66 Bulletin 85 — General Remedla.l Measures 



district where conditions demand community action is strikingly in 

 evidence. It appeared from observation in 1917 that the individual 

 idea is being replaced gradually and it is altogether possible that co- 

 operative action in the near future will be as important a feature of 

 commercial agriculture in the Salt River Valley as it has been in most 

 other western irrigated districts. 



The distance of the Salt River Valley from m.etropolitan dis- 

 tributing centers in some cases has given pause to prospective investors. 

 The following table shows the approximate distance from Phoenix to 

 the principal outside markets : 



Table VIII Distance from Phoenix to Certain Markets 



Citv Dtitanct 



By Rail 



City 



Distance 

 By Ra,1 



Los Angeles | 499 miles New Orleans |1,624 miles 



El Paso I 433 miles Kansas City |1,487 miles 



San Antonio 1 1,052 milesl Chicago |1,938 miles 



It will be noted that the average distance from market is rather 

 great and, at first glance, this problem would appear to be a most 

 serious one. Its importance, however, is minimized when it is remem- 

 bered that relatively small quantities of farm products are shipped to 

 distant markets. The local and State markets have in the past con- 

 tributed largely to the support of agriculture in the Salt River Valley, 

 and as time goes on it is more than likely that these markets will in- 

 crease in importance to the farmers in this territory and offer an outlet 

 for still greater quantities of surplus products. 



General Remedial Measures Previous discussions have indi- 

 cated that the producers of the Salt River Valley are not facing a single 

 problem, but are confronted with a series of problem? which can be 

 co-ordinated only with difficulty. It hardly seems desirable or feasible 

 to advocate the formation of a series of farmers' co-operative associa- 

 tions for the purpose of marketing the many diverse crops in the Valley 

 and having no general affiliations with each other or with a stronger 

 central agency. In the first place, it would appear that these associa- 

 tions would lack the financial strength which is so desirable in an 

 organization of this character. The overhead and operating expenses 

 of the small association are also relatively heavy and probably a large 

 number of producers would not be inclined to view with favor the pros- 

 pect of sharing the expenses of such an organization. It also would 

 seem that there does not exist the requisite commercial leadership for 



