The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-06
THE ARKANSAS uoI SPRINGS.

Mains-Dealings with 1Iainps aho
ROughs-A Primitive Jail.
Hot SPRINGS, April %.
The population OF Hot Springs is be-
tween 4 900 and 5000 The barren
acres. that were made so by tie great
conhagraticn here, have bristled up with
large number OF buildings, but they
are Of the same himsy material and
build as their predecessors, and spark
well dropped would make another big
bonfire thai, with a favorable wind,
would probably sweep the whole town.
As soon as the Government settles the
question Ct title, &c, two large hotels, 1t
is said, will be erected, costing from $50
600 TO 100000.
On the topmost peak of the Hot
Springs mountain is en- observatory
erected by gentleman from the neigh
borhood OF Philadelphis, and from which
for the small fec of twenty-five cents
grand view OF the surrounding country
can be had. The observatory is about
hundred or hundred and twenty-five
feet high and gives the visitor splendid
view of some of the timber land for
which Arkansas is so celebrated. FROM
this elevation the trains passing over the
railroad lock ike large snscondas, with
smoking nostrils, hurrying across the
plain below TO seek shelter among the
rocks and forests of Ozark range. The
mountains have the appearance OF having
undergone the shock Of an earthquake,
and are broken up INTO series OF beautI-
full green spurs, rising and falling on
every side. Deer, bear, wild turkey and
quail can be found within this range,
and venison and turkey are frequently
served at the hotels.
Gambling in all its phases has full
swing here, but the present Mayor, Mr..
Kimbell, has issued a car dwsrnlng Vlsi-
tors and others against taking the sd-
vice OF drummers and hangers-on IN re-
spect to hotels, physicians or gambling
places, and assuring them that he Will
furnish them protection in every way he
can. Faro private poker parlors, the old
mustang game. Ia game OF dice,) and
peco, another name for keno, which ls
strictly prohibited by the laws OF the
State, and which Is thus violated under
another name, are the principal games
played. There are other games by when
the unwary have been hoodwinked, and
in some cases innocent visitors have been
Reaced of large sums. The ropers, cappers,
Masters, agents. or whatever name you
NAV be pleased TO call the men who
work up business for the gambling dens,
and who scrutInize the hotel registers,
force acquaintsnceship, and finally lead
the lambs into the tigers lair, are Won
derfIl study in themselves. An lnno-
cent stranger, a thousand miles or 30
avsv from home, is surprised aud tlckled
at being famiiarly slapped on the
shoulder, grasped by the hand and called
NV dear fellow" when he imagined he
was alone, with no one near 10 take an
interest in him. But not SO; he finds
not only an oily-!ongued individual, who
takes an interest in him, but he will take
sll the interest that has accumulated on
his best investments for the past year.
Two or three times month old bruin,
who was captured in the mountains and
chained in q park al the northern end OF
the town, is treated to q hive Of honey,
but in order to get the sweets he must
f~ht for them, and the business end OF
bee is very active when protecting its
winter stores, Chicken mains to-, are OF
frequent occurrence, aud money changes
hands on ell these occasions.
One good feature of this place, and
one. too that might be Initiated with ad-
vantage in other cities, is the working OF
Lrsnps, Migrants, thieves and drunkards
uRsbie TO paw fines, on the public high
WAYS. The Jail here is a novel instltu-
ton, patent applied for, and consists OF
small log hut two stories high. AS there
are no windows or doors on the ground
floor, YOU are obliged to ascend steps to
csin entrance. The second floor Is only
a gallery running around the interior OF
the building, and giving view Of the
lower portion OF the house, and into this
lower portion the prisoner is led By
means of ladder; the ladder Is pulled
up ard there you have him, with the sat-
istac,ion of knowing that you have
economical on lock and key.
Gen. Kelly, of West Virginia, and SUI
perintcndent of the government proper
ty, has done much TO benefit this place.
GTpon his arrival here he removed from
about the Immediate neighborhood OF the
springs, the pauper sQustters, tramps and
all the bad class of men who had settled
there. much TO the annoyance OF the
townspeople and visitors. Those who
were worthy and deserving sympathy
and support, he furnished with lodgings
as hest he could under the circumstances.
He accomplished this change for the
most part by persuasion and kindness;
hit was obliged to use stern commaLo,
and threatened bayonet expulsion with
the rougher element. This class OF the
population has been established IN tents,
loo cabins, plank shsnties, etc, on the
outskirts OF Hot Springs City, and the
pIaceis called Kellytown, after the Cen
ersl. The hotels and private citizens
contribute TO their support the scraps
from their tables; the visitors money,
their bathing blankets and clothes, and
the poIIticisns, about election time, look
sympathetic, open their purses and say
poor fellows )" for most of these invaiids
are voters.
There is one thing that the visitors
hero do not like, and that Is the suooIlug
encounters that occur in the streets or the
town; and although they have not been
as frequent Of late AS in former years,
they still occasionally happen, and with
the previous bad reputation OF the town
IN that respect they alarm the peAce-loT-
ing visitors, and do much to keep away
those that would otherwise come here.
But few days since fight occurred
between two policemen, IN which one
was shot and the other considerably Gu:
nm with knife. and had it not been
stopeed where it was, the firing would
have been resumed en- the street, width
er the shooting party pursued his intend
ed victim. The rough crowd seemed to
he only concerned as to whether the bull
At that struck one Of the men entered the
neck and came out Of the mouth or enter
al the mouth and csme out al the neck
an important question.
The docket for the present term OF the
Circuit Court, which is being held here
now. contains 463 common law, 100
Grimm al and l29 chsncery ca'es-s very
good showing.