The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-10-22

is a mosteligible natural mill-site. and an old
mill has been run for many years Rich and
wide .bottum-lands lie around 1t and It's
neighborhood; springs are frequent and the
lumber iine, coal slaies are disclosed IN many
places; 1t Is distant from Van Buren, eight
cen miles northward.
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 quarrled and in quantity. It is
known as the Wooten bank This coal, like
all the coal in this field, improves in quality
and thickness as 1t is penelgated.
| Near Robert Sutherland's on Lees Greek. 5,
II, T. II, X. 81 Is a coal bed. which has been
worked; its thickness we do not know. The
bottom and upands here are fertile Grapes
, abound on the hillsidcs as they do elsewhere
in Crawford. The water is abundant and
good shales occur from this to Joseph Bry-
ants on Lees Greek, at the foot OF Boston
Mountain, S. 20, T. IL. II. 81, with occasional
outcrop of limestone. Great bluffs of sand
stone rise up. and are full of iron, and yield
a good building rock. The timber Is excel
lent, white oak being among the prevalent
oaks and pine being absent short distance
from Bryants. from the Boston Mountain,
runs the Backburn's Fork of Lees Creek. rich
In coal banks. This is n good workable 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 bitumnous. Coal has also. tor years,
been quarried and transported from pits on
Cove Creek. tributary of Lees Creek, in the
north corner OF Craw ford; 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, hllslopes and table land.
the soil being enriched by the limestone and
there fruupuious partls thu rein. II is noypral
with bottom growth of timber, such as ash,
walnut. pawpaw oak, rich underground vine
anG shrub. Its peculiarly adapted for grape,
t4baGfo. and nastnres. the nnmera,a s',ri,'4r~
aff0rding plenty OF water. In early times
cane (reeds) grew on their tops; it produces
extraordinarily of all the grains, corn and
grasses.
In the neighborleod of Shannon's Mill, S.
10, T. 10, II 80. on Cedar Creek which empties
into Frog Bayou, quartz fragments have been
discovered, and lead also. The water Is sul-
cient for the supply of mills, and the low
lands rich. Coal shales also display in this
tract of the country. There is d saline spring
in S. 80, I. II, r. -, from which the brine
many years ago, was worked, and the yield
of salt good Boring, without doubt. would
bring stronger brine and make its boiling
profitable to the salt manufacturer, even in
this close proximity to the exhaustless saline
waters. springs and deposits of the east Chero-
kee country. In sections 80 and "a are Heard
and Pennywitt Sulphur Springs from which
run health giving waters. and which are IA
nous in their locality. The precipitatcs are
white and were they improved by digging,
cleansing them out and walled they would
probably equal springs in Virginia aud Ken
lucky, and become resort for spring visitors
There are other sulphur and chaly beate
springs in this county. On Frog Bayou or
Clear Creek, near Frazier's gin, the land is
very fine as Frog Bayou land all is.
The land is exceedingly fertile, the timber
most excellent. the range unequaled and the
water wholesome - generally 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 laborers on your road"