The Subscription Paper Habit
A pointed local complaint accuses townspeople of taking their trade to Phoenix even while asking neighbors for charity — a small window into early Mesa's commercial grievances.
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Mesa Free Press · June 1, 1900 · Page 1
1 min readAlmost every week a subscription paper or something calling for contributions is 'shoved' on the long suffering citizens of our town. All of our residents are besought to contribute their mite, and usually do so. But if the recipients of the charity have occasion to buy anything or have anything done, they at once betake themselves to Phoenix or some other place, pay a big price, and leave the local merchant, who is not in it.
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