Show grand jund junction ion may be west slope FU industrial center mesa county where fertile valleys abound with colorados best and most profitable fruit crops may inay at some future date be the site of a new industrial empire if arsent present plans of the grand junen junction n chamber of commerce are completely fulfilled chamber manager don dugan Is carrying out instructions of the chamber board of directors to tell industrialists looking for new locations all aboia the many advantages to be found in the area surrounding grand junction and in the city itself dugans task is bot not simple one but so far he be has as received a good response to his kis approaches one of the serious problems now confronting plaint rs N f the fauct j bating prevalent in tte the grand valley where seasonal agricultural empl employment requires huge buge numbers of laborers rs during the harvest season but there is nothing now to kee keep these ese workers employed during aring the off season it is the idea of the chamber of f commerce to attract types of industry ind astry into the area that will provide ide agricultural type workers with jobs during winter and early pring spring months according to results of a survey completed late last year for the chamber of commerce reveal that any large industry that could 10 lo cate in the grand junction area could not depend on the markets er the population in the immediate district to absorb their products any industry locating here would have to have markets available for consumption of products and these markets would no doubt be located east of the rocky mountains and on the west coast however it was noted in the report that grand junction is located geographically in a unique position to be e of service to the majority of counties on the western slope of Col colorado oratio as well as certain counties ro unties in utah new plexico and wyoming orand grand junctions present retail maln area is approximately 75 miles in radius extending north into rio blanco county to meeker cast east beyond rifle and in some eases cases to glenwood springs it extends into delta county almost to delta south into montrose county in utah it extends to monticello in san juan county and in grand county utah it extends some distance beyond and west of moab the 1950 population of the retail trade area was approximately 55 for the local area and for for the fringe area in 1953 in mesa county the effective buying income was whereas in 1953 1952 this income was only and there are indications that there has been a general increase in purchasing power from IM 1946 to 1953 in 1946 said the survey sum mary total retail sales for mesa county were as compared to during the first six months of 1954 1964 sales volume was and that period did not include the tourist trade season or holiday spending occurring late in the year mesa county already has a total of 42 manufacturing plants including those engaged in processing foods and kindred products lumber and wood products except furniture stone clay glass primary metal and fabricated metal products and others of the manufacturers in the grand junction area replying to questionnaires sent out during the chamber of commerce survey 91 percent indicated that grand action auction was the original location 0 of f the ann firm per cent tent said that a major factor considered in location in the area ar ca was major markets available locally and per cent said living ing e conditions 0 adi was important in deciding to erect a plant in the district no difficulty in securing labor was listed by per cent of those replying while per cent indicated they had little trouble one hundred percent said wages were reasonable or average mineral resources were also ac counted for in the survey conclusions and it was found there 1 are re 17 different minerals known to occur cur in mesa county but not all of them are produced commercially cial ly or at a profit profil aluminum for one occurs in practically all types of soil for matton in the county but is not produced commercially because production would not be profitable in 1953 there were 44 mills and one mill and smelter located in mesa county tax levies are important when at attempts te empl q are made to lure new nev ladus industries dus tries into any area levies within mesa county said the report range anywhere from a high of mills in school district 19 palisade to a low of mills in school district 10 near de beque generally the levy was 50 mills average for mesa county in 1953 the report laid said gr grand a nd junction had bad a municipal ie levy vy of mills and the county levy was in grand junction recommended in the report as prospective new industries for the grand junction area were a candy factory meat packing plant paper mill fruit drying plant quick free freeze ze for peaches preserving plant lant brandy distillery alfalfa dehydration E yd ration plant furniture factory p plastics elastics industry oil shale industry coal hydrogenation plant and a p plant a t for manufacture of mine machinery and equipment |