The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-01-11
LETTER FROM ARKA>


NfNI'''A MY 'hNNI'Nlt t'FAs ~ 49,
p NJ found the place three inches deep
ii dust, aud the streets and by-ways
filled with cotton-hags and negroes,
and just.enough white men to manage
and own both,
This Is n place containing a popuIa-
ton Of about 5000 inhabitants Of all
c%olors; and there IL as much business
transacted here in one day (at the
present time us there is in Winches-
chester in one month, The sidewalks
are narrow, and constantly crowdcd BY
Il busy throng. The great majority Of
them are negroes, Who are the same
careless, jolly, improyidenL people here
as evcrywhge, They make nearly all
the immense cotton crop Of the South,
and still, by some want Of roper man
agemcnt, they usually spend all their
years earnings before the next spring
rolls round, and some Of them come
out in debt, and have tosScll their corn
crop to pay off the balance due on ad-
v%ancements and nearly all Of them ap
pear in rags and cropped hats. Still,
they appear to be happy, aud are tue
bcst-natured people | ever saw,
Times are flush here, | have seen
more money in two days than VIC see
at home in two months. The crops
were good. and although cotton is low,
ii has to 90 upon the market, because
Of the internal credit system, which
makes the cOtton-growcrs the slaves
Of the merchants who advanced sup
plies TO them to make their crops. If
the owners OF land would husband
their resources, and plant half crops Of
cotton, they could soon be able to
hold their cotton for better prices. But
the whites Of these rich cotton districts
are too much like the blacks in the
matter Of spending money; they neve
know when to stop until they see the
bottom otstheir purses. Then, in order
to plant the next crop, they must get
some Emcrchant TO advance supplies,
and have to give a lien on their crop
to indemnify the merchant; and ire
quently ;Jhey give a mortgage on their
farms for the same objects. and ome
times lose all. The result Of this III
iquitous system of farming is, farms
are annually becoming o dilapida.
ted-iencing and buildings all rotting
~dowr--and the owners never have any
surplus capital to repair the property,
which Of course viii soon become
almost worthless.
This i, dcs m,d 70 be a more lm
portant place thau At present. rs there
10 being constructed II railroad from
this poiul to Forest City. on the Mem
phis q Lj.jlc Roch RqiIroad.
Helena, many years ago, extended
about two hundred yards further to-
wards the river than at present but
the currents of the majestic Mississippi
gradually undermined her eastern
foundations. Another change is now
developing for several years past the
has been s~urrcndering back to
II,lnnn uhnt cha tnnI frn,n lnr manu-,
years since. A heavy sand bar has
in front Of the city, from four
to six feet high, and if the current does
not change, the bar will become, in a
years, high enough to build upon.
/ never saw such quantities of game
The trading-boats bring down the White
River. | saw a boat laden Tin part)
with deer, bear, turkeys, wild geese,
wild ducks. prairie chickens, squirrels,
rabbits, coons, partridges, and FISH. |
travelled with 4 party Of hunters from
Chattanooga, who had been hunting on
st. Francis River two months. One Of
hem informed ms that they ~caught.so
many fish buffalo, they could scarce
Y give them away.
a white man was killed last night,
bout three miles from Helena. He
lad been to town with sore pork,
which he had sold for about $40, and
vas going home in a wagon, in compa-
" with his son, aged about,s1S years.
Abou, dark he was knocked in the head
" three white men, who literally [
mashed his head into II jelly. They
lso struck the boy, and babe him {
on, which he did, of course. |
m Informed that this band of robbers
ave been pursuing their favorite voca.
in the hills west of Helena for sew. 4
raj years, and yet these people are so
cry ~busy-chasing the airy baubles, C
'ealth and iame-they don't seen to
axe time to make any effort 20 capture d
he scoundrcls who thus prey on the
YES of their fellow mortals. b
This people don't care a cent who
elected or who is inaugurated Pres n
lent; and | hardly eyer heard the "
mentioned. /
There are " papers published here D
both small dailies, and both Demo h
They are poor things for a W
~ OF this Importance. They contain 81
cry little news, either local or general, o.
nd their advertisements are stretched.
here is a splendid opening here for a Of
al live. good.sized daily paper. re
Yours truly, j. n. Nc. W
What has Congress TO do with the m