a 2% decrease in June 1958 over June 1957 but showed a 23 % increase in sales by lumber, build­ing material and hardware stores and a 28% drop in sales by furniture and household appliance stores. Similarly, Wichita Falls, with a 4% increase in sales for June 1958 over the same month last year, showed a 32% drop for furniture and household appliance stores, a 15% increase for lumber, building material and hardware stores, and a 5% gain for automotive stores. 
Credit and collection ratios. The June ratio of credit sales to net sales in 67 Texas department and apparel stores was 1.7 points above May 1957 and 0.6 point above June 1957. Highest ratios were reported by Dallas (76.6%) ; Houston (74.2% ); Fort Worth (66.5% ); Galveston 
CREDIT RATIOS IN DEPARTMENT AND APPAREL STORES 
Credit  Collection  
ratios*  rat ios**  
Numberof ~~~~­ -~~~~­ 
Classification  r eporting stor es  J une 1958  June 1957  J une 1958  J un e 1957  


ALL  STORES  67  68.4  67.8  37 .()  38.7  
A ustin  -----------------------------------------­ 6  62.7  63.4  49.l  49 .3  
Bryan  -­------------------------------­----------­ 3  55 .4  56.l  50.0  49.2  
Cleburne  -------------------------------------­ 3  40.9·  38.9  40 .8  39.9  
Da llas  ---------­---------------------­-----------­ 7  76.6  75.4  39. 1  42.9  
El Paso  ---------------------------------------­ 3  58.1  58.3  28 .0  29.1  
Ft. W or t h -----------------------------------­ 3  66.5  65 .2  31.5  29.4  
Galveston  ---­-------------­-----------------­ 5  65-2  64.3  41.3  43_6  
Houston  ------------------------­--------------­ 3  74..2,  73.7  41.7  44.0  
San Antonio -------------------------------­ 4  64.4  66.1  42.S  39.7  
W aco  -----------------------------------------­-­ 5  5!U  60 .6  36.2  42.0  
BY TYPE OF STORE  
Departm ent stor es  
(over $1 million )  -----------------­ 19  69.6  69.0  35.8  37 .5  
Depa.rtment stores  
( under $1 million)  ---------------­ 19  48.9  50.0·  38.8  40.4  
Dry goods and  appa rel stores  5  80.5  72.5  53.7  54.5  
W omen's  specia lty shops -------­ 12  65.4  64.8  39.9  42 .1  
Men's clothin g stores ---------------­ 12  68-1  68.9  42.9  43.S  
BY VOLUME OF NET SALES  
Over  $1,500,000 -------------------------­ 24  69-9  69.()  36.7  38.4  
$5 00 ,000 to $1,500 ,00 0 ---------------­ 16  56.0  58.1  42.7  44.8  
$250.,00() to $500,00 0 -----------------­ 12  5 .4  52.. 1  39.0  38.9  
L ess tha n $250,000 -------------------­ 15  47.7  50.3  36.9  39.8  

* Credit sales as a p ercent of n et sales. 

•• Collections during the month as a percent of accounts unpaid on the first of the month. 
(65.2%); San Antonio (64.4%); and Austin (62.7%). By type of store, dry goods and apparel stores (80.5%) and department stores with sales over $1 million ( 69.6% ) were the leaders. 
The June 1958 ratio of collections during the month to accounts unpaid at the first of the month was 37.0%, a 
0.4 point drop from May 1958 and a 1.7 point drop fro~ June 1957. By cities, collection ratios were highest m Bryan (50.0%); Austin (49.1%); San Antonio (42.8%); Houston ( 41. 7%) ; Galveston ( 41.3 % ) ; and Cleburne 
(40.8 % ) . By type of store, dry goods and apparel stores (53.7%) and men's clothing stores ( 42.9%) reported highest collection ratios. Bryan, Cleburne, Fort Worth, and San Antonio improved their collection ratios over June 1957. 
POSTAi. RECEIPT!! 

Percent change  
City  May 31­June 27 1958  Dec 14 1957­June 27 1958  Dec 15 1956­June 28 1957  Dec 14 ' 57­June 27 '58 from Dec 15 '56­J une 28 '57  

Alice  ...................................... $12,824  $ 83,552  $ 84,880  - 2  
Alpine ....................................  4,033  25,573  28,536  -10  
Bay  City  ..............................  9,757  62,286  64,600  - 4  
Beeville  ................................  10,787  64,242  58,414  + 10  
Brownfield  ..........................  19,102  60,774  48,058  + 26  
Cameron  ..............................  6,763  51,545  
Childress  ..............................  4,714  29 ,413  
Cleburne  ..............................  11 ,783  76,191  70,343  + 8  
Coleman  ................................  5,424  37,612  38,228  - 2  
Crystal City ......................... .  25,512  
Cuero ..................................... .  4,164  29,604  29,888  - 1  
Denton  ................................. .  2.1,115  160,012  155,394  + 3  
Eagle  Pass  ......................... .  5,092,  37,003  36,576  + 1  
Edna  ..................................... .  4,313  28,123  31,512  -11  
El Campo ............................. .  8,802  55, 733  54,434  + 1  
Gainesville ........................... .  74,150  
Gatesville ............................. .  3,813  25,347  
Gilmer ................................... . Graham ............................... .  4,905 6,302  28,629 48,223  27 ,657 48,382  + 4 ••  
Granbury ............................. .  2,190·  18,966  23,641  -20  
Hale Center ......................... .  1,989  10,291  10,347  - 1  
Hillsboro  ............................. .  5,347  38,319  46,788  -18  
Huntsville  ........................... .  6,874  53,403  50,629  + 5  
Jacksonville  ....................... .  14,238  90,269  92,221  - 2  
Kenedy  ................................. .  3,211  21,204  21,277  (< l~  
Kermit ................................. . Kerrville ............................... .  6,334 9,224  42,778 64,599  39,136 64,494  + 9 ••  
Kingsville ............................. .  13,048  79,956  
Kirbyville ............................. .  2,160  17,647  27,313  -35  
La Gran ge ........................... .  3,386  26,468  26,987  2  
L,evelland ............................. .  6,573  44,875  42, 201  + 6  
Littlefield ............................. .  5,874  36,174  35,427  + 2  
Luling  ................................. .  23,179,  
McCamey  ............................. .  3,483  21,706  
Ma rlin ................................... .  5,601  39,970  41,779  - 4  
Midla nd ................................. .  56,310*  
Mission  ----············----·------·----··  7,245  49,785  48,986  + 2  
Navasota  ----------···-················  3,952  27 ,776  27,378  + 2  
Odessa ................................... .  57,164.  375,078  359,103  4  
Pecos ..................................... .  12,901  66,295  63,099  + 5  
Pittsburg  ............................. .  2,477  20 ,640  21,621  5  
Raymondville ....................... .  5,904  34,901  33,480  + 4  
Sinton ................................... .  5,671  36,993  38,056  3  
Snyder  ................................. .  11,286*  
Taft  ....................................... .  2,650'  16,328  17,594  - 7  
T errell ................................... .  6,356  44,457  40,886  + 9,  
Waxahachie ......................... .  9,310  66,804  63,867  + 5  
Weatherford ....................... .  8,620  53,391  48,362  + 10  
Yoakum ............................... .  8,390  63,739  


Agriculture: 
WATER AND AGRICULTURE IN THE EL PASO VALLEY 
By RAYMOND F. BARKER 
Texas' Lower El Paso Valley consists of about 80,000 acres of land bounded on the west and northwest by the Rio Grande and on the east and northeast by the Hueco, Finlay, and Quitman mountains. The valley is roughly cone-shaped, being about seven miles wide at its upper end near El Paso and tapering to aproximately two miles at its southeastern end about 70 miles below El Paso. 
Three centuries ago the valley was hardly more than a silted desert wasteland of mesquite and cactus. Most of the time the Rio Grande was virtually' dry. However, when the spring thaws melted the snow on the mountains to the north of the river flooded the valley. These countless seasonal floods produced deep alluvial deposits where fertile light silt loams predominate within a range of soil textures from fine sandy loam to heavy adobe clay silt. 
The land rises from 3500 to 5000 feet above sea level in this part of Texas. Winter temperatures range from 14 de· grees to 70 degrees F. during the average winter and sum· mer temperatures vary from 63 degrees to 103 degrees F. The average frost-free period of 242 days extends from late March to mid-November. Slightly less than eight inches of rain falls in a typical year and '. more than half of this occurs in July, August, and September. 
Farming in this valley dates back to the first settlement at Ysleta in 1683. The Ysleta Mission grounds were pro· ducing fine-quality grapes more than 200 years ago, and this land is said to be the oldest continuously farmed land in the United States. For the earliest settlers, Spanish padres and Christianized Tigua Indians, water was the greatest concern. Much has been done to solve this problem, hut after three centuries water is still-and will continue to be-a limiting factor in the region's development. 
The agricultural economy of the El Paso area really was established in the early decades of this century. On October 19, 1916, the dedication ceremonies at Elephant Butte marked the end of a 20-year struggle for construction of a dam to serve the vast El Paso and Mesilla Valleyfarming areas. This idea, first conceived in the 1890's, became a reality when Congress appropriated over $6 million for the project in 1910. By January 1911 construction had be­gun on the dam, projected to hold enough water to put the whole state of Delaware under two feet of water. Five years later, on July 1, 1916, the dam was completed. Since 19~6 it has served the El Paso area as a water supply reservoir, has protected the valley from possible flash floods, and since the late 1930's has furnished hydroelectric power for the area. 
This dam is a key part of the Bureau of Reclamatio~'s Rio Grande Project which extends 200 miles along the Rio Grande from Elephant Butte Reservoir in Socorro County, New Mexico, through Sierra and Dona Ana counties, New Mexico, and El Paso County, Texas. Project lands exte?d from 125 miles northeast to 40 miles southeast of the city of El Paso with a net irrigable area of 155,000 acres, ?f which 88,000 acres are in New Mexico and 67,000are1Il 

**Change is less than one-half of one percent. Texas. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 

The completion of Caballo Dam twenty-two miles down­stream from Elephant Butte in 1938 gave the project its second storage reservoir and added 340,000 acre-feet capa­city to Elephant Butte's 2,198,000 acre-feet. In addition to the storage reservoirs, the project's irrigation and drain­age system consists of five diversion dams; 610 miles of diversion and distribution canals and laterals; 502 miles of land drains and waste ditches; six canal and drain struc­tures across the river; and thousands of miscellaneous structures. 
CARLOAD SHIPMENTS OF LIVESTOCK• 
l!ource: Bureau of Business Reiearch in cooperation with Agricultural Marketing Service. U. $.Department of Agriculture 

Percent cl\ange  
June 1958  June 1958  
June  May  June  from  from  
Classification  1958  1958  1957  May 1958  J une 1957  
------·  
TOTAL ---···-­ 4,557  5,291  3,735  -14  + 22  
Cattle  ·-·-·······-· ·····----·········  3,805  4,167  3,169  - 9  + 20  
Calves  ·-······-············----·-····--­ 391  382  327  +  2  + 20  
Sheep ····--···--·······-··········-·····­ 361  748  239  - 52  + 51  
INTERSTATE ...  4,357  4,773  3,315  - 9  + 31  
Cattle ··--····-·········--············  3,620  3,722  2,787  - 3  + 30  
Calves  --········-··············--­ 378  323  291  + 17  + 30  
Sheep  -----···········---·---·-·····  359  728  237  - 51  + 51  
INTRASTATE  -------­ 20 1  524  420  - 62  -52  
Cattle  ---·······  185  445  382  - 58  -52  
Calves Sheep  -······----·-·············--·--·-­---·······-----------·-·······-···  14 2  59 20  36 2  -76 -90  -61 ••  

•Rail-car basis: cattle, 30 head per car; calves, 60 ; hogs, 80 ; and sheep, 

250. •*Change is less than one-half of one percent. 
The Rio Grande Project, including land, irrigation and related works plus the dams and reservoirs, represents an investment of about $150 million. In the area below Ele­phant Butte there is an estimated farm population of 35,­000 directly dependent upon an adequate water supply. Sometimes, despite Caballo and Elephant Butte dams, the supply is not adequate. There was a major drouth in the area in 1950 and 1951. This was decisively broken in 1952, hut recurred through 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956. During these years water for irrigation was severely limited, and irrigated acreage below Elephant Butte declined as much as 40% below normal. 
This drop is small compared to what would have hap­pened if Valley farmers had not drilled almost 2,000 wells or one for about every 100 acres. Thus the serious­ness of the water shortage has been masked by the utili­zation of underground water reserves. This use of under­ground water has created another problem. The average annual water table decline in the EI Paso Valley and neigh­boring areas has been about six feet. This led to a severe reduction of drain flow. Consequently, mineral salts dis­solved in the water entering the project at Elephant Butte have been remaining largely on the land or in the under­ground water table. These salts amount to almost a million tons since 1950. Well salinity has shown an average in­crease of about 5% annually in the El Paso Valley since 1951. During the dry spell many irrigated acres became too salty for further production. The annual loss of income due to retiring excessively salty lands in the area has been es­timated at $5 million. 
Water forecasts for the 1958 growing season provide so~e of the best news the area has had in a long, long time. Moisture on the Colorado portion of the watershed ranged 
from near-normal to 150% of normal during March. New Mexico portions of the watershed ranged from near­normal to 300% of normal. If the expected total runoff between April 1 and September 30 materializes, the Rio Grande Project will receive in excess of one million acre feet of water in the water year October l, 1957 to Sep­tember 30, 1958. The lake behind Elephant Butte stood at a 12-year high on May 1, 1958, with 784,483 acre feet as compared to 51,549 acre feet last year on May 1. The lake has not held one million acre feet of water since June 1946, hut this level is expected to he matched this summer. As a result, normal irrigation is expected not only this year but also in 1959. This year crops produced on the Rio Grande Reclamation Project will be worth well over the estimated $34.5 million received in 1957. Total acreage planted in 1958 will he about 140,000, or approximately 6,000 acres more than was planted last year. Government controls pre­vented any substantial increase in cotton acreage, but higher yields per acre will push the 1958 cotton crop well over the 1957 level. Last year 88,000 bales of medium­staple, valued at $18 million, were produced on 59,000 acres of the Project, and 30,000 bales of long-staple, valued at over $9 million, were grown on 37,000 acres (a large share of the nation's long-staple cotton production is regu­larly on irrigated acreage in the El Paso area). The com­mercial production of cotton in the El Paso Valley fol­lowed the completion of Elephant Butte. Today the average annual yield in El Paso County is about 85,000 bales and cotton accounts for 75% of crop revenues. The Elephant Butte area has become one of the world's richest cotton growing territories, the average yield per acre being three 
times the national average. 
Far• Cas~ l1co•• ·11 Texas 
Index : Unad justed for seasonal variation • 1947-1949·100 


There are no allotments on alfalfa, and this year farmers in the Valley are planting much larger acreages to this legume. In 1957 about 80,000 tons of alfalfa hay were harvested from 20,000 acres in the Project alone; between 25,000 and 30,000 acres will he planted this year, and the alfalfa produced will have a value in the neighborhood of $3 million, not counting the value of resulting higher soil fertility and improved soil condition (plentiful water will also provide the opportunity to greatly improve the latter by leaching out salts accumulated during the drouth). Alfalfa is the second most important field crop in the El Paso area. 
The prevalent opinion on the future of agriculture in the Valley is reflected in the going price of Valley farms. Even during the recent drouth few were obtainable at less than $1000 per acre; most cost much more. Irrigable land prices have, of course, risen somewhat with the return of an adequate supply of water. 
According to the latest Census, agriculture in all its divisions and directly allied operations contributed more than $60 million to the El Paso economy in 1954, itself a drouth year. The figures entering into this compilation in­clude the cash return from field crops, livestock operations, the output of cotton oil mills, the operating outlay for gin­ning in the immediate district, and similar operations in­volving crops, livestock and by-products. 
Field crops top the agriculture revenue entering El Paso's economy in all recent years. Though there is no accurate breakdown on the annual value of field crops in El Paso County, their value for the Rio Grande Reclama­tion Project exceeded $41 million in 1954. Most of this production was in El Paso County, and all of it was within the acknowledged trade area of El Paso. 
CARLOAD SHIPMENTS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES 
Source: Compiled from reports received from Agricultural Mllrketing 
Service, U .S. Department of Agriculture 
January-June 
Percent Commodity 1958 1957 change 
TOTAL SHIPMENTS 

VEGETABLES ................ . 
Beets ........................................................ .. 
Broccoli ........ . 
Cabbage .......................... .. 
Carrots ................................................... .. 
Cauliflower 
Corn ......................................................... .. 
Cucumbers ................................................. . 
Lettuce ....................................................... . 
Mixed vegetables ................. .. .. 
Onions --------------------------··--------·--·····-----------­
Peppers ................................................... . 
Potatoes .................................................... . 
Radishes 
Spinach .................................................... .. 
Tomatoes ........................ .. 

FRUIT .............................................. .. 
Cantaloupes ................................ .. 
Grapefruit .................................. . 
Honeydews ........ 
Lemons -------·--·-------------------------------­
Mixed citrus ............................................ .. 
Mixed melons ........................................... . 
Plums and prunes .................................. . 

Oranges -----------·-················-------­Strawberries ................. .................. . Watermelons .................................. ALL OTHERS .............................. . 
23,738 20,730 59 46 2,762 5,197 361 295 19 328 3,577 3,848 117 23 
2,781 2,892 1,135 
238 553 15 184 
4 71 5 
687 114 
19,014 + 25 16,841 + 23 61 -7 79 -42 818 +238 3,726 + 39 1,037 -65 135 +lrn 18 + 6 1,0·29 -68 3,115 + 15 2,887 + 33 23 +409 6 +283 
3,063 -9 2,115 + 6 1,446 -22 106 +125 381 + 46 
74 +149 
5 43 -91 16 +344 
44 +1461 58 +loo 

Feeder cattle accounted for about $15 million of total agricultural revenue. Cotton mill products turned out at the two large and two smaller cotton oil mills in the El Paso District had a cash value of $6 million. The three canning plants in the district added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the overall agricultural economy. 
In addition to these major revenue operations are a multitude of other farm operations that produce a steady stream of revenue. Some examples: the multimillion dollar local dairying industry; the fruit and nut harvest of El Paso Valley which exceeded $50,000 in 1955; poultry growing and marketing, a comparatively minor activity in the valley farm life, hut which accounted for revenue in the hundreds of thousands of dollars; the 25 cotton gins in the 
Prices Received by Farmers In Texas 
Ind-ex • Unadjusted for seasonal variation • 1909-1914·100 

400 
\
350 
350
r -"\
(\
300 
300
r 
\.V 
/'-,Cr
~ht--h,_
250 
2lO
l)
200 
200
V'



,_,. 
150 v 
150 
100 
100 
50 
5 
0 
0
·'
19-40 41 42 43 '44 45 -46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 l7 'lB 
area, a major contribution to income from agricultural products. In addition there are at least a dozen large-scale and numerous small-scale cotton merchants in the city and valley whose entire business is dependent upon the farm economy'. Numerous other lines of business, especially the feed lines, are built largely around the valley's alfalfa crop. 
Numerous truck vegetables are also grown on a com· mercial scale on the project, including melons, cabbage, sweet potatoes, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, chili peppers, and cantaloupes. Pecans are a major crop largely because of the extensive pecan acreage on the Stahmann Farm near Las Cruces, New Mexico. The farm's 4,000 acres produced nuts valued at about $2 million in 1954. The 200,000 head of cattle which pass through El Paso's Union Stockyards attest to the city's importance as a key transfer point. The lifting of the 18-month-long hoof and mouth disease quarantine on Mexican livestock on December 31, 1954, increased the importance of these yards. 
REVENUE RECEIPTS OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER 
Source: State Comptroller of Public Aeconnta 
September 1-June 30 
Percent Account 1957-58 1956-57 change 
TOTAL .......................................... $861,630,454 $812,081,026 + 

Ad valorem, inheritance, and poll taxes .......................................... .. Natural and casinghead gas 
production taxes ............................ .. Crude oil production taxes .............. .. Other gross receipts and 
production t axes -----------.-----------------­Insurance companies and other 
occupation taxes ------------------------······ Motor fuel taxes (net) .............. .. Cigarette tax and license ................ .. Alcoholic beverage taxes 
and licenses ·············------------·-······------­Automobile and other sales taxes.... .. Licenses and fees .............................. .. Franchise taxes .................................. .. Mineral leases, land sales, rentals, and bonuses ................................ . Oil and gas royalties ............. Interest earned ................................... . 
Unclassified receipts ........................ .. 
Other miscellaneous revenue -----------­Federal aid for highways ................ .. 
Federal aid for public welfare ........ .. 
Other federal aid ................................ .. 
Donations and grants ...................... .. 

45,774,663 
35,714,008 100,979,012 
16,870,269 
27,014,742 138,951,183 39,298,993 
26,131,908 18,306,345 28,584,620 37,716,589 
13,381,757 22,190,323 24,852,748 64,763,517 7,574,248 86,369,894 101,996,050 14,277,407 1,879,178 
•• Change is less than one-half of one percent. 
42,074,125 
34,267,037 125,819,542 
17,350,703 
24,694,755 135,371,629 37,414,961 
26,096,290 18,324,236 22,147,3 59 34,108,851 
18,942,087 25,137,499 20,085,113 54,780,793 9,814,383 53,175,381 96,065,931 16,098,976 311,372 
+ + 
-13 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
29 

+ 
11 


-29 -12 + 24 + 18 -23 
+ 
62 

+ 
6 -11 -40 


TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 


The Economy of El Paso 

By JAMES S. SWEARINGEN, JR. 
El Paso, near the southern edge of the great Southwest at the lowest pass in the Rocky Mountain chain, is a thriving, unique community where the dynamics of American busi­ness development merge with the graceful charm of a Spanish heritage. The history of El Paso dates back to about 1536 and the travels of Cabeza de Vaca and the successive missionaries, conquistadores, and other explor­ers who built a permanent mission at El Paso del Norte about 1659. Ponce de Leon is believed to have been the first permanent settler in El Paso when he obtained title to about 500 acres on the northern bank of the Rio Grande and developed his holdings into a prosperous ranch. 
Located in the far western corner of Texas, El Paso was little concerned with the Texas Revolution and the war with Mexico. The Civil War also had little effect on the daily lives of the town's citizens, although the federal garrison stationed there had become a permanent Army post, later known as Fort Bliss. El Paso grew slowly for the next few years; the 1880 census reported only 736 inhabitants. In 1881, however, the entrance of the railroads provided a stimulus and permanent support for the city's growth. In 1882 the Southern Pacific and the Texas and Pacific rail­roads used to advantage this lowest pass in the Rocky Mountains (thus, as the Spanish explorers recognized, the pass) by joining together and forming the third transcon­tinental railway in the United States. A post office was built, charters were granted to Western Union and a mule car service, and El Paso became the county seat of El Paso County. These and other growth stimulants pushed the city's population to 10,338 by 1890 and 15,906 in 1900. 
Today, with an estimated population of 263,000, El Paso 

is the trading and industrial center of a tremendous area 
bounded by Fort Worth, San Antonio, Mexico City, Tuc­
son, Phoenix, and Denver. The solid foundation of the 
city's balanced and diversified economy is often linked in a 
significant alliteration-copper, cotton, cattle, climate, and 
clothing. 
The geography of the El Paso area and the land within a 

200-mile radius are of two distinct and dissimilar types. 
The alluvial flood plain along the Rio Grande and other 
stream valleys yield abundant crops under irrigation, prin­
cipally long-staple cotton, alfalfa, and truck vegetables. De­
spite cutbacks in acreage allotments cotton grosses nearly 
$14 million annually with production averaging 85,362 
bales. The water supply for these irrigated crops flows from 
deep artesian wells and from Elephant Butte and Caballo 
lakes, which have reached over one million acre feet of 
stored capacity for the first time in 12 years and are pre­
dicted to rise even higher because of the generous inflow 
of spring runoff. The Rio Grande Irrigation Project irri­
gated 142,694 acres in 1955, producing a total crop value 
of $32,317, 781. The irrigation farmers also have the ad­
vantage of a long growing season (242 days) and extended 
periods of clear weather. 
The other land type is composed of the arid plains and 

basins of the Trans-Pecos mountain region. The El Paso 
Basin in the western part of this region includes most of 
the city of El Paso, located at the foot of the Franklin 
Mountains. The major economic activity in this area of mountains and basins is the production of beef cattle and sheep, the result of the availability of nutritious grasses and sufficient water. Dairy farming in the immediate El Paso area supplies the local milk market. As a group farm­ers and ranchers are among El Paso's biggest customers. 
The prosperous growth of El Paso is illustrated by its ex­panding business activity. One measure of this expansion is the increase in bank debits from $1,864,436,000 in 1950 to $3,364,965,000 in 1957. El Paso has seven commercial banks and a branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Another favorable indicator of the city's prosperity is the increase in the annual value of building permits issued (nonfederal contracts) from $22,818,315 in 1950 to $35,­659,228 in 1957. (As of June 1958 building permits have already reached $30,505,653, indicating that a new record may be reached this year.) During this same period the population climbed from 130,485 to 263,000 (due in part, of course, to city annexation of outlying areas). Al­though the El Paso labor market area corresponds to El Paso County, the city of El Paso accounted for much of the county population increase from 194,968 in 1950 to an estimated 296,000 in 1958. There is a strong demand for labor in the El Paso area and the civilian labor force in­creased from 56,570 in 1950 to 84,300 in March 1958. The families of military personnel based in the area and easy access to the Mexican labor market provide a dependable supply of migratory labor. Other commercial centers in the area with El Paso as the focal point are Canutillo 
(l,326) and Anthony, New Mexico, (1,200) in the in­tensively cultivated valley above El Paso, and Fabens ( 3,089) in the irrigated valley below. Y sleta, the oldest permanent settlement in Texas (established in 1682), also in the lower valley, was recently annexed by the city. 
El Paso is the center of an immense trading zone ex­tending in all directions. An enormous amount of whole­sale, retail, and foreign trade results from El Paso's stra­tegic geographical location, from the fact that it is the largest city in a vast area, and from its excellent transporta­tion facilities. El Paso's retail trading zone includes 28 counties-14 in West Texas, 12 in New Mexico, and 2 in Arizona. The population in this area numbers 640,000, not including an additional 170,000 in Mexico. The 1954 Census reveals that 1,689 retail establishments in the city had a $25,225,000 payroll. Retail sales have increased yearly since 1939, and reached an all-time high in 1957 at $283,946,000, a net gain of more than 149% from sales of $113,969,000 in 1950. The wholesale trading area ex­tends 300 to 400 miles in all directions from the city, and includes a large segment of Mexico as far south as Chihua­hua. The population of this area is approximately one and one·quarter million, not including the three Mexican states served. The Bureau of Census figures show that wholesale trade in El Paso County increased from $217,000,000 in 1948 to $291,000,000 in 1954, up 34%; today the whole­sale trade done by El Paso distributors amounts to $300,­000,000 annually. 
El Paso is the headquarters port for Customs District 24 Industrial Electric Power Use in Texas 
and ranks second among the cities on the Mexican border in dollar volume of imports and exports. In 1956 exports through this port amounted to $55,800,000 and included such items as petroleum, animal products, wood and paper, metals and manufactures, machinery and vehicles, textile fibers and manufactures, chemicals, and flour and other grain mill products. A record $62,500,000 in goods was imported through EI Paso in 1956 and included cattle, leather, furs, bananas, hemp, lumber, gums, resins, drugs and medicines, castor beans, and some ores. These figures 
Total Electric Power Use in· Texas 
Index • Adjusted for seosonal variation • 1947-1949,100 
500 
500 
400 
400 
300 
300 
200 
200 
100 
100 
t940 '41 '42 '43 '44 '45 '46 '1.8 '49 '50 '51 '52 '53 '54 '55 '56 


represent only the value of commodities imported in commercial operations and do not take into account the thousands of dollars in goods brought back by tourists every year. In 1957 El Paso was the leading port of entry in the United States in number of individual entries from a foreign country, with 24,077,247 entries. 
Import, export, tourist, and general trade traffic to and from Mexico are growing so rapidly that El Paso has the perennial problem of maintaining adequate international crossings and inspection stations. A special committee of the Chamber of Commerce is presently studying possible sites for a new crossing; improvement of the present bridge at Cordova Island for this purpose has been proposed. Two years ago the Santa Fe Street facilities were enlarged but provided only temporary relief from traffic congestion. 
Crude Petroleum Production in Texas 
Index• Adjusted for seosonal variation .1947-1949•100 
4~ 

persons who annually earn approximately $33,742,000. Railroads have played a major role in the development of the community with three major lines (Southern Pacific Lines, Santa Fe Railway Company, and Texas and Pacific Railway Company) having a total El Paso payroll in 1955 of more than $17 million. In 1881 Southern Pacific Lines was the first railroad to come into El Paso; today in the city Southern Pacific and its subsidiaries employ 3,250 persons to whom they pay approximately $14,250,000 in wages and salaries, carry passengers in four daily stream· liners between the Pacific Coast and Chicago and New Orleans, and handle about 12,800 freight trains through the city each year. 
In addition to the tremendous amount of trade moving to and from El Paso, there is an active and considerable tour· ist traffic. This big business includes visitors from all parts of the country, many of whom are convalescing in the high, dry, and invigorating climate. Many other famous attrac· tions in the vicinity are Juarez, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, ancient cliff dwellings, Indian reservations, and Big Bend National Park. 
El Paso's economy relies heavily on a sound and greatly diversified industrial sector. The census of 1954 listed 170 manufacturing establishments in the city with a total of 9,063 employees and a $28,534,000 annual payroll. These same firms were responsible for $50, 704,000 in value added by manufacture and $16,825,000 in capital expenditures for new productive capacity. These figures reveal substan· 
Index • Adjusted far seasonal variation • 1947-1949·100 

200 
150 
100 
50 
1940 41 . ''2 '43 44 '45 '46 47 '48 '49 '50 '51 52 '53 '54 ·55 '56 ·57 '58 ° 

El Paso's strategic location at the lowest natural pass in the Rockies makes it a crossroads for a substantial part of the commerce and travel between the Gulf Coast and the West Coast. The complex network of transportation facil­ities serving the city includes four airlines, seven rail con­nections, nine bus companies, twenty-six motor freight lines with regular schedules to all continental destinations, five U. S. highways, and the Central Highway of Mexico. In El Paso County the trucking industry employs 9,090 tial manufacturing expansion and a growing industrial contribution to El Paso's economy when contrasted with a 1947 manufacturing payroll of $13,780,000 and $35,175,. 000 in value added by manufacture in the same year. 
The mining, smelting, and refining industries contribute a substantial share of the personal income in El Paso; con­~equently, the future growth of this income will be greatly mfluenced by the expansion of these industries. The princi· pal mineral establishments are a copper and lead smelter, a copper refinery, two oil refineries, a cement plant, a lime plant, and a brick plant. Employment at the two primary metal plants totaled approximately 2,000 in 1956. At the El Paso Smelting Works of the American Smelting and Refining Company, one of the world's largest custom smelters, copper and lead are recovered from ores and con· centrates from Mexico, South America, Africa, Australia, and mines in the American Southwest. El Paso accounts for about 4% of the national copper-smelting capacity. Blister copper is refined at the Nichols electrolytic refinery of the Phelps-Dodge Corporation, one of the largest and most modern plants of its kind and which refines approximately 30% (almost 300,000 tons annually) of all copper refined 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 

in the United States. The Phelps-Dodge Corporation an· nually spends $12,440,000 in the area for payroll, freight, utilities, and supplies. The growth potential of the copper industry is reasonably good and its long-term outlook is generally rated excellent. 
El Paso Natural Gas Company, with approximately 1,750 employees in El Paso County, is another major contributor to the local economy. With headquarters in El Paso, the company supplies natural gas across the Southwest to Cali· fornia and the Pacific Northwest through more than 10,000 miles of pipeline. A subsidiary, El Paso Natural Gas Prod· ucts Company, employs an additional 500 persons in the area and is expanding rapidly. Three years ago the com· pany operated no refineries and had no retail outlets; since then it has become a major refining and marketing com· petitor in the Southwest. Recently the firm's new ultra· modern Odessa refinery went into full operation, and a new 248-mile products pipeline will move high-octane gaso· line to El Paso area outlets. The company now operates 284 service stations and has plans to acquire more. 
Constituting still another important economic pillar of El Paso's economy are the two large oil refineries of Stand­ard Oil Company of Texas and the Texas Company, which handle oil brought in by pipeline from the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico and which employed some 1600 workers in 1956. Evidence of confidence in the city's future economic development is Standard Oil's recently­completed $30-million expansion program, boosting re· finery capacity to 61,000 barrels a day and adding 200 persons to the company's El Paso payroll, which now totals over $6,250,000 annually. 
The clothing industry, recently added as the fifth big 

"C," has taken over as the leading manufacturing industry 
with over 4,000 employees. The principal items of clothing 
manufactured by this $50-million industry are blue jeans, 
work clothes, and western wear for men, women, and chil­
dren. EI Paso labels have become well known throughout 
the country, the result of quality manufacture and vigorous 
advertising in the national market. Recent expansions by 
two leading firms, Top Notch Manufacturing Company 
(Levi's) and Hortex Manufacturing Company ("Billy the 
Kid"), will add 400 workers and increase output consider· 
ably. 
Other industries with significant impact on El Paso's 

economy are food processing, brewing, cement production, 
and leather goods and lumber products manufacture. The 
four largest food processing plants use a large proportion 
of local farm produce in their packing and canning of 
vegetables, sauces, Mexican foods, and specialty foods. One 
Bureau of Business Research Publications 


Texas Industrial Expansion 
April-June 1958 by 
Stanley A. Arbingast, Assistant Director 
Robert H. Drenner, Research Associate 

A quarterly supplement to the Directory of Texas Manufactnrers. lndnstrial constrnction projects an­nounced during the second quarter of 1958 are listed with data on cost, products, and number of employ­ees. Twenty-five cents each; one dollar a year. 

AUGUST 1958 of the newest and fastest growing additions to El Pasu'o in. dustrial development, the canning industry supplies a grow· ing demand extending across the nation to Alaska, China, and South America. Peyton Packing Company, for ex· ample, has contributed to local economic prosperity for over 47 years, now occupies 35 acres inside the city limits, and processes 60,000 head of cattle and 100,000 hogs an· nually. A recent $250,000 expansion and modernization program by Falstaff Brewing Corporation is evidence of 
RE FINERY STOCKS" 
Source : The Oil a'l'ld Gaa Journa.l 

Average month J anuary-June 
June Percent Product 1958 1958 1957 change 
(thousands of barrels) 

UNITED STATES Gasoline 186,486 193,661 197,622 -2
---------··--·--·····-···---···-Distiliate 103,353 88,065 92,153 -4
--··-···---·-···--·········-·· Residual 63,697 48,41(} 39,112 + 24
-················-------······ 
···--·-·········--·-·········­

Kerosene 23,855 20,148 23,443 -14 TEXAS Gasoline 29,834 35,501 34,830 + 2
····-·-····--···--····-·-··-·­Distillate 12,249 11,216 11,668 -4
-·-··-············-·-·-····­Residual ·--······-···--·--·-·········-8,514 7,102 7,064 + 1 Kerosene -····---·--··-···-········--2,944 2,433 3,274 -26 
•Figures shown are for the week ending nearest the last day of month. 

another major industry's confidence in the future growth of the regional market. Southwestern Portland Cement Company, which employs approximately 300 persons, pro· duces an average of 4,500 barrels of cement daily to satisfy the construction needs of the area. Leather goods manufac­tured in the city and marketed nationally include such arti· cles as shoes, saddles, holsters, belts, and harness. Lumber conversion and mill work also contribute to El Paso's pros· perity, manufacturing such finished products as trailer bodies, restaurant fixtures, show cases, doors, window frames, and many other items. EI Paso is also a center for industries which manufacture building products such as brick, cinder blocks, and structural tile, utilizing local de­posits of clay and volcanic cinder. Flour mills, bakeries, and dairies are additional industries which contribute sig· nificantly to the community's economic prosperity. Other products manufactured include telescopic rifle sights, candies, furniture, metal products, electrical equipment, parachutes, and tents and awnings. 
The pure water supply near the city is highly desirable for special uses and is a crucial raw material for industry. Evidence of the special importance to some industries of the quality of available water is brought out by certain in· dustries that have located in EI Paso. For example, process water for the food and processing industries must be free of bacterial contamination and turbidity. The brewing in· dustry requires water with low alkaline content. Absence of suspended matter is desired for use in cooling systems, boilers, and washing operations-particularly those involv­ing fibrous materials. . 
The military installations in and around El Paso also have a particularly important place in the EI Paso economy. Historically and currently these military bases and their personnel serve as both a stabilizing factor and stimulant to further economic growth. Every year many millions of dol­lars enter local commerce from these installations through payrolls, construction and maintenance, and purchases of thousands of tons of subsistence and maintenance items. 
11 
l\filitc:rrf personnel and their dependents also annually spend substantial sums of money for housing, food, cloth· ing, personal items, entertainment, and travel. Already a bulwark in El Paso's economy, these permanent and stra· tegic military installations will become even more import· ant with the increasing use of rockets and guided missiles. 
Since Fort Bliss was established as a post in 1849 it has grown in importance to become the Army's only air defense training center. The government's investment in the fort is now estimated at more than $400 million. Known as the largest single "industry" in El Paso, Fort Bliss earlier this year had a $36-million annual payroll for its 22,000 mili­tary and civilian personnel. Both totals are expected to be increased by about 25% during the coming year. 
WELL COMPLETIONS 
Source: Th• Oil and G1JB Journal 
J une 1958* J anuary-June Region Oil Gas Dry Total 1958 1957 
TEXAS  795  71  526  1,392  8,853  10,629  
Sou thwest  ····--··----········  74.  13  84  171  1,091  1,329  
Gulf  Coats ____ ___  91  16  87  194  1,032  1,248  
East ----------------­ 44  0  45  89  598  617  
North  Central  --­ 230  10  206  446  2,902  3,750  
W est  ...............  305  7  90  402  2,620  3,004  
Panhandle  -------·-···········  51  25  14  90  610  681  

•For week ending J une 28, 1958. 
Recently El Paso has received further indications of the continued growth and expansion of military facilities in the immediate area. Fort Bliss awarded a $3,363,638 contract to the Philco Corporation, most of which will be spent on salaries for 200 to 400 additional workers, to provide in· structional services in all phases of electronics and radar fire control equipment. Radioplane, a subsidiary of North­rop Aircraft, Inc., received a $4.5-million contract to pro­vide rocket-propelled drones for the training and target practice of Nike crews. These fast drones will be assembled and repaired at Radioplane's El Paso plant. 
An estimated 87% of all military supply procurement goes to producers and small businesses in and around the community. Total annual expenditures of $70 million are required to maintain Fort Bliss as the most important guided missile training center in the Free World. 
Adjoining the fort is Biggs Air Force Base which has grown from a rutty sand runway in 1916 until it now re­presents an investment of more than $300 million. This permanent industrial giant pays $24 million annually to its 7,000 military and civilian employees. A major installa­tion of the Strategic Air Command, the base promises to make increasing financial and cultural contributions to the area as it expands and converts to the all-jet B·52 bomber. 
Since William Beaumont Hospital first opened to patients in 1921, it has grown to become the sixth largest Army gen­eral hospital in the nation, and it is expected to soon be­come the fifth largest. Meeting the needs of the nearby installations and other military hospitals, William Beau­mont has expanded to more than 170 buildings, about 1,300 civilian personnel, and a $4-million annual payroll. Spe­cialized phases of the hospital's activities include training programs and significant advanced research in obstetrics. 
White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico fired its first rocket in 1946 and opened the Southwest to a major new industry with an enormous commercial and military potential. As they have in the past, contractors in El Paso and its vicinity are expected to get the major portions of the $76 million in missile-oriented construction planned for the next four years. The 8,000 civilian and military employees and the $36 million payroll at White Sands are additional stimuli to the region's economic growth. 
Holloman Air Development Center, a fifth major miJi. tary installation in the El Paso area, specializes in the test· ing and evaluation of new weapons systems for the Air Force. The city benefits considerably from the center's $38. million annual payroll and the purchasing power of Hol· loman's 7,500 workers, most of whom are civilian em· ployees of the 35 electronic and .aircraft companies located there. Total disbursements of the Integrated Range were estimated at $110 million in 1957. 
A somewhat different but no less positive influence on the continued economic health of the El Paso area is the availability of outstanding college level educational and research facilities at Texas Western College. A branch of The University of Texas and a part of the city's growing educational system, Texas Western was until recently the Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy, hut changed its name when it expanded to include undergraduate degrees in engineering, business administration, the liberal arts and sciences, and the fine and applied arts. With student enrollment climbing toward 4,000, substantial amounts are being spent for additional classroom space and other facilities needed for a physical plant adequate for the col· lege's expanded educational program. Indicative of the importance of the college to the local community are the 
FEDERAL INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTIONS 
Source : Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Treasury Department 
July 1-J une 30 
Percent District 1957-58 1956-57 change 
TEXAS ____________ $2,690,297,499t $2,561,903,966 + 6 Income -------------1,353,452,733 1,334,452,434 + J Employment ----------------------------------24,389,777 30,469,397 -20 
Withholding -----------------------------1,089,164,220 991,508,392 +JO Other ______ ___ -------------------·-222,490,766 210,733,173 + 6 
SOUTHERN DISTRICT._____ l ,431,417,025t 1,378,597,730 + 4 Income ---------··--·---------------------·------727,758, ll0 732,206,898 -J Employment ----·--·-------------------------5,969,626 5,694,091 + 6 Wit hholding 558,894,854 509,450,759 + JO 
Other .--------------------------------·---138,794,432 131,245,536 + 6 
NORTHERN DISTRICT __ 
l,258,880,473t 1,183,306,235 + 6 Income _ -------· 625,694,623 602,245,53~ + 4 Employment 19,220,150 19,515,875 -2 Withholding ------------__ ---------------·----530,269,495 482,057,633 + JO Other _
_---------------------··· ------------------83,696,204 79,487,191 + 6 
t Details do not add to totals due to rounding. 
two laboratories on the campus engaged in basic research. El Paso Natural Gas Company recently completed a $250,­000 laboratory where 25 technicians are working on im· proved techniques of gas transmission and by-product utili· zation. The Schellenger Foundation established a lahora· tory which has already made an important contribution to medical research and presently is engaged in classified military projects. Both of these laboratories also play an important role in Texas Western's training of engineering and science students, most of whom are available after graduation for local industrial and commercial employ· ment. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 

Construction: 
RESIDENTIAL PERMITS SET NEW MONTHLY RECORD 
By ROBERT H. DRENNER 

Urban building construction authorized in Texas in June was estimated at $108,109,000, an amount 18% greater than the highest total ever before authorized in the same month (the previous high was in June 1957). The June record made the third consecutive month that year-to-year monthly permit totals have reached a new high. Further­more the value of building authorized in the first six months of this y'ear was 2% greater than the previous January-June record (in 1955). After adjustment for price 
Building Construction in Texas* 


•value of bu ilding construction authorized. 

increases, the real value of building projected in the first half of 1958 was slightly below that in the record 1955 period, but Texas building, as evidenced . by permits, is nevertheless at a level approaching the "boom" stage and appears to be gathering strength as the year progresses. Allowing for the normal lag between permits issued and work put in place, May and June authorizations are good evidence that the current rate of building activity is one of the most promising features of the general business sit­ation in Texas. 
If the overall building category is broken down into its major components, however, a sharp difference in rela­tive showings of both June and January-June permit totals is immediately apparent. Though the total value of build­ing authorized in June was 3% greater than in May, and the total for the first six months was 10% above that au­thorized in January-June 1957, in each case residential construction was wholly responsible for the improvement. Both nonresidential building permits and authorizations for additions, alterations, and repairs were below the May level; six-month totals for both categories were also down substantially from authorizations in the same period last year (see table). 
Home construction, however, is more than taking up the slack in general building activity left by the weak nonresi­dential sector, and building intentions represented by rec­ord May and June permits are for the most part now being translated into work put in place. Building construction employment during the spring months was generally held down by inclement weather, but encouraging gains were reported in May and June, and building employment will apparently exceed the year-ago level by a substantial amount through the balance of the summer and into the fall. Construction employment as reported by the Texas Employment Commission includes employment in highway construction and other nonbuilding areas, but this total too has been rising steadily the past few months, chiefly as the result of heavy contract letting by the Texas Highway Department and the return of contractors to road jobs al­ready under way hut rained out earlier. The quickening pace of highway construction is also evidenced by report · of stepped-up sales of heavy construction equipment (trac. tors, drag lines, scrapers, and other earth moving ma­chinery), the first significant reversal of a year-long decline in such sales. Shipments of portland cement from Texas mills have also been improving; in May, for example, they were 18% above shipments in May 1957 and for the Janu­ary-May term were 5% greater than in the same 1957 period-the first month this year that the cumulative total compared favorably with the year-ago figure. 
Texas building construction news in June was the story of the intentions of Texas homebuilders. The total value of permits issued in Texas during the month for new urban residential structures amounted to $66,171,000, almost 4% greater than the largest amount ever before authorized in this category in any month. The June total was 8% above May. Normally there is a slight decrease from May to June in new residential permits; especially after the unusually large number issued in May a considerable drop in June was rather expected. As a result of the actual increase, however, the Bureau's seasonally adjusted index of resi­dential building authorized moved upward from 258 in May to 287. June authorizations showed a remarkable 56% rise from the same month last year. For the January­June period they were 29% above permits issued in the first half of 1957 and were only 3% below the greatest amount ever authorized in a comparable six-month term 
($34.S,470,000 in January-June 1954). 
Permits for multiple-family dwellings were up 6% from May; authorizations for single-family residences were 9 % above May and accounted for 90% of the total value of per­mits issued in the general residential category (they also made up 61 % of the total value of all new building con­struction authorized in June). All of the major Texas cities reported a near-record number of residential permits issued; in Houston and Dallas, which together normally account for almost one-third of residential construction in the state, both starts and authorizations were at the high­est levels so far this year and far above the 1957 period. In the incorporated limits of Houston alone, 1,118 new dwelling units with a total value of $12,850,865 were au­thorized; Dallas reported 591 permits totaling $5,644,848; and El Paso ranked third with 421 new home permits with 
Bureau of Business Research Publications 
The Genesis of the Aviation Industry 
in North Texas 
Texas Industry Series, No. 6 


by E. C. Barksdale 
fifty cents 

ESTIMATED VALUE OF BUILDING AUTHORIZED Source: Bureau of Buelneao Research In c&<>peratlon with th" Hul"ean of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor 
January-June  
June  Percent  
Classification  1958  1958  1957  change  

Thousands of d.ollars  
CONSTRUCTION CLASS  
ALL  PERMITS  ---·--··········  108,109  572,308  519,131  + 10  
Residential  (housekeeping) ..  66,171  336,413  261,260  + 29  
Residential  ( housekeepink. ...  66,171  336,413  261,260  + 29  
One-family dwellings  59,865  305,368  250,007  + 22  
Multiple-family  
dwellings  ---············  6,306  29,616  11,252  +163  
N onresidential  buildings  ·-····  31,622  175,740  196,408  -11  
Nonhousekeeping buildings  
(residential)  ..  551  6,162  4,307  + 43  
Amusement buildings . Churches ····--··-·----------····-·····  1,274 4,858  5,117 19,418  3,879 19,478  + 32..  
Factories and workshops....  2,011  12,248  24,441  -50  
Garages (commercial and  
private )  ------··-----­-·---······--·  751  2,687  5,506  -51  
Service  stations  ..................  640  5,241  6,8 18  -23  
Institutional  buildings  ......  720  5,106  8,335  -39  
Office-bank  buildings•  -----·  2,514  26,365  31,748  -17  
W orks and ut ilities ............  1,728  8,360  4,243  + 97  
Educational  buildings  ······  8,988  44,994  54,664  -18  
Stores and mercantile  
buildings ...... -----················  7,282  35,813  31,478  + 14  
Other buildings and  
structuresi  ----···············  305  6,874  4,208  + 63  
Additions, alterations, and  
repairs§  ----­ 9,837  58,164  61,463  - 5  
METROPOLITAN vs. NON- 
METROPOLITANt  
Total  metropolitan  ....................  79,660  425,805  394,951  +  8  
Central  cities  ········­ 65,358  361,402  347 ,507  +  4  
Outside central cities ............  14,302,  64,403  47,444  + 36  
Total  non-metropolitan  28,448  146,194  124,180  + 18  
10,00(} to 50,000  
population  ------­------­ 19,475  106,915  90,932  + 18  
Less than 10,000  
population  8,973  39,279  33,248  + 18  

•Includes 11ublic (nonfederal) administration buildings beginning July 1967. tincludea government (nonfederal) service buildings beginning July 1957. §Includes additions and alterations to public buildings beginning July 
1967. t As defined in 1950· census. 
a total value of $3,572,825. Generally, residential build­ing in the state's larger cities dominated nonresidential construction even more strongly than in the statewide build­ing picture. Only Fort Worth and Austin, in which non­residential building authorized exceeded dwelling unit per­mits in value, were notable exceptions. In Houston, $12,· 850,865 in new residences compared with only $3,933,316 for all other building; in Dallas, $5,664,848 for residences and $2,353,953 for nonresidences; in San Antonio, $5,297,­330 and $568,553; in Corpus Christi, $1,142,600 and $683,521; in Amarillo, $1, 718,440 and $412,261; and El Paso, $3,572,825 and $1,756,715. In some of the smaller cities with over $1 million in new homes authorized in June the diflerence between the two major categories was still more extreme: Odessa, $2,064,325 residential and $178,772 nonresidential; Lubbock, $2,887,856 and $519,002; Mid­land, $1,790,697 and $114,000; Arlington, $1,245,830 and $412,261; Garland $1,207,325 and $108,473; and Irving, $1,291,027 and $507,959, were especially noticeable ex­amples. 
Nonresidential building authorized in Texas in June was 6% below May; l)rdinarily there is a seasonal increase in nonresidential permits between the two months. As a result of the decline the Bureau's seasonally adjusted index of nonresidential building authorized fell sharply in June to 187 from 234 in May. Institutional buildings (-46%), office-bank buildings (-71% ) , works and utilities (-11% ) , and stores and mercantile building ( -11% ) were chiefly responsible for the decrease. There were in­creases in permits for new churches (+200%), factory buildings ( +61 % ) , and schools ( +58%). 

CONSTRUCTION IN THE EL PASO AREA 
In January-June 1958 nonfederal building construction authorized in the corporate limits of El Paso exceeded $30.5 million. Slightly over half this amount ($16.6 mil­lion) was authorized in the same period last year, and the 1958 first-half total was 68% higher than the greatest amount ever before authorized in any January-June period ($18.2 million in 1955). It is certain, therefore, that a new annual record in building permits issued in El Paso proper will be set this year, and it is probable that the new record will be as much as 75% over the highest total prev· iously recorded. A portion of the percentage improvement, of course, is a result of the expansion of the El Paso city limits, but after discounting construction in the annexed areas for the sake of a meaningful comparison the rate of building, compared with earlier years, is very high. This is also true of the El Paso metropolitan area as a whole. 
Over 6% of all new urban dwelling unit permits issued in Texas during the first six months of 1958 were for El Paso; higher percentages were recorded by only Houston and Dallas. The 2,345 units authorized had an estimated total value of $20,268,000, compared with approximately $6,944,000 in new nonresidential permits issued in the same period. The latter amount was the fifth largest dollar total in this category among the state's cities during Jan· uary-June 1958; in total building construction authorized El Paso ranked third. 
In the past year over 70 subdivision applications were processed by the El Paso City Planning Department; about 50 of these are active. New residential developments are also being followed by new shopping centers. Apart from those already completed or near completion, con· struction has begun on a new center on Sand Hills Freeway in Ranchland Hills; in late June construction began on the $2.5-million Fox Plaza center (a new $2-million post office and a new high school will also be built in the area); Bas· sett Center, to be located on Montana St., is definitely planned; plans for a center on Mesa Rd. have been an· nounced; and still another is scheduled for construction in Milagro Hills. A new shopping center will also be built in Coronado Hills, where a multimillion-dollar luxury resi· dential and country club development is being carved out of the foothills of the Franklin Mountains, and also where the new Putnam School, the proposed size of which was recently doubled by the El Paso School Board, will be built this fall. 
An expanding population and rapid suburban develop· ment are sparking a boom in new food store construction in the city. Safeway Stores, Inc., for example, plans to build four new supermarkets and a warehouse in the area in 1958-59; total construction cost will be nearly $2 million. El Paso Food Mart has a supermarket under construction 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW and plans three more; Furr Food Stores plans two $200,­000 stores. Several major new suburban department stores are also scheduled. White House Stores, for example, will build a $2-million branch in East El Paso, in the same area where Del Camino Motor Hotel Corp. plans construction of a 350-room motel and hotel operation. 

By no means all the new building in El Paso is in the suburbs, however; downtown construction also reflects the economic growth of the area. Some of the major projects include a $1.5-million office building to be built across from Providence Memorial Hospital; a $500,000 store for J. J. Newberry Co., soon to be completed; an expansion pro­gram by J.C. Penny Co., now underway; and a just-com­pleted $300,000 modernization of the First National Bldg. 
A major construction program aimed at improving El 

Paso's transportation facilities is the $2-million modern­
ization and expansion project now in progress at the Mu­
nicipal Airport. A completely remodeled terminal building, 
new hangar facilities, and new and improved runways and 
aprons are planned. The new facilities will equip the air­
port to handle jet-prop airliners due to begin operations 
through El Paso this fall and to properly accommodate the 
rapidly increasing volume of air traffic of all kinds (this 
year, for example, about 150% more passengers will be 
enplaned at the airport than were enplaned seven years 
ago). Also, across from the airport, Hilton Hotels, Inc., is 
building a $750,000 luxury motel, scheduled for completion 
late this year. 
In the past five years the scholastic population of El 

Paso has risen by more than 50%. In consequence, a mam­
moth school construction program has been underway in 
the city since 1955. By 1960 nearly $10 million will have 
been spent on such construction, representing 512 new 
classrooms and other facilities. Five major projects in 
progress will be completed by this September. 
Residential, industrial, and commercial building con­

struction will get an enormous boost with the development 
of "El Paso East," a 107,000-acre tract, acquired by 
Arthur Rubloff & Co. of Chicago, which is being actively 
advertised across the nation as a desirable industrial and 
commercial location. The firm has announced that it is 
especially interested in inducing the location of a major 
new industry in the tract to serve the El Paso area. The 
first major development planned in El Paso East is a $2­
million, 34-unit industrial terminal and truck stop. 
The high rate of new building construction in the EI Paso 

area has meant a comparably-high rate of new construction 
by the area's utility companies. For example, in late June 
ground was broken for El Paso Electric Company's new 
80,000-kilowatt generating station in northern EI Paso 
County. Eventual capacity of the new plant will be 400,000 
kilowatts, for a total construction cost of about $11 million. 
Also in June, EI Paso Electric placed a new 50,000-kilowatt 
unit in operation at its Rio Grande station, raising company 
capacity to 262,000 kilowatts. Completion of the first unit 
at the new station will raise generating capacity to more 
than five times the company's capacity in 1947; since that 
date the firm has already spent more than $60 million on 
new construction. 
Gas utiliti\jS have been rapidly expanding in the area, 

too. Southern Union Gas Company has budgeted $13.5 
million for new facilities to be built during the coming 
year. Lea County Gas Company (which serves the Upper 
and Lower El Paso Valley) is expected to spend about 
$450,000 on new construction in 1958. Another major utility, Mountain States Telephone Company, plans a $3­million expansion of facilities during the next 12 months. 
The Texas Highway Department estimates that approxi­mately $50 million will be spent in El Paso County for highway and freeway construction during the next few years. This total does not include county and city expendi­tures on roads and streets. Projects planned include a new superhighway in the Upper Valley; a four-lane highway from Fabens to the Hudspeth County line; the Sandhills­Hawkins Freeway to the Ysleta cutoff; and the rebuilding of U.S. Highway 54. 
Some of the largest and most important building con­struction projects scheduled for the El Paso area are those at the several military bases. The Army has requested over $17 million before the House Appropriations Committee for construction projects at Fort Bliss alone during fiscal 1959. Almost $5 million was requested for new laboratory build­ings to test the Nike Hurcules missile; $3 million was re­quested for new classroom and administrative buildings; 

The Texas Power & Light Company 
TEXAS RESOURCES AW ARD 

will be given to the outstanding student enrolled in Texas Resources !Resources 3261 during each sem­ester of the long sessions. The Award will consist of an engraved gold watch in a style of the student's choosing and will be accompanied by a certificate suitable for framing. The Company, in recently es­tablishing the Award, asserted, "work in Texas re­sources is very valuable to our State, and we feel that this recognition of outstanding performance by a superior student enrolled in the course will give added stimulus toward furthering work in this field at The University." 

and new military housing and additional operational and maintenance facilities will also be built. Over $61 million, the Army indicated, will be spent on building construction at the Fort during the next four years, much of it on new facilities for missile training, research, and testing, and in addition to expansions already in progress. 
At Biggs Air Force Base, construction totaling over $3 million is being completed, including four large dormi­tories and two dining halls. Over $2 million in new air­craft maintenance docks is planned; a $600,000 modifica­tion of the aircraft fueling system has been contracted for; about $2 million in runway improvements will soon be placed under construction. Additional operational, train­ing, and supply facilities will be built at a cost exceeding $5 million. Even larger expenditures on construction are planned at both White Sands Proving Ground and Hollo­man Air Force Base. 
There is, in short, an extraordinary amount of construc­tion of all kinds in progress or planned in the EI Paso area. A large portion of it is being and will be handled by El Paso contractors, and a still larger portion of the funds spent for such construction will be funneled into the El Paso economy. 




Local 


Percent change  
June  June 1958 from  June 1958 from  January-June  
City and item  1958  May 1958  June 1957  1958  1957  Percent change  

ABILENE (pop. 55,000r)  
Retail sales .......................................  - 4  4  
General merchandise stores  - 22  2  
Lumber; building material, and  
hardware stores  .. ..  +  12  **  -16  
Postal receipts ········-············· ···············  ---­ $  83,036  +  24  +  3  $  533,406  
Building permits, less federal contracts ----------------­-$  2,141,505  +  29  +184  $  9,190,289  $  7,462,544  + 23  
Bank debits  (thousands)  --------­-----------­----------------· $  81,774  +  a  - 1  $  502,426  $  477,639  + 6  
End-of-month deposits (thousands)  ........................ $  59,251  +  2  -11  $  59,261  $  61,586  
Annual rate of deposit turnover ------­········-··············· Employment --­--­-··-········-··········· .......................... Manufacturing employment ___ ...........................  16.7 30,000 4,060  +  2 ••••  + 4 -1 + 10  16.9 30,158 4,023  15.6 30,454 3,618  + 1 + II  
Percent unemployed .....................................  7.9  +  10  + 46  6.8  5.6  + 21  

AMARILLO (pop. 125,049r)  
Retail sales ···········-·  - 4  - 2  -2  
Apparel stores  ····---­--·-················  - 19  - 8  -1  
Automotive stores ............  ····--·-··············-··­ +  9  - 10  -16  
Drug stores  ··--·­················  - 9  - 8  + 6  
Eating and drinking places  ··········· ········  +  14  - 11  
Filling stations  +  7  - 2  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores ----············ ·············---------­ +  3  - 28  -10  
Liquor stores  ----­------·············----­ 5  +  1  -4  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores -·--·-------·-·········-··········-­---­ 8  +  23  + 24  
Postal receipts• ·······················-··  . $  141,008  7  +  3  $ 888,277  $ 861,840  +  
Building permits, Iese federal contracts ______  $  2,342,266  +  4  +  36  $ 13,666,935  $ 14,632,966  
Bank debits  (thousands)  ··················­ -·· $  178,591  +  4  +  11  $ 1,068,061  $ 1,011,897  +  
End-of-month deposits (thousands)  ···---·-·­---·-·-----·· $  114,741  +  5  +  10  $ 109,592  $ 102,977  +  
Annual rate of deposit turnover ------------------------­--­Employment -----­-------------­---­---------­Manufacturing employment  19.1 49,2000 5,750  + +  2 •• 3  + + +  3 6  19.5 48,933 5,598  19.6 48,283 5,294  + + 6  
Percent unemployed ···-·······­ ·-·-----·······-----------···­ 6.6  +  16  +  18  7.4  5.1  + 45  

ARLINGTON (pop. 27,550r)  
Postal receipts  ------­--·-------··------······ ···················  ----­ $  22,492  +  3  +  3  $  175,361  $  167,064  + 6  
Building permits, less federal contracts Employment (area) ·······················-··········  ····· $  1,368,412 189,100  +  33 ••  + - 58 4  $  5,659,488 190,167  $  4,152,088 202,017  + 36 -6  
Manufacturing employment (area)  51,900  - 14  53,038  64,650  -18  
Percent unemployed (area)  ····-­ 7.7  +  5  +  31  7.4  5.2  + 42  

AUSTIN (pop. 186,QOOr) Retail sales ­---------­-----­------------­-­---­ - 7  +  1  ..  
Apparel stores ------------­ ............................  - 28  +  2  +  
Automotive stores -·--­--­ -------­----­----·-·-·······  +  21  +  8  +  
Eating and drinking places -------------­-----------------­Filling stations____ __ ············· ····························  -+  19 7  +  2 3  +  
Food stores  ·················--···-·······  - 1  1  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores ·----· ----·­ ·················­--···  - 17  +  9  +  
Lumber, building material, and hardware stores  ------------·-··············  +  1  ••  
Postal receipts_________  ----------­-----------­·­-·­$  251,716  - 7  6  $ 1,884,255  $ 1,895,355  1  
Building permits, less federal contracts________ ____________ $  5,299,954  - 14  +  83  $ 24,528,110  $ 19,889,811  + 28  
Bank debits (thousands) ------------------­-----­---------------------$  167,041  8  +  14  $ 1,061,055  $ 974,327  + 9  
End-of-month deposits (thousands )  -------­------------­ $  133,164  +  5  +  9  $ 129,129  $ 121,614  + 6  
Annual rate of deposit turnover__ ___ ··-------------·········· Employment .................... ······················-----­ 15.4 72,600  8 ••  + +  8 3  16.5 70,733  16.1 70,858  + 2 ••  
Manufacturing employment____ ···-···--·-·-­-------······  5,450  +  1  +  3  5,403  5,251  +  
Percent unemployed_________  ------­--···············---­ 4.7  +  9  +  18  4.5  4.1  + 10  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
Conditions 

Percent change  
City and item  J une 1958  J une 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from J une 1957  1958  January-June 1957  Percent change  

BAYTOWN (pop. 22,983)  
Postal receipts.................  ................................. $  19,549  +  19  +  3  $  142,953  $  137,403  +  4  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $  562,808  +  25  +  43  $  2,396,339  $  2,676,530  - 10  
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) ......................... $  20,356 22,159  +  3 4  + - 8 13  $ $  126,970 25,423  $ $  118,294 25,509  +  7 ••  
Annual rate of deposit turnover............... Employment (area) ...................................................... Manufacturing employment (area) ..................  11.2 428,900 89,275  - 3 •• ••  + +  19 5  430,917 91,242  9.4 420,583 92,858  + - 2 2  
Percent unemployed (area) ...................... ......  7.4  +  7  +  95  6.5  S.5  +  86  

BEAUMONT (pop. 122,485r)  
Retail sales ......................................................................  - 15  s  - 6  
Apparel stores......  --------------·--····-···-··········  - 34  8  - 8  
Automotive stores........ ..........................  8  5  - 10  
Eating and drinking places..................................  6  6  +  
Filling stations ......................................................  +  9  +  1  
Food stores............................................................. _  +  1  +  3  +  8  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores ........ ···· ··············-·················  - 46  8  7  
General merchandise stores..................................  - 26  +  2  4  
Lumber, building material,  
and hardware stores .....................................  - 15  3  ••  
Postal receipts ...............................  .. .......... $  88,409  +  1  +  2  $  667,532  $  650,329  +  8  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $ Bank debits (thousands) .............................................. $  1,161,673 144,538  +  4 ••  - 53 2  $ $  6,757,040 893,845  $ $  9,401.948 919,071  - 28 3  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) .......................... $  108,455  +  1  +  2  $  109,116  $  107,737  +  
Annual rate of deposit·turnover.................................. Employment (area) ......................................................  16.1 85,400  +  1..  3  16.3 86,133  16.9 86,142  4 ••  
Manufacturing employment (area) ..................  27,430  +  1  7  27,547  29,432  - 6  
Percent unemployed (area) .........................................  10.4  +  5  +  82  9.1  5.3  +  72  

BIG SPRING (pop. 24,442r)  
Retail sales ·····--·-·-····································-···­ 
Lumber, building material,  
a nd hardware stores .....................................  
Postal r eceipts  ························-···--------··· ··········· $  23,699  
Building permits, less federal contracts................... $  569,410  
Bank debits (thousands) ................................... ........... $  29,668  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) .......................... $  23,406  
Annual rate of deposit turnover................................ _  15.2  

+  9  +  14  +  8  
+ 39  9  $  151,618  $  152,716  
+215  $  1,550,945  $  1,721,965  - 10  
- 8 ••  +  4 4  $ $  193,575 23,964  $ $  179,836 24,538  + - 8 2  
-11  4  14.4  

BORGER (pop. 18,059)  
Postal receipts ............. ----·-·······················--·  $  $  $  103,366  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................  $  95,831  - 63  - 69  $  1,583,648  $  706,117  +124  
Bank debits  (thousands ) ....... -----································ $  $  $  113,647  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) .......................... $  $  $  17,324  
Annual rate of deposit turnover............ -·--··--············  

BRADY (pop. 5,944)  
Postal receipts ··-·-······------············· ···················­··········· $  3,918  + 30  -12  $  25,138  $  26,898  - 7  
Building perm its, less feder a l contracts.. ·········· ······ $ Bank debits (thousands) ......................... ············· $  34,900  +213  +320  $ $  139,060  $ $  31,975  + 385  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) . ······················· $  6,707  +  s  - 7  $  6,441  $  6,274­ +  3  

BRENHAM (pop. 6,941 ) 
Postal receipts .......... ................................................... $ 7,040 + 67 + 8 $ 44,042. $ 

42,698 + 3 
Building permits, less federal contracts........... -....... $ 50,725 

-20 + 45 $ 277,177 $ 253,732 + 9
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $ 7,016 + 4 + 12 $ 40,553 

$ 39,111 + 4End-of-month deposits (thousands ) .......................... $ 11,816 + 1 + 3 $ 12,208 $ 12,126 + 1
Annual rate of deposit turnover................................ . 

7.2 + 4 + 11 6.6 
For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
AUGUST 1958 
Percent change 
June 1958 June 1958 January-June June from from City and item 1958 May 1958 June 1957 1958 1957 Percent change 

BROWNSVILLE (pop. 36,066) 
Retail sales..................................................... . -17 3 

-5 
Automotive stores........... . -19 19 -20 

Lumber, building material, and 
hardware stores ......................... . -3 + 21 

+ 10 
Postal receipts .................. $ 24,007 + 32 + 4 $ 161,398 

Building permits, less federal contracts ................. $ 133,308 -76 + 18 $ 1,006,554 $ 1,039,047 -3 

BROWNWOOD (pop. 20,181)  
Retail sales........................................................... .  
Apparel stores ........................... .  -18  
Furniture and household  + 6  
appliance stores..  
Postal receipts..................................................... .  
Building permits, less federal contracts..  ... s  59,900  +sos  
Bank debits (thousands) ........................... .  s  11,113  3  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ......... .  ·········· $  12,94'  + 3  
Annual rate of deposit turnover ..... .  10.5  7  

+ 7 -19  + 2 -15  
+ 23 + 10 + 11  $ $ $  273,572 64,377 12,209 10.6  $ $  114,446 139,765  + 96  

BRYAN (pop. 23,883r)  
Retail sales....................... .  -12  - 7  
Apparel stores  -25  - 4  +  
Automotive stores  - 7  -12  +  
Food stores  -18  +  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores..  + 16  + 4  
Postal receipts.......................... .......................  .. $  20,156  + 30  4  $  133,981  $  139,531  
Building permits, less federal contracts .................. S  512,007  +145  + 49  $  2,371,987  $  2,841,835  -17  

CISCO (pop. 5,230) 
Postal receipts................. . $ 4,181 + 33 -1 $ 27,095 $ 26,866 + 

Bank debits (thousands) ...... . $ 15,051 
End-of-month deposits (thousands) .............. . $ 3,577 

CORPUS CHRISTI (pop.165,458u)  
Retail sales....................................  + 2  -17  -12  
Apparel stores..................................  + 9  - 7  - 6  
Automotive stores........... .  +  - 28  -15  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores...  + 3  + 17  + 2  
Postal receipts....................... . .................... S Building permits, less federal contracts ....... . ..... S  188,487 2,074,572  + 11 + 16  + 3 + 22  $ 960,374 $ 12,890,291  $ $  944,733 8,310,611  + 2 + 55  
Bank debits (thousands) ...................... End-of-month deposits (thousands) ...  .. $ . ....... $  174,868 109,299  4 2  5 + 3  $ 1,081,029 $ 110,637  $ $  1,129,373 110,961  - (••  
Annual rate of deposit turnover. Employment........................................ . Manufacturing employment ..... Percent unemployed.......... .  19.l 64,200 8,390 8.5  2 •••• + 6  6 1 + 49  19.4 64,250 8,361 8.1  20.2 65,433 8,377 5.9  -4 -2.. + 37  

CORSICANA (pop. 19,211)  
Retail sales.............................. ... .  
Apparel stores..  
Postal receipts...  $  14,590  
Building permits, less federal contracts  $  85,650  
Bank debits (thousands)  .. $  15,576  
End-ol-month deposits (thousands) ....... .  ········ $  23,208  
Annual rate of deposit turnover........... .  8.<I.  

- 42  - 14  - 4  
- 26  - 69  $  128,560  $  142,554  -10  
- 41  1  $  672,545  $  603,338  + 11  
+  4  +  7  $  93,668  $  92,535  + 1  
+  8••  + +  7 5  $  21,652 8.7  $  22,581 8.2  +  (  

DEL RIO (pop. 14,211)  
Postal receipts............................................................... $ Building permits, less federal contracts .................. $  9,550 159,792  + 12 +199  -10 +ao2  $ $  70,774 431,316  $ $  73,335 490,642  -3 -12  
Bank debits (thousands) ........................................... $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) .... . ................. $  9,295 10,653  ••  $ $  $ $  
Annual rate of deposit turnover............................... .  lG.5  -12  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
Percent change  
City and item  June 1968  June 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from June 1967  1958  January-June 1957  Percent change  

DALLAS (pop. 538,924u) Retail sales........................................... .  - 9  - 7  - 2  
Apparel stores ............................. .  -17  +  3  
Automotive stores........................... .  2  -13  -11  
Drug stores........ ............................... .  - 3  - 1  +  5  
Eating and drinking places ........ .  - 2  -11  9  
Florists................................................... .  -26  +  3  +  6  
Food stores.......................................................... .  -11  6  +  ' 
Furniture and household  
appliance stores................... .  + 10  +  9  +  6  
General merchandise stores........ .  -16  -1'  +  1  
Jewelry stores.................................... .  -17  +  2  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores................... .  - 3  5  + 10  
Office, store, and school  
supply dealers...................... ..  -13  -26  -12  
Postal receipts...........................................  $  1,631,970  +  3  +  4  $ 11,290,640  
Building permits, Jess federal contracts..........  $  9,792,754  -20  +  8  $ 64,535,152  $ 59,169,386  +  9  
Bank debits  (thousands) ..................................  $  2,305,789  +  3  + 11  $ 13,603,608  $ 13,313,004  +  2  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ...............  $  1,063,043  +  5  +  7  $ 1,014,395  $ 976,717  +  4  
Annual rate of deposit turnover................ Employment (area) ..................................................... S  26.6 341,100  +  1 ••  +  5 ••  26.8 342,050  27.0 340,691  1 ••  
Manufacturing employment (area) ..  S  86,400  +  - 4  86,942  88,850  - 2  
Percent unemployed (area) ...... .  5.1  +  11  + 50  4.7  2.8  +  68  
DENISON (pop. 17,504)  
Retail sales ........................................................ . Automotive stores.............. .  +  8  - 7  ••  
Postal receipts............................................................... $  15,476  + 30  +  3  $ 106,443  $ 103,172  +  3  
Building permits, Jess federal contracts ................... $ Bank debits (thousands) .......................................... $  130,253 16,421  -18 ••  -70 + 10  $ 3,261,640 $ 101,096  $ 1,395,400 $ 90,923  +1S4 + 11  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ....  ... $  21,483  + 20  + 26  $ 17,779  $ 17,100  +  4  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.........  10.0  - 8  - 8  11.6  10.6  +  9  

EDINBURG (pop. 15,993r) 
Postal receipts........................................ .. .. $ 9,466 + 61 + 25 69,568 $ 56,991 + 5

•
Building permits, Jess federal contracts ......... $ 74,916 + 14 -43 $ 1,236,880 $ 403,126 +207 Bank debits (thousands) .............................. . $ $ $ 52,279 End-of-month deposits (thousands) .. $ $ $ 7,498 
EL PASO (pop. 244,400r) Retail sales ...................................................................... .  - 7  +  1  ••  
Apparel stores ....................................................... .  -20  +  6  - 1  
Automotive stores................................................ ..  8  8  - 14  
Drug stores..............................................................  - 9  +  14  +  6  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores............................................ .  -14  +  2  +  11  
General merchandise stores............ ................... .  4  +  2  +  2  
Lumber, building material,  
and hardware stores ..  +  6  +  26  
Office, store, and school supply dealers............  + 11  - 13  6  
Postal receipts ... .................................  ........ $  207,103  + 10  +  3  g  1,482,841  $ 1,442,219  +  3  
Building permits, less federal contracts ................... $  6,662,489  +  7  +  62  $ 30,505,653  $ 16,610,650  +  84  
Bank debits  (thousands) .....................  ... $  287,164  4  +  12  $ 1,776,200  $ 1,622.274  +  9  
End-of-month deposits (thousands)  ......... $  160,793  +  2  +  13  $ 153,087  $ 140,619  +  9  
Annual rate of deposit turnover...... . Employment.............................................. . Manufacturing employment........ Percent unemployed. .................. .  23.0 80,400 13,410 6.4  +  2.. •• 13  + + + +  4 2 4 13  23.1 79,650 13,382 5.5  22.9 79,483 12,844 4.6  + + +  •••22  

GALVESTON (pop. 71,527u)  
Retail sales .................................................................. ..  - 19  5  8  
Apparel stores........................................................  - 22  +  6  6  
Food stores............................................................ .  - 5  +  6  
Postal receipts........  ................................................... $  66,348  - 7  5  $  509,659  s  498,128  +  2  
Building permits, less federal contracts................... $  499,591  - 10  - 35  $  2,035,155  g  2,023,400  +  
Bank debits (thousands) .............................................. $  84,895  +  - 16  $  618,665  $  570,956  9  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ........................ .  66,747  +  1  - 5  $  67,718  $  71,660  6  
Annual rate of deposit turnover................................ . Employment (area) ...................................................... Manufacturing employment (area) ................ ..  16.4 47,300 11,070  +  •• ••  --- 10 s 7  15.2 47,700 11,162  15.9 49,183 11,600  4 3 4  
P ercent unemployed (area) ............................ .  8.1  +  +  29  7.6  6.7  +  33  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
AUGUST 1958 
Percent change 
June 1958  June 1958  January-June  
City and item  June 1958  from May 1958  from June 1957  1958  1957  Percent change  

FORT WORTH (pop. 315,578u)  
Retail sales..................................................................... .  - 10  - 2  - 2  
Apparel stores...................................................... .  - 28  - 11  + 2  
Automotive stores................................................. . Drug stores............................................................. . Eating and drinking places................................. .  -- 3 27 ••  9 6 5  -13 ••  
Filling stations...................................................... .  3  +  6  +  
Food stores.........  . ................................ .  - 5  +  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores........... .  - 10  3  
General merchandise stores...  - 29  3  
Hay, grain and feed stores................................. .  - 12  - 15  -24  
Lumber, building material,  
and hardware stores............ ......................... .  +  17  +  19  + 13  
Postal receipts................. _ ............................................. $  537,800  +  5  - 1  $ 3,967,822  $ 4,219,179  - 6  
Building permits, less federal contracts....... ............. $  4;848,565  +  33  +  17  $ 24,396,045  $ 27,718,232  -12  
Bank debits  (thousands) ................................ : ............ $  695,819  +  2.  +  2  $ 4,116,719  $ 4,185,546  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ....... . ....... S Annual rate of deposit turnover........................ ........ . Employment (area) .................................. .  376,054 22.7 189,100  +  4 •• ••  + +  2 2 4  $ 362,014 23.0 190,167  $ 369,334 22.6 202,017  +  6  
Manufacturing employment (area)  51,900  1  - 14  53,038  64,650  -18  
Percent unemployed (area) ..  .................. .  7.7  +  5  +  31  7.4  5.2  +  42  

GARLAND (pop. 28,15lr)  
Postal receipts..... .........................  . ................... $  $  $  114,419  
Building permits, less federal contracts .................. $  1,275,932  +  24  +us  $  5,953,051  $  5,137,517  +  16  
Bank debits (thousands) ................... ...... ... ................ $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) ..........°••••.•..• •••• • $  17 ,516 10,815  +  3 ••  + 12 -19  $ $  101,766 12,455  $ $  92,908 13,013  + - 10 4  
Annual rate of deposit turnoTer......................... . · Employment (area) ..................................................... .  19.4 341,100  +  ••  +  36 ••  342,050  14.2 340·; 691  ••  
Manufacturing employment (area) ............. .... .  86,400  +  1  - 4  86,942  88,850  - 2  
Percent unemployed (area) ...................................... .  5.1  +  11  + 50  4.7  2.8  +  68  

GIDDINGS (pop. 2,532) 
Postal receipts................. : .............................................. $ 3,501 + 81 + 6 $ 17,694 $ 18,549 
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $-1,949 -1 + 10 $ 11,294 $ 10,849 + 
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ................. ....... $ $ 3,417 

GLADEWATER (pop. 5,305)  
Postal receipts..............  . ....................  . . $  5,044  + 30  - 4  $  33,360  $  33,104  +  
Building permits, less federal contracts .. ..  . .... $  43,269  +201  $  171,769  $  
Bank debits  (thousands) .........  . ................... $  3,233  3  -10  $  20,585  $  21,848  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ........ ................ $  4,459  + 5  + 4  $  4,313  $  4,259  +  
Annual rate of deposit turnover..... . Employement (area) .................... . Manufacturing employment (area) . Percent unemployed (area) ..  8.9 25,600 4,620 6.6  - 7 ••••••  -13 •• -10 + 53  9.5 25,458 4,598 6.3  10.2 25,746 4,957 4.0  1 7 + 58  

GOLDTHWAITE (pop. 1,566)  
Postal receipts ...... ............................... .............. ..... $ Bank debits (thousands) . . ..... ...... .................... $  1,653 4,083  -23 + 6  -57 ••  $ $  14,946 19,780  $ $  16,059 21.868  -7 -10  
End-of-month deposits (thousands ) .. ... . $  8,397  + 4  4  $  3,557  $  3,193  + 11  
Annual rate of deposit turnover ......... .................. .  14.7  + 3  + 5  11.3  13.7  -18  
GONZALES (pop. 5,659)  
Building permits, less federal contracts . .......... $  320,420  +41"  +901  $  495,520  $  118,950  +317  
Bank debits (thousands) ..... ..... $  5,045  + 7  + 20  $  26,937  $  28,584  -6  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) . ... $  4,763  1  + 2  $  4,605  $  4,905  -6  
Annual rate of deposit turnover  12.7  + 9  + 19  11.6  
GRAND PRAIRIE (pop.14,594) Postal r eceipts .............................................................. . $  16,142  + 19  ••  $  116,495  $  122,294  -6  
Building permits, less federal contracts ................... $ Employment (area) ............................................ .  241,915 341,100  -53 ••  -35 ••  $  2,101,465 342,050  $  2,493,920 340,691  -16 ••  
Manufacturing employment (a.r ea) ................ .  86,400  +  -4  86,942  88,850  -2  
Percent unemployed (area) ......................... .  5.1  + 11  + 50  4.7  2.8  + 68  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
P er cent change 
J une City and item 1958 
GREENVILLE (pop. 17,500r) 
Retail sales--------------------------------------------------------------------­Appa.rel stores____________________ ---------------------------------­
Drug stores-----------------------------------------------------------­
Lumber, bu ilding material, 
and hardware stores _ 
Postal receipts______________________ -----------------------------------$ 14,079 Building permits, less federal contracts___________________ $ 211,025 
Bank debits (thousands>----------------------------------------------$ 13,285 End-of-month deposits (thousands ) ___ __ ____ $ 15,404 Annual r ate of deposit turnover________________ ________ 
10.4 
June 1958 from M ay 1958  J u n e 1958 from June 1957  1958  January-J u n e 1957  Percent chan ge  
-8 -10 -9  -4 -12 + 17  -2 + 8 + 23  
-43 + 20 + 129 -9 + 1 -12  -13 -2 + 55 + + 7 5  $ $ $ $  109,085 743,550 80,414 14,907 10.8  $ $ $ $ 113,086 884,840 77,745 14,602 10.6  + 24 -4 -16 + 8 + z + 2  

HARLINGEN (pop. 30,038r)  
Postal receipts-----------------------­----------------------­----­---­-------­· $  28,895  +  19  - 4  $  202,191  $  198,026  +  2  
Building permits, less federal contracts___________ _________ $  496,660  +  72  +  25  $  2,11 4,032  $  2,253,673  6  
Bank debits (thousands)  ---­-----­-----------­----­$  33,680  +  1  +  8  $  197,058  $  186,662  +  6  
End-of-month deposits (thousands ) ____________ ,______ _____ $  24,796  +  4  +  14  $  24,355  $  21,469  +  13  
Annual r ate of deposit turnover______ _____ -----------­------­ 16.6  +  2  - 5  16.2  17.2  - 6  
HENDERSON (pop. 11,606) Retail sales____________ __
___ ___________________ _______________ _ Apparel stores -------­--­Food stores -----------------------­------­ + -- 14 18 20  + - 4 7..  -+  6 •• 2  
Furniture a nd h ousehold  
appliance stores............................  +  52  +  7  - 15  
Postal receipts ------------------------------------------­-----------­-------· $ Building permits, less federal contracts $  8,541 75,450  +  19 ••  - 6 36  $ $  69,388 435,840  $ $  58,097 395,436  + +  2 10  
Bank debits (thousands) ----------­----------­------------------­--$ E nd-of­mon th deposits (thousands) ------­-----------­$  5,944 14,899  - 15 ••  -+  17 5  $ $  40,069 15,087  $ $  41,209 14,186  -+  8 7  
Annual rate of deposit turnover____ _  4.8  - 14  - 23  5.3  

HEREFORD (pop. 8,500)  
Postal receipts _____ ____________ _____ ____________ -------------­------­ $  7,593  +  18  +  11  $  46,386  $  41,353  + 10  
Building permits, less federal contracts  ---­ $  35,640  - 69  +  22  $  370,240  $  559,160  -34  
Bank debits  (thousands) ----------------------­ $  9,398  3  +  10  $  69,402  $  54,677  + 9  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands)  $  9,841  +  7  +  4  $  10,161  $  10,677  - 4  
A nnual rate of deposit turnover_____ ___________________ _  11.9  +  +  11  11.6  10.1  + 16  

HOUSTON (pop. 700,508u)  
Retails sales1] _______ -----------------------------­---­---------­------­----­ - 8  - 6  - 5  
Apparel stores1] -------------------­----------­-----­--------­------­ - 24  - 15  - 2  
Autom otive stores1] -------------------­--­----------­---------­-Drug stores11---------------­--------------------------------­---------­Eating and drinking places1] __ ___-------------­---------­ + -- 2 10 9  -+ +  20 11 2  -18 + 5••  
Filling stations -----------------------------------------------------­Food stores1] ---­---------------­-----­-------------------­-----------­ +  10 3  +  19 1  + 6 + 4  
J<'urniture and household  
appliance stores1] -------------------­-------­------------­ 2  +  a  -21  
General m erchandise stores1] __ _  - 14  6  5  
Lumber, building m aterial, and hardware stores _______ ____________ _  -------------­-----­- - 8  ••  1  
Other retail stores1] ------­--------------------------­------­-----­ - 18  - 16  -12  
Postal receipts-------------------------------------------­----------­---------· $  1,144,725  +  8  +  2  $ 8,199,616  $ 8,362,789  2  
Building permits, less federal con tracts____ ___________ _____ $ Bank debits (thousands) ---------------------------­-------­---­----­$  18,792,246 2,224,674  5 3  - 13 ••  $110,54 7,039 $ 13,640,871  $121,163,766 $ 14,007,043  9 a  
E nd-of-m onth deposits (thousands >-----------------------­-$ A n nual rate of deposit turnover ____ ___ --------------­---------­Employment (area) --------------------­------­---------­Manufacturing employment (area)  1,192,102 22.6 428,900 89,275  +  2 2 ••••  + +  3 2 5  $  1,187 ,220 22.9 430,917 91,242  $ 1,226,261 22 .7 422,583 92,858  3 + 1 + 2 2  
Percent unemployed  (area) ___ _  7.4.  +  7  +  95  6.6  3.6  + 86  

IRVING (pop. 40,065r)  
Postal receipts _____________ ______ __________  ----------­ $  13,066  - 2  +  2  $  89,966  $  82,963  + 8  
Building perm its , less fed er al contracts___ _______________ _ $ Employment (area) -------------------------­---------------­-------­---­ 1,842,917 341,100  +  90 ••  + 156 ••  $  6,883,344 342,050  $  6,688,507 340,691  + 4. ••  
Manufactu rin g employment  (area) ----------------­ 86,400  +  1  - 4  86,942  88,850  - 2  
P er cent unemployed  (area) -----------------­------­------------­ 6.1  +  11  + 50  4.7  2.8  + 68  

For explan ation of symbols, see page 27. 
AUGUST 1958 
Percent change  
City and item  June 1958  June 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from June 1957  1958  January-June 1957  Percent change  

JASPER (pop. 4,403)  
Retail sales....................................... --···--·-------······---····  
General m erchandise stores ...... ......................... Postal receipts ........................... .................. $  4,273  -- 15 6  -- 11 21  $  35,220  $  35,384  - 2..  
Bank debits  (thousands) .................  $  $  $  35,014  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) .....................  $  $  $  7,220  
Annual rate of deposit turnover..... ................ ...........  9.7  

KILGORE (pop. 9,638) 
Postal receipts.................................... ............................ $ 12,717 + 36 -12 $ 81,783 $ 84,189 -3 
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $ 109,078 + 9 -3 $ 559,160 $ 1,165,018 -62 
Employment (area) ...................................................... 25,600 •• •• 25,458 25,746 -1 

Manufacturing employment (area) .................. 4,620 •• -10 4,598 4,957 -7 
Percent unemployed (area) ....... ------------···················· 6.6 •• + 53 6.3 4.0 + 68 

KILLEEN (pop. 2l,076r)  
. Postal r eceipts..............................................  $  20,997  3  - 8  $  153,773  $  137,419  + 12  
Building permits, less federal contracts ................. .. $  375,480  +  3  +665  $  1,584,381  $  225,614  +602  
Bank debits  (thousands) ............................................  $  8,044  +  +  32  $  45,674  $  37,346  + 22  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ... ········------------·  $  $  $  6,407  

LAMESA (pop. 10,704)  
Reta il sales................................  
Automotive stores..  -·---------·--·--­ + 10  - 6  -16  
Postal r eceipts .. ·-------·············-·· -·-··--·------­-------·  $  9,430  + 35  +  2  $  60,217  $  56,147  + 7  
Building permits, less federal contracts........  $  441,450  +433  +368  $  1,990,065  $  607,688  +227  
Bank debits  (thousands) ................ ·-·····-·-·················  $  9,791  4  +  8  $  74,143  $  63,901  + 16  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ........................ $ Annual rate of deposit turnover... ·····························  13,092 8.8  4 ••  + 11 -2  $  14,630 9.9  $  

LAMPASAS (pop. 4,869)  
Postal receipts ...................................  $  4,784  + 35  +  15  $  28,189  $  26,369  +  7  
Building permits, less f ederal contracts ..................  $  16,800  +380  - 33  $  179,400  $  138,100  +  30  
Bank debits (thousands) ............ ---------···········--·-········ $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) .. ............... $  5,842 6,412  -12 ••  +  17 2  $ $  31,308 6,100  $ $  28,718  +  9  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.....................  10.9  -15  +  18  10.3  

LAREDO (pop. 59,350r)  
Postal receipts................................. ····························  $  28,063  +  28  - 11  $  184,323  $  187,965  - 2  
Building permits, less federal contracts ..................  $  83,230  - 37  - 27  $  775,968  $  1,565,801  - 60  
Bank debits (thousands) ...............  $  26,074  - 12  +  10  $  137,854  $  145,484  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ........  .. $  22,202  +  4  +  9  $  21,404  $  19,987  +  
Annual rate of deposit turnover....  14.4  - 14  +  4  14.8  14.6  +  

LLANO (pop. 2,954)  
Postal receipts ·----·--·-·  -··· ·····························  $  2,509  +  93  +  $  13,509  $  13,761  - 2  
Bank debits  (thousands) .....................  .......... $  2,868  - 15  +  22  $  15,024  $  13,550  +  11  
End-of-month deposits (thousands ) ------····--······· ····· $  3,400  - 1  +  10  $  3,214  $  3,235  - 1  
Annual rate of deposit turnover..................  10.1  - 17  +  11  9.4  

LOCKHART (pop. 5,573)  
Postal receipts .. ·------··-­·-···················  $  3,540  +  40  - 2  $  23,430  $  23,359  
Building permits, less federal contracts ....  $  10,900  - 75  +102  $  141,550  $  67,98&  +108  
Bank debits  (thousands) ........ . .....................  $  2,923  - 2  7  $  20,409  $  19,884  + 3  
End-of-month deposits (thousands )  $  3,910  - 3  8  $  4,197  $  4,557  -8  
Annual rate of deposit turnover..............  8.8  +  9.6  

LONGVIEW (pop. 34,328")  
Postal receipts -----·············-­----·-··-········  $  32,477  +  +  7  $  227,828  $  221,577  + 3  
Building permits, less federal contracts............  $  937,870  - 40  +152  $  6,724,293  $  1,902,235  +263  
Bank debits (thousands) ................. End-of-month deposits (thousands) ..................  $ $  34,997 35,489  +  4 1  -15 ••  $ $  220,465 36,599  $ $  228,991 37,340  4  
Annual rate of deposit turnover................................ Employment (area) ................................................... Manufacturing employment (area) .......... P ercent unemployed (area) ....................  11.9 25,600 4,620 6.6  - 3 ••••••  -14 •• -10 + 53  11.9 25,458 4,598 6.3  12.2 25,746 4,957 4.0  +  7 68  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
Percent change  
June 1958  June 1958  J a nuary-June  
City and item  June 1958  from May 1958  from June 1957  1958  1957  Percent cha nge  

LUBBOCK (pop. 134,156r)  
Retail sales.......................................................................  - 12  3  2  
Apparel stores.........................................................  - 20  +  4  2  
Furniture and household  
appliance stor es ..............................................  - 11  8  4  
General merchandise •tores.................................  - 26  1  +  6  
Lumber, building material, and hardware stores..............................................  +  4  +  10  +  12  
Postal receipts................................................................. $ Building permits, Jess federal contracts............... .. $  101,298 8,574,203  1 5  + +  7 67  $ 793,257 $ 19,376,890  $ $  732,591 15,283,711  + +  8 27  
Bank debits (thousands) ......................................... ... $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) ...................... .. $  141,962 100,456  +  1 ••  + +  9 3  $ 936,495 $ 104,452  $ $  878,989 101,181  + +  7 3  
A nnual rate of deposit turnover.................................. Employment (area) ........................................ .... Manufacturing employment (area) ..................  16.9 44,550 4,460  + +  3 •• 2  + +  4 2 ••  17.6 44,867 4,427  17.0 44,183 4,418  + +  4 2 ••  
Percent unemployed (ar ea) .......................  5.7  +  4  +  14  5.7  5.2  +  10  

LUFKIN (pop. 20,846r)  
Postal receipts...................................................  .. $  17,636  +  28  - 2  $  111,596  $  115,068  - 3  
Building permits, less federal contracts.. .......... ······ $  310,500  +  21  +177  $  1,415,421  $  2,223,459  - 36  
Bank debits  (thousands) -----····························--·  $  24,733  +  12  - 5  $  140,067  $  134,887  +  4  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ............ ············ $  25,284  +  4  + 28  $  23,857  $  21,909  +  9  
Annual r ate of deposit turnover.................  12.0  +  11  -21  11.9  

McALLEN (pop. 25,326r)  
Retail sales .. ........................................................  
Automotive stores..................................................  
Postal receipts................................................................. $  20,530  
Building permits, less federal contracts................. .. $  248,117  
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $  23,417  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ..................  $  17,095  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.........................  1.40  

- 9  +  16  +  2  
+  18  - 3  $  $  142,028  
- 76  - 72  $  2,307,220  $  2,144,596  +  8  
-- 3 25  +  31 ••  $ $  $ $  115,535 19,176  
+  10  +  20  

MARSHALL (pop. 25,479r)  
Retail sales .............................................................  
Apparel stores.........................................................  
General merchandise stores........................... .  
P ostal receipts.............................................................  $  18,505  
Building permits, less federal contracts ............. ...... $  229,951  
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $  13,539  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ......................... $  20,694  
Annual rate of deposit turnover...........................  7.9  

-- 16 23  - 9 ••  ••••  
- 1  +  4  $  
- 33 6  - 9 ••  $ $  1,103,993 87,328  $ $  982,227 89,544  +  12 2  
+  2  +  5  $  20,505  $  19-,448  +  5  
6  - 5  8.6  9.2  7  

MERCEDES (pop. 10,081)  
Postal r eceipts................................................................. $  4,248  +  20  - 5  $  $  31,167  
Building permits, less federal contracts.. .................. $  10,900  - 75  +  70  $  113,240  $  64,090  +109  
Bank debits  (thousands) ............................................. $  6,779  +  1  +  13  $  $  36,221  
End-of-mc>nth deposits  (thousands) ......................... $  5,989  +  2  +  38  $  $  5,877  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.................................  13.7  +  2  +  1  

MONAHANS (pop. 6,311) 
Postal receipts................................................ $ 
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $ 
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $ 
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ......................... $ 
Annual rate of deposit turnover ................................. · 

6,497 
106,700 8,575 6,949 
14.6 
+ 8 
+239 3 3 
+ 1 
+ 
19 

+ 
77 

+ 
4 -11 + 19 


$ 44,157 $ 40,677 + 9 $ 1,074,875 $ 632,112 + 70 $ 55,897 $ 52,592 + 6 $ 7,732 $ 8,436 -8 
14.2 12.4 + 15 
NACOGDOCHES (pop. 12,327) 
Postal receipts ............................................................... $ 10,408 + 27 •• $ $ 86,134 
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $ 25,850 -48 -66 $ 321,509 $ 502,202 -36 
Bank debits (thousands) ............................................. $ 12,779 •• + 7 $ $ 71,379 
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ......................... $ 16,298 + 4 + 4 $ $ 14,573 
Annual rate of deposit turnover................................ . 10.2 -4 + 3 

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
AUGUST 1958 
Percent change  
City and ite m  June 1958  June 1958 from May 1958  J une 1958 from June 1957  1958  January-J un e 1957  Percent change  

NEW BRAUNFELS (pop. 12,210) Postal r eceipts ................................................................. $  14,974  + 14  - 1  $  107,154  $  109,773  - 2  
Building permits, less fed eral contracts _____ ____ ___________ $  318,345  +182  +440  $  788,50(}  $  537,946  +  47  
Bank debits  (thousands) -----------------­------­--------------­-­--­$  8,.803  +  2  +  2  $  $  60,839  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) -------------------------$ Annual rate of depos it tur nover ________________  10,107 10.8  + +  8 1  + 23 -6  $  9,748  $  9,194 11.0  +  6  

ORANGE (pop. 21,174)  
R etail sales-------·----------------------------­ ···························­ 
Automotive stores .............  - 14  - 33  
Postal r eceipts ­···········-· ······­--·----­······-------·------------·------· $ Building permits, less federal con tracts.___________ _______ $  267,914  - 39  - 54  $ $  111,551 2,852,591  $ $  123,232 3,074,991  
Bank debits  (thousands)  ·-­-·-··············-----------·-······· $  20,338  7  - 2  $  125,672  $  130,251  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ----­-················-·· $  20,641  3  - 14  $  21,745  $  23,811  
Annual rate of deposit turnover _
__________________  11.7  4  +  13  11.5  

PALESTINE (pop. 15,063r)  
Postal r eceipts................... ---···-·--·---­---­-----­-------------------$  10,747  +  36  - 3  $  71,339  $  72,MO  - 2  
Building permits, less federa l contracts_____ ______________  $  79,700  - 12  - 72  $  441,819  $  710,412  - 88  
Bank debits  (thousands) --------­ ----·-·------------­- $  8,367  6  +  7  $  50,413  $  46,140  +  9  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands ) ___ _____  $  13,443  +  2  +  2  $  13,248  $  13,333  - 1  
Annual r at e of deposit turnover ···················----­ 7.6  6  +  7  

PAMPA (pop. 20,448)  
Retail sales ··········---------···--· ··························--····  
Automotive stores___ -------------------------------­--------------·  +  33  - 7  - 10  
Postal r eceipts.............. ·-· -·---------------·------·-··  $  21,432  +  28  +  9  $  136,734  $  123,604  +  11  
Building permits, less federal contracts --------------·-·· $  725,200  +  78  +  11  $  3,097,755  $  4,059,149  - 24  
Bank debits (thousands ) ···········-····­. ···--·-·-·---------­$ End-of-month deposits (thousands ) --··················-···· $  19,036 23,589  +  5 ••  + +  13  $ $  112,056 22,326  
Annual rate of deposit turnover _______ ------------------------­ 9.7  +  7  - 8  

PARIS (pop. 24,55lr)  
R etail sales..·-·--· ·------------·----·-·--·-······--·-··· ---····--·-··-------····  - 20  -16  -4  
Apparel stores....·----··-·----------------·-·······-····-··········-··  - 23  - 8  + 6  
Automotive stores.·-·······­-···-··-····--------------------------­ - 15  -22  -13  
Lumber, building materia l, a nd  
hardware stores_·-·····­----------------------·---·----··---· Postal receipts__ 
____ ______ _______ --------·-·----··-···· ·--·-··-···--····--··· $  13,508  -- 32 7  -- 5 5  $  103,22-6  $  102,402  + 19 + 1  
Building p ermits, less federal contracts..--------····-··· $  304,073  - 20  +213  $  l,1<>4,800  $  55(},406  +101  
Ba nk debits  (thousands) ····-··--················-········--·-··  $  82,413  

PASADENA (pop. 22,483) 
Postal receipts---·······--······························--···--$ 24,103 -5 -11 $ 164,400 $ 189,492 -13 Building p ermits, less federal contracts·-··-··-·--·-·-··· $ 2,308,496 + 60 +131 $ 8,981,895 $ 5,377,310 -67 Employment (area)····--······-··-···········------·-----····-----·-----428,900 •• + 1 430,917 422,583 + 2 
Manufacturing employment (area) .................. 89,275 •• -5 91,242 92,858 -2 Percent unemployed ---·-----------------------------· 7.4 + 7 + 95 6.5 3.5 +
(area) _____ 86 
P HARR (pop. 8,690)  
Postal r eceipts__________________________ -----------------·-----­---------­-­-$  4,708  - 1  +  2  $  35,106  $  33,008  +  6  
Building  permits, less federal contracts..................  $  95,936  $  258,129  - 63  
Bank debits  (thousands) ----··--­------------------·-­------­------­$  3,779  - 7  +  26  $  24,421  $  21,635  +  18  
End-of-month depos its (thousands ) ···-···-·------·········· $ Annual rate of deposit turnover......_________  3,719 11.6  -- 11 3  +  32 ••  $  4,106  $  3,506 12.1  +  17  

PLAINVIEW (pop. 14,044)  
R et a il sales--­--­·­-------­---··-··············-······-··-··--·················--·  + 16  +  46  - 15  
Appa r el stores_···-·········-·······--··········-··········-······---··  - 12,  +  7  +  2  
Automotive stores..·-·······-····-·······--·--··-·······----------­ + 31  +  72.  - 20  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores.....----------­--­----------·-···-··········­ + 16  +  19  - 8  
P ostal r eceipts............----···------------------·-·--···--········-····--­$  17,857  + 47  +  2.  $  104,526  $  97,826  +  7  
Building permi ts, less federal contracts.................... $ Bank debits (t housands ) ­···················-·······-·-·-·----------· $  260,000 18,974  +128 ••  + +  95 13  $ $  704,750  $ $  990,000  - 29  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands >--·-·---·-··--·-········· $  21,107  +  2  - 6  $  $  
Annual rate of deposit turnover_···---·----····---··-···········  10.9  +  21  11.9  

For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
P er cent change 
June 1958  June 1958  J anu ary-June  
City and item  June 1958  from May 1958  from June 1957  1958  1957  P ercent change  

PORT ARTHUR (pop. 82,150u) Retail sales .... ---·----------------------­---------­-------------------­--------· Apparel stores..--­-----------­------------­--------­---------------­Automotive stores...... ------­-------­--------------­--------­----­Food stores...... .  -13 -37 -12 -9  -13 + 2. -28  -8 + 7 -21 + 3  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores..  + 10  4  
Building permits, less federal contracts --------------­-­-· $ Bank debits (thousands) _____ __ --------------------­.. $ End-of-month deposits (thousands) ____ -------------------­· $  599, 115 62,220' 47,193  -20' 7 + 9  + 23 + 2 + 15  $ $ $  6,420,341 393,471 45,824  $ $ $  3,064,966 374,210 43,615  + 109 + 5 + 5  
Annual rate of deposit turnover _____________________ ____ ______ __ Employment (area) ----------------------------------------------------·  16.4 85,400  11 ••  17.2 86,133  17 .1 86,142  + ••  
M anufacturing employment (area) _ Percent unemployed (area) _____________________ _  27,430 10.4  + + 5  7 + 82  27 ,547 9.1  29,432 5.3  6 + 72  

ROCKDALE (pop. 4,550r) Postal r eceipts ...... . ·-·-­-­-------------------------­---------· $ Building permits, less federal contr acts·­----------­------·$  3,373 163,800  + 2.7 +346  + 1 +1464  $ $  23,810 256,250  $ $  25,466 244,888  7 + 5  
Bank debits (thousands> ------------­---­----------------------------·$  2,972  -12  -17  $  19,567  $  22,629  14  
End-of-month deposits ( t housands >------------------------­$  3,956  + 1  -25  $  4,919  $  5,356  8  
Annual r ate of deposit turnover.  9.0  + 2  + 13  7.8  8 .5  -8  
SAN ANGELO (pop. 62,359r)  
Retail sales....... --------------­-­----------------­----­-----------------------·  
Lumber, building material,  
and hardware stores ··----­---------­--­---------·----·-­ + 9  -19  -3  
Postal r eceipts .... ____ ---­----·--------------------------­---­--­-------­__ $  49,699  + 8  -7  $  378,588  $  384,158  -1  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................... $  319,519  + 6  -36  $  1,883,023  $  7,304,136  -74  
Bank debits (thousands) ... -------­-­--­-­-----­------­$  48,159  2  + 2  $  285,906  $  276,390  + 3  
End-of-month deposits (thousand s ) ------------------------­S  40,954  + 5  -5  $  40,463  $  45,150  -10  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.. ···---------------------­----­ 14.4  3  + 11  14.1  12.2.  + 16  
Employment............................................................... -­..  22.200  **  -3  22,242  23,021  -3  
Ma nufacturing em p loyment......... ---------------------­ 3,000  + 3  + 3  2,893  2,803  + 3  
Percent unemployed·-------------------------------------­---­ 10 .2  + 19  + 96  9.1  5.0  + 82  

SAN ANTONIO (pop. 555,000r)  
Retail sales .·--------------­-------------------------­--------­----------­-------·  -12  -5  4  
Apparel stores·-----------------------------------------------------­Automotive stores................................................. .  -22 4  -9 ••  8 4  
Drug stores·--------------­-------------------------------­-------------­ -8  +  + il  
Eating and drinking places·­-------­------------­---------­·  -4  + 2  + 5  
Filling stations..-----------------------------­---------------------­ -12  + 7  + 5  
Furniture and househ old  
appliance stores.·--­--------------------·········--··-------­ -7  + 13  + 3  
General merchandise stores................................ .  -30  + 2.  + 2  
Jewelry stores·-------------------------­---------------------------­-­ -24  -28  5  
Lumber, building material,  
and h ardware stores.... ----------------------­-----------·  + 4  + 9  2  
Stationery stores-­--------------­-­--------------------------------­ 2  + 2.  + 8  
Postal receipts-­-----­--­----------------------------------------------------­$  494,827  2  + 2  $  $ 3,839,032  
Building permits, less federal contracts__ ________ ________ .. $  6,406,689  + 24  + 47  $ 30,40!>,072.  $ 26,403,990  + 15  
Bank debits (thousands >---------------------------­----­--­---------· $  5<16,5 41  2  + 14  $ 3,174,127  $ 3,!Hl.069  + 6  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ______________ ... $  382,300  + 3  + 14  $ 355,851  $ 336,844  + 6  
Annual rate of deposit turnover__ -­----------------------­Employment__ _____ _____ ____ __ _____________ ________ ___ _________ ___ ______________.  17.4 194,600  6  ** + 5  18.0 190,850  17.8 187,967  + + 2  
Manufacturing employment. -------------­------­ 22,950  + 3  2  22 ,029  23,362  6  
Percent unemployed.. ------------------------­-------­----------------­ 4.7  + 9  + 2.  4.6  4.9  6  
SAN MARCOS (pop. 9,980) Postal r eceipts·--­---­--------------------------------------------------­-­---· $  8,607  + 17  s 59,981  $ 60,894  -1  
Building permits, less f ederal contracts..-­---------------· $  16,150  -57  -70  $ 144,910  $ 300,563  -52  
Bank debits (thousan ds >---------··----------------------------------· $  7,591  + 7  + 2  $  $ 40,435  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) -------­-­---------------· $  7,72 2  **  + 5  $  $ 7,708  
Annual rate of deposit t urnover.. -------------­-----------­---­ 11.8  + 9  **  

SEGUIN (pop. 14,000r) Building permits, less federal contracts.................. $ 115,582 69 +287 $ 862,073 $ 264,945 +225 Bank debits (thousands) _______________________---------------------$ 8,256 + 2 + 16 $ 47,545 $ 40,652 
+ 17 
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ---------$ 15,102 + 4 $ 14,618
+ $ 14,795 -1 
Annual rate of deposit turnover... 6.7 •• + 18 
For explanation of symbols, see page 27. 
AUGUST 1958 
Percent change  
City and item  June 1958  June 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from June 1957  1958  January-June 1957  Percent change  

SHERMAN (pop. 25,855r)  
Retail sales·--------·-·············----------····-···················------------­ 7  +  15  + 1  
Automotive stores__________________________ ____ ________ __ ........... Postal receipts_________________________________ ---------------­-----­-------· $  22,195  +  9 5  -- 7 12  $  163,697  $'  167,061  -11 -2  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................. $  267,885  - 68  - 24  $  1,487,412  $  2,266,956  -34  
Bank debits  (thousands) _________  -----·--····················  $  134,506  

SLATON (pop. 5,036) Postal receipts............  ------···-·-·--··········· $  3,201  + 46  $  20,945  
Building permits, less federal contracts.................. $  54,900  +238  +133  $  215,785  $  78,730  +174  
Bank debits (thousands) _____ ------­-------------·-··--­--------­-­$  2,246  + 23  $  14,473  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ___ _____________ $ Employment (area) ------·---······--·--·--·-·······---·· Manufacturing employment (a real ­----------------·  3,562 44,550 4,460  +  •• 2  -+  1 2 ••  44,867 4,427  $  4,112 44,183 4,418  + 2 ••  
Percent unemployed  (areal-------­-------------------------------­ 5.7  +  4  + 14  5.7  5.2  +  10  

SULPHUR SPRINGS (pop. 9,890r)  
Postal receipts................................................................. $  7,300  +  5  +  9  $  48,683  $  44,284  +  10  
Building permits, less federal contracts_______ _
_________ _ 
$ Bank debits (thousands ) ______ .................. -­$  51,309 8,298  +  18 ••  + +  43 s  $ $  384,227 50,029  $  285,112  +  35  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ------------------------­$  12,090  +  3  +  6  $  11,842  
Annual rate of deposit turnover__ ......................  8.4  - 1  1  

SWEETWATER (pop. 13,619)  
Postal receipts ·-----------·------------­---------·--------------·-­........... $  11,168  + 19  +  7  $  97,428  $  92,124  +  6  
Building permits, less federal contracts.-------··--·-----­$  218,950  +279  +196  $  l ,Z73,127  $  931,415  +  87  
Bank debits  (thousands) -----------­······························· $  10,397  +  2  + 20  $  61,984  $  59,198  +  5  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ----------­----­ $  12,467  + 17  +  6  $  11,472  $  12,091  - 5  
Annual rate of deposit turnover__  10.8  - 6  + 15  

TAYLOR (pop. 9,071) Retail sales._____________ _________________ __________ ·····························  
Automotive stores_____ _____ _____ ______ ............................  +  9  - 23  -13  
Postal receipts................................ ................................ $  6,577  +  2  - 11  $  52,482  $  52,999  -1  
Building permits, less federal contracts__ ______ _ --------­ $  58,400  +  50  - 60  $  303,702  $  590,665  -49  
Bank debits  (thousands) -----------··­.............................. $  6,316  - 4  +  12  $  38,620  $  36,826  + 5  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) ------------------------­$  11,210  +  13  +  16  $  10,940  $  10,046  +  
Annual rate of deposit turnover____ ............................  7.2  - 8  +  13  7.0  7.2  

TEMPLE (pop. 33,912r)  
Retail sales--­---------­--­-----­-­-----------------------------------­ - 12  - 8  +  
Apparel stores.............................. ·························· Drug stores______ _______ __________________________ ______ ______ ___ ________  -- 24 14  +  2 ••  + +  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores____ ______________ ______ ______________________  - 4  +  17  + 14  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores............:.................................  - 16  +  15  + 39  
Postal receipts................................... ····························· $  27,305  +  10  +  20  $  185,464  $  180,896  + 3  
Building permits, less federal contracts___________________ _$  212,650  - 31  +  37  $  1,968,550  $  937,588  +no  
Bank debits  (thousands ) -­---------------­ $  103,311  
End-of-month deposits (thousands) -----------·------------­ $  26,353  

TEXARKANA (pop. 31,05lr)  
Retail sales--­------------------------------------------------------------­-----­- +  22  + 21  
Apparel stores.--------------------------------------­----------------­ - 39  - 4  
Automotive stores...................................................  +  30  + 19  
Postal receipts+--------------­.................... ·························· $ Building permits, less federal contracts__________ _________ _$  40,910 217,492  + +  20 86  -6 +197  $ $  305,964 1,419,643  $ $  318,796 696,181  +104  
Bank debits  (thousands)+------·---­------------------------·------­$  41,682  +  5  +  6  $  235,717  $  233,148  + 1  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) -----·------------------­$  16,327  +  3  +  2  $  16,175  $'  15,962  + 1  
Annual rate of deposit turnover+-------­-­----------------·---­Employment+_. ________ _
_______________ .......................................  14.6 30,800  3 ••  +  5 3  14.1 30,675  14.3 33,064  7  
Manufacturing employment+----------------------­----­-­ 4,170  +  3  9  4,017  4,773  -16  
Percent unemployed~­-­······················· ··························  11.9  - 6  +  4  12.6  10.9  + 16  

TYLER (pop. 49,443)  
Retail sales.......................................................................  
Automotive stores... ···············································  - 24  - 11  - 9  
Postal receipts•..............................................................  $  61,900  - 12  $  442,623  
Building permits, less federal contracts___ ____ ___________ $ Bank debits (thousands ) ------------------------­-­-----------------­$ End-of-month deposits (thousands) -------------­-­--------· $ Annual rate of deposit turnover---------·----------------­-----­ 589,290 79,748 62,646 15.5  -+ + +  60 4 3 3  +  3 ••••••  $ $ $  6,069,537 479,543 60,734 15.7  $ $ $  5,481,408 481,696 61,175 15.7  + - 11 •• 1 ••  

For explanatio·n of symbols, see page 27. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW 
Percent change  
City and item  June 1958  June 1958 from May 1958  June 1958 from June 1957  1958  January-June 1957  Percent change  

TEXAS CITY (pop. 23,000r)  
Retail sales................................................... ---------· -·--·-···  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores. ---····················--·  + 21  + 39  + 4  
Postal receipts  ····-----·-··································-·· $  17,187  + 13  + 4  $  117,825  $  111,845  + 5  
Building permits, less federal contracts.............  .. $  369,540  -49  + 25  $  3,799,310  $  3,505,160  + 8  
Bank debits  (thousands) .............  ................. $  22,025  + 2  5  $  171,081  
End-of-month deposits  (thousands) ......................... $  12,122  -12  -45  $  28,081  
Annual rate of deposit turnover.... ···-··············· Employment (area) ...................................................... Manufacturing employment (area) ..............  20.4 47,300 11,070  •• ••  + 76 -3 -7  47,700 11,162  49,183 11,600  -- 3 4  
P ercent unemployed (area) .. -----············· ..................  8.1  +  + 29  7.6  5.7  + 33  

VERNON (pop. 12,651) Postal receipts .............. -----·--·······················  .. $  10,520  + 40  + 2  $  64,675  $  63,371  +  2  
Building permits, Jess federal contracts ............  $  29,650  -59  -39  $  244,275  $  245,635  
Bank debits (thousands) .............................................. $  12,681  + 29  + 27  $  $  61,456  
End-of-month deposits (thousands ) . --­-------------------.. $  19,777  + 8  + 9  $  $  18,492  
Annual rate of deposit turnover...... ..........................  8.0  + 25  + 21  

VICTORIA (pop. 49,164r) Retail sales .......................................... ---­-----------------------­ + 2  + 4  - 5  
Apparel stores.......................................................•  10  + 32  + 16  
Automotive stores .................................................  + 44  + 28  -12  
Filling stations ................•.......................................  + 3  :;: .;:  + 8  
Food stores ...............................................................  -10  3  + 15  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores..............................................  + 13  + 7  + 7  
Lumber, building material,  
and hardware stores.......................................  + 2  + 2  -26  
Postal receipts................................................................ $  27,171  -17  3  $  189,366  $  187,371  +  
Building permits, less federal contracts ................... $  258,087  + 8  64  $  2,734,014  $  3,746,055  -27  


WACO (pop. 101,824r) 
Retail sales ............................................. ......................... 

Apparel stores -----··-····························-----------·------· 
Automotive stores............................. 

Florists...................................................................... 

Furniture and household 
appliance stores.............................................. 

Building permits, less federal contracts $ 1,025,317 
Bank debits (thousands) ......................... $ 96,403 

End-of-month deposits (thousands) ...... ................ $ 66,999 

Annual rate of deposit t urnover............. ·········17.4 

·········­
Employment..................................................................... 45,450 
Manufacturing employment................. 8,740 
Percent unemployed ............................. 7.4 

- 4  + 5  6  
-33  -26  9  
+ 14 -36  + 6 3  10 ••  
-30  + 2  + 17  
6  17  $  6,061,339  $  6,829,672  11  
+ 2  + 12  s  559,378  $  548,675  + 2  
+ 1  + 6  $  65,701  $  64,568  + 2  
+  +  7  17.0  16.8  +  
••  5 12  45,958 8,890  47,892 9,661  4 8  
+ 4  + 68  7.2  4.5  + 60  

WICHITA FALLS (pop. 103,152r) Retail sales ........................ -----··-··-····················-···-··  + 13  + 4  5  
Automotive stores ........ ·····················---­ + 20  + 5  5  
Furniture and household  
appliance stores·---------·----­------··­----­ -23  -32  4  
Lumber, building material, and  
hardware stores ..................................  + 8  + 15  + 2  
Postal receipts................................................................. $  76,975  + 5  5  
Building permits, less federal contracts................... $ Bank debits (thousands) ........................................... $  914,968 106,568  + 76 + 11  + 11 + 11  $ $  3,600,404 590,320  $ $  7,214,252 588,377  -50 ••  
End-of-month deposits (thousands ) ......................... $  109,684  + 8  + 7  $  103,765  $  102,592  + 1  
Annual rate of deposit turnover......... ---------··-·-········· Employment ............................................. Manufacturing employment..............  12.1 37,250 3,610  + 7 •• + 1  + 8 1 2  11.3 37,342 3,645  11.4 38,250 3,631  -- 1 2 ••  
Percent unemployed ............................  6.9  5  + 50  7.0  4.1  + 71  

•Postal receipts for Amarillo and Tyler are for calendar month. Other cities receipts are for the period May 30-June 27. 
RReported by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Houston, for Harris County. 
t Figures include Texarkana, Arkansas (pop. 19,733) and Texarkana, Texas (pop. 31,051). 
'Revised for use by the Texas Highway Department. 
"1950 Urbanized Census. 
••change is lees than one-half of one percent. 

AUGUST 1958 
BAROMETERS OF TEXAS BUSINESS 

Year-to-date average June May J une 1958 1958 1957 1958 
GENERAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY  
tTexas business activity, index.. .............................................................. .................. Miscellaneous freight carloadings in SW District, index...................................  193 80  197 77  186 83  194 78  196 85  
Ordinary life insurance sales, index...................................................................... Wholesale prices in U. S., unadjusted index.......................................................  358 119.1  346 119.5  329 117.4  358 119.3  336 117.1  
tConsumers' prices in Houston, unadjusted index......................._...................... . Consumers' prices in U. S., unadjusted index......................................................  123.7  123.7 123.6  120.2  123.2  119.2  
Income payments to individuals in U.S. (billions, at seasonally adjusted annual rate) ......................................................................................  $ 351.8  $ 349.9  $ 350.7  $ 348.6  s 343.6  
TRADE  
Total retail sales, index............................................................................................  198  202  
Durable-goods stores ·······························································-···············-······· Nondurable-~oods stores.................... ..............................................................  175 211  171 219  
Ratio of credit sales to net sales in department and apparel stores..................  68 .4  66.7  67.8  68.4  68.l  
Ratio of collections to outstandings in department and apparel stores..........  37.0  37.4  38.7  37.6  38.0  
PRODUCTION  
Total electric power consumption, index................................................ ...............  356  320  339  323  332  
Industrial electric power consumption, index.......................................................  333  329  354  330  363  
Crude oil production, index........ ............................................................................  100  98  134  106  139  
Crude oil runs to stills, index..................................................................................  129  127  142  130  147  
Gasoline consumption, index................ ..................................................................  180  159  174  169  
Natural ~as production, index.. .... ...........................................................................  182  187  182  185  
Industrial production in U.S., index.......................................................................  130  128  145  129  145  
Southern pine production, index............................................................................  94  103  91  106  
Cottonseed crushed, index....... .................................................................................  210  187  151  163  128  
Construction authorized, index..............................................................................  237  239  200  213  194  
Residential building ........................................................ ................................  287  258  186  238  186  
Nonresidential building .... ..............................................................................  187  234  215  187  205  
AGRICULTURE  
Farm cash income, unadjusted index........................................ ............................  86  60  78  81  66  
Prices received by farmers, unadjusted index, 1909-14= 100............................  275  277  268  273  264  
Prices paid by farmers in U. S., unadjusted index, 1909-14= 100....................  305  306  296  304  295  
Ratio of Texas farm prices received to U. S. prices paid by farmers................  90  91  91  90  90  
FINANCE  
Bank debits, index...................................................... ....
..........................................  230  235  218  231  229  
Bank debits, U.S., index..........................................................................................  215  203  190  207  198  
Reporting member banks, Dallas Reserve District :  
§Leans (millions) .............................................................................................. §Loans and investments (millions) ................................................ ................  s 2,596 $ 4,366  $ 2,535 $ 4,241  $ 2,421 $ 4,031  $ 2,528 $ 4,112  $ 2,400 $ 3,880  
Adjusted demand deposits (millions) ........................................... ............. Revenue receipts of the State Comptroller (thousands) ..................................... Federal Internal Revenue collections (thousands) ...................... ..................... .  $ 2,663 $ 79,156 $267,441  $ 2,669 $112,716 $298,595  $ 2,598 $110,982 $301 ,872  $ 2,641 $ 91,949 $273,068  $ 2,637 $ 89,804 $273,448  
LABOR  
Total nonagricultural employment (thousands) ........................ .........................  2,455.2  2,438.9  2,482.6  2,439.5  2,452.4  
Total manufacturing employment (thousands) ····························-····-····· Durable-goods employment (thousands) 11 ...... ........................ ................  456.6 212.9  454.7 213.3  487.8 242.2  462.2 218.9  484.5 240.5  
Nondurable-goods employment (thousands ) 11 ........... ................... ....... .. .  243.7  241.4  245.6  292.1  244  
Total nonagricultural labor force in 17 labor market areas (thousands) ......... Employment in 17 labor market areas (thousands) ....................... ............ . Manufacturing employment in 17 labor market areas (thousands)  1,918.5 1,788.7 354.7  1,910.5 1,788.9 352.9  1,870.l 1,782.7 376.3  1,910.8 1,789.7 357.4  1,863.2 1,781.9 378  
Total unemployment in 17 labor market areas (thousands) .. ...... ............  129.6  121.4  86.4  120.9  81  
Percent of labor force unemployed in 17 labor market areas.......... ..  6.8  6.4  4.6  6.3  4.3  

All figures are for Texas unless otherwise indicated. All indexes are based on the average months for 1947-49, except where indicated; all are adjusted for seasonal variation, except an nual indexes. 
Employment estimates have been adjusted to first qua rter 1957 benchmarks. 
t Baaed on bank debits in 20 cities, adjusted for p r ice leTel. 
j Index computed for February, May, August, and November only. § Exclusive of loans to banks after deduction of valuation reserves. UFigures are for wage and salary workers only. Other labor figures include proprietors, firm members, self-employed, independent contracts, unpaid 
ramily and private household workers. 
TEXAS BUSINESS REVIEW