The Van Buren press., 1876-02-29
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
A Brief Description Of its Soil,
Timber, Minerals, etc., and the
Attraction offered to
Immigrants.

Immigrants.
Crawford county is situated on the ex-
treme western boundary of the State, adj
joining the Cherokee Nation, and con-
tains an area of about 362 900 acIes, q
good portion of which is river and creek
bottom lands, There is in the county
about 100000 acres subject to homestead
or other entry, and about 100000 acres
of railroad lands, which are now in the
Market and offered at from 81 90 to
81 per acre according TO quality. Other
unimproved lands can be bought at from
$3.50 to $1,000 per acre. and lands part
ly improved at from $500 to $500 per
acre.
The lands of Crawford county are, the
larger part of them exceedingly fertile,
and the greater part of them susceptible
of cultivation; there are, within its linn
its, more alluval lands than T.ost, if not
all the other western counties; well.wa-
tered, good timber, and capable of sup
plying a dense population; the present
population is estimated at $4,000.
Schools and churches abound in all parts
of the county, there being thirtythree
school districts in the county. in which
free schools are taught from three to ten
months in the year.
There are, in the county, six steam
Touring mills, two wool carding ma
chimes, and large number of steam cot.
ton gins, etc, as well as other machi-
merry.
Cotton, corn, wheat, oats and grapes
all do we'll, turning off large crops.
Fruit of all kinds-apples. pears, pea.
ches, grapes. etc.-are not excelled any
.where; in short, the agricultural prod
ucts of our fertile lands will vie in rich
ness and quality with those of the most
favored locality in the union.
The Little Rock and Fort Smith Rail
way (Which will be completed in three
months runs through the entire breadth
of the county, from east to west; and
the Arkansas river, which is navigabIe
the great part Of the year, runs along the
entire length of its southern boundary,
thus giving to the citizens of the coun,
ty ample shipping facilities, and such as
are not enjoyed by many of her sister
counties
The description of Crawford county,
which we publish below, is taken from a
report made from an actual reconnoi-
ssance by Mcssrs J NJ. Washbourne and
j. II Haney, to the l.. r d. F. S r. r..
Company, in 1857 Since that time there
have been, Of course, vast Improvements
made in the condition OF the county. in
almost all respects:
Every little pine is found in this coun
ty; but in the adjoining Cherokee coun-
try, commencing nine miles noith of
westward from Van Buren,, is one Of the
] -.lFltFSl DIlItiItS uOll VI tuC "a $40
| II Eil hereafter, be very valuable to your
Ru d The uplauds in the eastern sec
ton ol lhis county, generally, are level
and terllie rich in grasses, vines, grape
and underground. Springs are common
in parts, and water obtained with readl
ness by digging These lands are uuler-
lald by ferrnginous shales and clays, ana
where unproductive, can be made so hy
material existing there or in the hills
One of the finest tracts of bottom land
begins in the city of Van Buren, and rams
down the river, past the mouth of Flat
Rock, past the mouth of Frog Bayou or
Clear Creek to the mouth of Mulberry
The greater part is high, dry, richly tim
bered, with luXurant growth of vine,
shrub and grass well watered, and as
productive as any land on the Arkansas.
Shalcs are everywhere exposed, even
in the city in several places. Coal, or
coal indices are found all over the coun-
ty, but the coal, as rule, is not as thick
as it is in Franklin. On Frog Bayou, a
considerable tributary of the Arkansas.
at Phillips bank. S. IS. T. 9, r. 80, coal
has been dug for thirty five years; said,
by smiths who have worked it, to be the
best coal in the region; it is three feet
thick and easy to quarry; it extends quite
a distance along this Bayou, and is part
of the Arkansas coal field. This stream
has long been famed for its fine, wide,
high, and rich lands. A few small prai-
ries skirt it, with excellent grasses and
herbs
On Flat Rock, stream eastward from
Van Buren, two miles, shale is exposed,
and coal has been found The uplands
along this stream are fine for fruits,
grape and berries This shale runs into
Van Buren and in the well sunk for the
steam mill in Van Buren, coal was struck
as, also, very hard, blue. almost irnpen-
etrable rock Along this stream small
fragments of crystal-as, also, on a low
ridge on the land of E Scott. s. 0, T 8.
r. 81. and along the hill side, near the
Van BlTen steam mill-are gathered
Limestone occurs at the base of the bluff
of terruginous sandstone, above Van
Buren; this bluff of sandstone abuts on
| the river. and yields a fine building stone, ,
and on its height, which is broad table
laEd, are some of the finest building sites
"a, 4. II.