1918 to 1919

As if the international problems weren´t enough, during 1918 the pandemic of Spanish Influenza is also felt in Nogales. There are days when eight people die. Among the victims is Gustavo L. Manriquez, who passes away at his home on Morelos St. on April 19. He had founded the local firemen volunteer group, and was it´s captain. On the 28th, Juan Aguirre is elected as his successor.

By then, the Rosario Graveyard has been surrounded by the growth of town, while the new one is located too far. Trying to avoid the contagion of the population by the Influenza, the State Government orders the closing of the Rosario graveyard, allowing only a few more people to be buried in it. Gustavo L. Manriquez, Gerardo Pesqueira and Jesus Gaxiola, an aunt of Elias Calles. The only graveyard in operation during these years is today´s Heroes.

On Septembrer 3, the municipality agrees with Alejandro Villaseñor, who has been already returned his lands, that he give the Ayuntamiento those lots where the Slaughterhouse as the new graveyard have been built, in exchange for the cancellation of his debt in municipal taxes since 1914.

Also that year, 1918, in March, thanks to the activity of Presidente Peñaloza, the Comittee of Material Improvements is formed, and Gral Obregon is named to head it. On September 14, Dr Juan Sandoval is named to head the Municipal Hospital.

By the last days of November, as a sign that the dark days of the Revolution near their end, Virginia Fabregas is presented at the Teatro Hidalgo with several dramas, among whom are Doña Diabla and El Beso Mortal, both are social pedagogic theater presentations.

That same month, during the night between the 10 to the 11, at 2 AM, the Nogales,Arizona firefighters siren is heard throughout town. It celebrates the armistice that ends the First World War.

And so, we arrive at the rebuilding period for Nogales. The main problems are prostitution and the liquor commerce, which has been declared illegal, as well as the poor local economy. A common denominator of the campaigns against alcohol and prostitution is that as the local governments lasted one year, while one of them fought this trade, the following one brought things to the previous situation. And when the State Government tried to solve those violations (in case it wanted), the local government had already changed, and the new Presidente had to start again from cero.

Following this recipe, prostitution and alcohol will continue prospering even though the State law of prohibition has been in vigour since 1915.

The immediate causes of this: the legal and illegal income that this commerce brings to the always empty Municipal coffers, as well as the opportunity to get bribes for the local functionaries. This reality will impose over any other development plan for Nogales, from either side of the border.

Besides this, during those years game is also a legal activity, so the dance halls and restaurants are filled up with game machinery.

Beginning the 1918-1919 administration, the owners of the brothels at the Ranchito, who pay then $100 for each dance hall, $10 for every pianola, $5 for every woman and 60% in federal taxes, complain of the clandestine activity in town, asking unsuccessfully for a lowering in taxes

By October, Armando Davalos and F. B. Encinas, open a new movie salon, while by November it is agreed to close the Municipal Hospital to lower the Municipality expenses, and the next month another campaign against prostitution and alcohol starts.

However, by next April, the only achievement of the campaign is the dissemination of prostitution throughout town, as well as the decrease in Municipal income, which forces another reduction in it´s work force.

During those months, there is an enormous increase in families of mexicans returning from Arizona, so the Municipality has to pay them the ticket for their return to their homes.

That same year, Ramon L. Siqueiros and Pedro Garcia own several "public buses... to transfer people" in the growing town.

Ending that year, and because Nogales has an estimated population of 8,000, that there are 127 businesses, 4 commission enterprises and 11 custom houses, the State Congress receives the petition that the town be declared a city.

Also during those days, the first Regulation for the Operation of Vehicles in Nogales enters into operation. The maximum allowed speed is 15 miles per hour. There are already 52 cars and 54 taxis in town.