The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-01
A r X A NJ S A S !.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE HERALD.
Arkansas Post.-It- Past History aud Present
Condition-The Interior of the Country
Wretchcd Poverty of the Inhabitants. DC.
ARKANSAS Posr, April p, 1867.

Arkansas Post-It- Past History and Present
Condition-The Interior Of the Countrv-
Wretchcd Poverty of the Inhabitants. DC.
ARKANSAS Posi- April p, 1867.
The New Zeaandcr has not yet stood on London Bridge
AMI looked on the ruined remains Of the English capital
and IL may be long time before he enac,s the British
metropolis n repetition OF Marius at the ruins Of
Carthage II this representative OF the New Zealand
dsc, Is however his travels In quest OF grand old
ruins woold recommend him to pay flying visit 70
this locality. Arkansas Post 10 It's melancholy deca
dence the masniacencc Of lost arts, In the extent
grandeur OF dcsolalson, may not compare with
ancient Rome or Hcrcuiannam, or Pompeii but there
Is abundant Eliminating material on which 10 chew the
cud Of lively fancy for time. II here the
6rss settlement made in Arkansas by the French in
I6s5a settlement contemposaneous With that OF Penn
syvana by William Penn-and II here amid
dense wilderness and hostile Indians planted on
the Arkansas river tho earliest seeds u civilization BY the
white man II was also, by trading IN furs with the
wild sons % the forest John Jacob Aston helped lay
The foundation OF has fortune and II also here
when Arkansas became Ter tory Of the United states,
established the headquarters Of the territorial GOV
srhment The surrounding country was taSon up and
cultivated by large planters rho choicest society Of the
Territory centred here when the Territory became a
state and the capital was removed to Liisle Rock,
change came tho spirit OF rs dream iis prestige
va gone Politicians and business men, tn beauty and
fashion OF The place retired with the retiring govern
meat The hotels became vacant, the fine dwellings
teuantlcss the streets deserted. Oliver Goldsmith
wound have found here most touchax theme FOR his
melancholy counterpart 10 hts Deserted village
What 4 the town to-day Moss covered walls, weather
stained archways mournul looking chimneys scattered
fragments Of brick. cellars that may have been
deep, but now are shallow linear formations Of wells
and cisterns aud old gardens in which are struggling
into bloom the early spring flowers and scraggy peach
trees, are all that remain Of the anc eni VIVA,
The deso'asng hand Of time did lay waste, the late
war did There are now only two houses In
the place, me hrst largo implanted frame
building, near the river, and used scvcraily as
dwelling hotel, warehouse, and barber shop and
the latter smaller building farther back In which rvos
small farmer and several small children shak sncare
instances securing "a local habiaiion and name, "a ~
very difficult and mertorous accomp SHIN nj bo. hare
as can be SEEN notwithstanding the combined az
s,me and erm.visaged war the ancient name s, pre
served and with Il two local hahiiaions
temporary addition TO the town three army wall
tents which are occupied BY Mr. Jones and some worry
men engaged m dsnterrng Union soldiers who fell 10
the battle OF January III, 1893, Fought here between
Generals McClcrnand aud Churchill and resulting will
be remembered IN the capture OF almost the entire "
while stationed here on garrison duty Some buried
80 the river that during late reshet portions Of
the bank hyvng way left exposed juttng oat the side
their lower efxremties On this account " was decided
10 remove all the bodies and they are accordingly oeins
taken 20 Pine BiuF reinterment In cemetery pur
chased by the governments for the purpose
Not desiring take wholly the statements OF persons
founing % stationed here rsgariag The political ssa'