The Van Buren press., 1876-04-18

excellent land, both bottom and high
land these last are, for the most part,
broken, rough and rocky. The Valley
of Lees Creek, with its tributaries, is
probably wder than that of any other
tributary running into tbs Arkansas, on
| the north, within the State, but great
hills and high bluffs of the milestone
grit sandstones everywhere intcrsect it
aud yet there are great bodies of fertile
bottom and upland, and thousands of
homes awaiting the immigrant and the
advent of your road. AS elsewhere and
repeatedly remarked, the railroad lands
pierce this valley from Little Rock to Ft.
Smith, and general and swift descrip.
ti"n of the country is general and swift
description Of them.
AT Dripping Springs and vicinagc, S
%, 7. 10, II 80, the shale is very thick
and has an oily and gistening touch and
look. Limestone is found here in mass
es protrudng from the earth; wide
tract of fertile land surrounds it. 1t is
nine miles northward from Van Buren,.
At Mrs Forts, S, II, L |, r 80, on
Lees Creek, coal is visible in its bed the
thickness of this coal is INFESTED, and SO
is its quality Ponderous blocks, water.
worn, of carbonate iron are abundant; !;
there is some pine on the hills. which are
lofty.
At Natural Dam, s. Q, 7. II, r. 80,
which is on and crosses the Mountain
Fork of Lees Creek, the cliff or dam
is about thirteen feet high, Of dark,
water resisting, ferruginous sandstone,
and is an etfectual and eternal barrier to
the volume Of the stream II is most
eligible natural mill site, and an old mill
has been here run for many years. Rich
and wide bottom lands lie around it and
its neighborhood springs are frequent
and the timber fine coal shales arc dis
closed in many places; it is distant from
Van Bnren eighteen miles norlhward
On Lees Creek, still northward from
Van Buren, is a fine coal bed, of the
thickness of twenty eight to thirty two
inches. Coal has been tried by smiths,
and by them termed fine. 1t is easily
quarred and in quantity. 1t is known
as the Wooten bank. This coal, like all
the coal in this field, improves in quality
and thickness as it is penetrated.
Near Robert Sutherland's, on Lees
Creek, s II, L. III, r. 80, is q coal bed
which has been worked its thickness we
do not know. The bottom and upands
here are fertile Grapes abound on the
hillsides, as they do elsewhere in Craw
ford. The water is abundant and good
shales occur from this to Joseph Bry-
ants, on Lees Creek at the foot of Bos-
ton Mountains, S. 20. L. IL, X. 81, with
occasional outcrop of limestone. Great
bluffs of sandstone rise up, and are full
of iron, and yield good building rock
The timber is excellent, white oak being
among the prevalent oaks, and pine be-
ing absent. A short distance from Bry-
ants. from the Boston Mountain. runs
the Blackburn's Fork of Lees Creek,
rich in coal banks. This is good, work
able coal, exposed for thirty inches has
been used by smiths for years, and into
which have been sunk fourteen pits. This |
coal. like the great body of the coal so
far used in this valley, is semi bitumin.
Gus. Coal has also, for years, been quar-
ried and transported from pits on Cove
Greek, a tributary of Lees Creek, in the
northwest corner Of Crawford: it has
been hauled by smiths forty miles. This
coal is very good its thickness is about
twenty seven inches. Boston Mountain
is famous for its very rich benches. hill
slopes and table land, the soil being en-
riched by the limestone aud the terru, |
ginous earths therein; it is covered with |
bottom growth of timber. such as ash,
walnut pawpaw, oak, rich underground, |
vines and shrubs. 1t is peculiarly adap-
ted for grape tobacco, and pastures, the
numerous springs afording plenty of
water In early times cane reeds grew
on their tops; itprodnces extraordinari-
ly Of all the grains, corn and grasses.
Pine is absent.
In the neighborhood of Shannons
MILL S. 10, 4. 10, r. 30, on Cedar Creek
which EN- ties into Frog Bayou, quartz
fragments have been discovered, and lead
also. The water is sufficient for the sup
ply Of mills, and the lowands rich. Coal
shales also display in this tract of the
county.
There is saline spring in S. 80, T. II,
r. 80, from which the brine. many years
ago, was worked, and the yield OF salt
good. Boring, without doubt, would
bring stronger brine, and make it's boil
ing profitable to the salt manufacturer,
even in this close proximity to the ex.
haustless saline waters, springs and de-
posits Of the east Cherokee country. In
sections 32 and "a are 'Heard's and Pen.
nywit's sulphur springs" from which
run health giving waters, and which sre
famous in their locality. The prccipi-
tates are white, and were they improved
by digging, cleansing them out and wall
ed. they would probably equal springs in
Virginia and Kentucky, and become a
resort for spring visitors. There are
other" sulphur and chalybeate springs
in this county.
On Frog Bayou, or Clear Creek. near
Frazier's Gin, the land is fine, as Frog
Bayou land always is.
The land is exceedingly fertile. the
timber most excellent, the range une.
qualed and the water wholesome-gen
orally obtained for house use by digging,
or in cisterns, and abundance of stock.
water everywhere. There is no better
tract Inviting the immigrant, none better
for the occupation to be made by the la
borers on your road"
The county seat of Crawford comfy,
and also the principal town, is