Private issues (Ahualulco - Etzatlán)

Ahualulco

Ahualulco el Mercado is 75 kilometres west of Guadalajara.

Ricardo Uribe

Ricardo Uribe was no doubt related to Rafaela Gómez de Uribe, who ran the hacienda "San Ignacio" in Ahualulco.

Only a 50c is known of a series of notes valid for three months from the date of issue and redeemable in infalsificables. These were printed by J. M. Iguíniz.

Molino de Nixtamal

A series of at least three values (5c^{[image needed]}, 10c, and 25c) issued by this corn-mill, owned by Ramón G. Gómez, with various dates in 1915 (the 10c is 4 August and the 20c is 14 October). They are handstamped on the reverse 'RAMON G. GOMEZ'.

In 1904 Gómez was listed as running a cantina^{Directorio general de la República Mexicana, 1903-1904}.

Amatitlán

Amatitlán is a town 50 kilometres north-west of Guadalajara.

Fábrica de San José de Refugio

Félix López began as the distillery administrator under then owners Josefa Salazar and her sons. In 1870 López took over the distillery and agave fields and registered it as a tequila producer under the name of Hacienda San José del Refugio.

Félix López married Carmen Rosales and they had two children, Aurelio and María de Jesús. The couple modernized the production of tequila at the hacienda, building a facility that remained in use until 1963. López died in 1878 and Rosales took over the business along with her brother Ambrosio Rosales and his wife Elisa Gómez Cuervo. Later, the business was inherited by Aurelio López.

The construction of railroads in the late 19th century allowed for easier shipping to other parts of Mexico and increased tequila’s popularity in the country. By this time the hacienda’s tequila was well known, with Aurelio giving it the name of Herradura, allegedly after a horseshoe he found while inspecting the agave fields. It gleamed like gold and the horseshoe was kept for luck. In the 1920s the Cristero War broke out, with both Aurelio and his sister María de Jesús as sympathizers. At one point government troops surrounded the hacienda but the siblings were able to escape. However, Aurelio never returned to the hacienda again. The hacienda and the Herradura brand remained in the family for over 125 years.

The hacienda produced 50c and $1 vales that would be redeemable in gold when collected in amounts of $5.

These cartones were produced by J. M. Iguíniz.

Atotonilco el Alto

Atotonilco el Alto is about 100 kilometres east of Guadalajara. Various notes for local circulation seem to have been issued as a communal effort, with one entitled "Comercio y Agricultura", which ties up with Lorenzo Valle Valle (see below).

Comercio y Agricultura

Series 1

Series 2

A 5c cartón and a 10c, of similar design but without the legend.

Lorenzo Valle's workforce

This 10c has a handstamp of LORENZO VALLE. Lorenzo Valle Valle came from San José de la Unión and became a leading producer of citrus fruit, a generous and altruistic person who created a lot of employment. He was known throughout Mexico for his produce, exporting oranges, limes and pickled gherkins packed in wooden barrels. The orchards were looked after by his capataz, Lázaro Romero Cárdenas, who paid out wages (la raya) in the portal de Florencio Luna González. Lorenzo Valle Valle lived at portal Luna number 27 (today calle Andrés Terán). He died on 29 January 1968 at the age of 77{footnote]El Informador, Año LI, Tomo CVCIV, Núm. 17,911, 9 February 1968.

Autlán

Autlán is 190 kilometres south-west of Guadalajara.

The first reference in the Autlán archives to a private issue is on 25 May 1915 when the Presidente Municipal wrote to Riveros Hermanos, in Ayuquila, that he had learnt that they were demanding payment for maiz in fichas that some local businesses has issued^{AHMAut, Caja 302, Exp. Sección Ayuntamiento (Sección 8) 2/2, 1915}.

The Carrancistas, under General Pablo Quiroga, took possession of Autlán on 25 November 1915. On the same day they appointed Higinio García Meza as Presidente Municipal and at a meeting of businessmen, resolved to address the problem of the lack of small change caused by the withdrawal of the Brigada Moreno notes by authorising certain businesses to issued bonos ó vales, validated by the seal of the Presidente Municipal. These vales would circulate until Carranza’s own fractional currency arrived, at which time each business would collect and reimburse all the vales it had issued, Finally, the agreement noted that vales that had already been issued by businesses would be withdrawn and changed for vales of the new issue ^{AHMAut, Sección Presidencia Municipal (Sección 9), 1915) and (AHMAut, Sección Gobernación (Sección 6), 1915)}.

So this was not the first time that private notes appeared.

Twenty-nine people signed this agreement, though we know of only a couple of issues. These are a 1c and 10c note for the cigarette factory, “El Vesubio”, that was owned by Higinio García Meza and located on the corner of calle Guillermo Prieto and calle de Reforma, and (if rightly placed here) a 10c from Clemente González é hijo.

“El Vesubio” Fábrica de Cigarros

We know of black on cream notes, hand signed on the reverse, in at least two values.

Clemente González e hijo

A 10c note.

Clemente Gonzalez is listed as running a soap factory in 1904^{Directorio general de la República Mexicana, 1903-1904}. On 21 May 1905 he was appointed by the Ayuntamiento to a three-man comission to oversee the construction of a market.

Leónides E. Sánchez

However, on 6 December Leónides E. Sánchez, owner of the appropriately-named “Las Termopilas” on the corner of calle Ramón Corona and calle Mariano Escobedo, sent $364 in 50c and $1 fichas to be stamped by the Presidencia Municipal and stated that he had already issued $152 in fichas^{AHMAut, Caja 302, Exp. Sección Ayuntamiento (Sección 8) 2/2, 1915}.

"Vale del Comercio"

Next, a meeting called by the Comandante de la Plaza, Teniente coronel Antonio L. Cano, on 9 December 1915 addressed the continuing problem by authorising a commission composed of Silvestre Arias, Florencio Topete, Irineo Barragán and Maximo González to print $5.000 in “Vales de Comercio" in four values ((5c yellow, 10c^{[image needed]}, 20c yellow and 50c green).

These would again be stamped by the Presidencia Municipal and then distributed among 22 businesses, who would guarantee their notes for the initial period of two months (to be extended, if necessary)^ibid..

On 16 December another meeting decided it would now issue $8,000 in notes. After two months, from 16 February 1916, the notes would be redeemed in three casas de comercio: José María Topete’s “La Palestina”, Clemente González e hijo’s “La Reforma” and Adela Blake Vda. de Barragán’s “La Esmeralda”, and destroyed on 1 March^ibid.. Notice of this accord was published in the neighbouring Unión de Tula^{AHMAut, Sección Presidencia Municipal (Sección 9), 1915}.

These notes were printed on the presses of Francisco L. Araiza.

By 30 December the Tesorero de la Junta Monetaria reported that he had received $8,151.60 in “Vales del Comercio”, from the Presidencia Municipal to be distributed to businesses^{AHMAut, Sección Hacienda (Sección 2), 1915}.

On 1 May the Presidencia Municipal agreed with the Comisión to extend the validity of the vales until a new decision of the Presidencia, which would give people 15 days’ notice in which to exchange their notes^{AHMAut, Sección Presidencia Municipal (Sección 9), 1916}.

Ciudad Guzmán

Gran Cantina y Hotel Anguiano

This building, facing the Plaza Principal, was constructed in the 1860s, with a façade in French architectural style, as "Mesón de la Unión". Thirty years later it was called “Hotel de las Bolas de Oro”, referring to the golden spheres that were part of its interior decoration.

On 18 August 1908, when the hotel was acquired by the Anguiano family, the name was changed to "Gran Hotel Anguiano" and a second floor with more rooms added. In 1915 it was owned by Gabriel Anguiano.

In 1947, it was acquired by Evaristo Sánchez Sánchez who renamed it the "Gran Hotel Zapotlán".

These blue on white cartones were printed by José María Iguíniz.

Manzano y Compañía

This company was running a grain mill (molino de trigo) in 1903.

Juan Manzano

Cámara de Comercio

A series of six notes (5c^{[image needed]}, 10c^{[image needed]}, 20c^{[image needed]}, 50c^{[image needed]}, $1^{[image needed]} and $2^{[image needed]}), all identical except for the denomination.

Cocula

Cocula is a city located 56 kilometres southwest of Guadalajara.

Compañía de Luz y Fuerza Motriz de Cocula, S. A.

El Grullo

El Grullo is 185 kilometres southwest of Guadalajara and 18 kilometres east of Autlán.

Antonio R. Olivera

These are signed on the reverse by Antonio R. Olivera.

Antonio R. Olivera

These were probably produced by Salvador Araiza, a printer in Unión de Tula, who owned the region’s sole printshop^{AHMAut, Sección Gobernación (Sección 6), 1915}.

La Reforma Mercantil

A cheque issued by Juan Vargas y Compañía of "La Reforma Mercantil".

Inocencio R. Preciado

This was signed by Inocencio R. Preciado.

Inocencio R. Preciado

These are similar to the former issue but now they have the facility to be certified by the Administrador Subalterno del Timbre in Autlán as having paid the required stamp duty.

El Limón

El Limón is 50 kilometres east of Autlán.

Juan Jiménez

Etzatlán

Etzatlán is 90 kilometres west of Guadalajara.

Señoritas Tomasa Romero y Hermana

Tomasa Romero owned a farm in Etzatlán and so was sent a census form by the Comisión Local Agraria in January 1923^{AHME, Sección Gobierno, Serie Agricultura, Año 1923, exp. 51, f3}. This note is a "proof of work done" to be redeemed in the Romero sisters' casa in Etzatlán. Once we have recognised the signatory, J. A. Romero, or the branding mark we can probably moved this to the "Haciendas" listing.

J. A. Romero

Crescenciano M. Romero

Crescenciano M. Romero (identified by his signature on the face of his notes^{AHME, Sección Gobierno/Directoria, Serie Comercio, Año 1913, exp. 446}) was a local businessman and dignitary. He is mentioned with other businessmen in various oficial documents and in both July 1913^{AHME, Sección Gobierno/Directoria, Serie Fiestas y diversiones públicas, Año 1913, exp. 454, f3} and August 1916^{AHME, Sección Gobierno, Serie Fiestas y diversiones públicas, Año 1916, exp. 363, f2} was nominated as a member of that year’s Junta Patriótica to organise the program of festivities to celebrate national Independence.

In July 1917 Romero registered that he had established a grocery store called “La Central” at calle de Independencia 53^{AHME, Sección Hacienda, Serie Tesorería Municipal, Año 1917, exp. 16, f86} though this was probably an annual registration of his existing business.

Ysmael Rubio

Ysmael Rubio was a local businessman. He is mentioned with other businessmen in various documents and in August 1916^{AHME, Sección Gobierno, Serie Fiestas y diversiones públicas, Año 1916, exp. 363, f2} was nominated as a member of that year’s Junta Patriótica to organise the program of festivities to celebrate national Independence.

We know of a 20c cartón.