The Russellville Democrat., 1877-12-20
POPE COUNTY.
Some Information about the area. the Soil, the Timber, the Schools 4.x. Asn

We are in receipt of printed cir cular from Mir. W. X. Webber, stating that at the request of Senators Gar land and Cravens he is preparing q Statement of Arkansas resources, climate, schools, &c., &c., for the use of the Hon. Wm. G. LcDuc, U. S. Land Commissioner, at Washington, to be incorporated in his next report. We are requested to furnish answers to series ofquestions, and as We are continually in receipt of letters from the north asking similar questions we have determined to answer through the DEMOCRAT. The an swers are given and numbered to correspond with the number of the question propounded.
 l. AREA--Pope County has an area of about TO square miles, or 460,800 acres. The county is about 20 miles cast and west, and 36 miles north and south.
 ?. SURFACE. AND ToPoGRAPHY.--- The surface of the County is of di- versilied character. In the norther part of the county is broken and hllly, with running streams of pure spark ling water coursiDg their way along the intervening volleys. Along these streams there are rich valleys of land and many fine farms. The table lands on the tops of the mountain spurs are undulating, but rich and level enough to admit of cultivation. Some good farms have been opened upon the tops of these mountain ridges. The timber here is fine; walnut, wild cherry and chinquepin often grow to be to 2 feet in diam etre. In the southern part of the county, except in the river bottom, the lands are high well drained up lands, the elevation being perhaps 100 or 120 feet above the level of the river bed. In the vicinity of Russell vile there is beautiful prairie with an area of about 5000 acres.
 3. TIMBER.--The County is well timbered. Some oi the finest piner- ies and cypress brakes in the State are here to be found. Oak, of all kinds, Hickory, Walnut, Gum, Ash, wild Cherry, Cottonwood, sycamore, &c., &c., abound.
 4. WATER CoURsEs.-The Arkan- sas river sweeps the southern boun. dary of the county, flowing ia a south eastern course. The county has river front of about 30 miles, l giving us large body of river bot tom lands.
 Bic PINEY and LITTLE PINEY wash es the western border of the county, flowing from north to south and emptying into the Arkansas river about half way between Russellville and Clarksville.
 The lands along Piney are equal to River lands and some of the finest farms in the county are to be found along these creeks. The ILLINOIS BAYOU rises in Searcy County, just north of Pope, and flows down through the hllls in southerly direction dis charging into the Arkansas river 3 miles west of Russellville. There are some fine mill sites on this stream. GUM LOG CREEK, small stream coursing the central part of the county flows southeast and empties into Point Remove Creek. GALLA CREEK, another small stream cours- ing through the central part of the county, empties into the Arkansas river just south of Atkins.
 PolNT REMOVE CREEK flows along the eastern border of the county f.om north to south and empties into the Arkansas river. WHIG CREEK, BA- KERs GREEK, IsBELL's CREEK and other small streams traverse the county in different directions, dis charging into the streams above named.
 | 5. STRINGS AND WELL WATER.--- 1 Good, pure water is one of the bras attributes of the county. Some fine springs of pure, bright sparkling water break out from the hill sides. | Good we'll water IS obtained any where in the county at depth of 20 to 36 feet.
 6. POPULATION. The County has a population of about l2, ,000 about, one twelfth of which are colored.
 '. SCHooLs.-There are 27 School Districts in the County. Each Dis trict has three months public school each year, in addition to which there are som ten or twelve private schools sustained at different points in the county.
 8. CHURcHEs.-There are upwards of 90 churches in the county, all rep resented by pretty strong member ship. Methodists and Cumberlands predominate. There are no Episco- palian or Catholic churches.
 Q. RAILRoAps.-The Little Rock & Ft. Smith Railroad runs through our county from east to west, at an average distance of four miles from the Arkansas rlver, giving us about "A miles of railroad. The Company have a fine grant of lands in the coun- ty and offer cheap lands and long time to make payments.
 10. WAGON RoADs.-Wagon roads are not as good as they should be; but can he made excellent if properly worked