The Russellville Democrat., 1879-08-28
- v AN IMPORTANT MATTER.

AN IMPORTANT MATTER.
 We invite the attention of the citizens of our town to the communication from Mayor Evans, ill relation to turnpike road from Harrison, Boone county. We would also like to have the business men of Little Rock, and the managers of the Little Rock and Fort Smith rail- road, give this matter an earnest, se- rious consideration. We have tried res peatedly to impress the importance of this matter upon the people of our town, and also to show the Little Rock, and and the Fort Smith railroad people that IT WILL PAY THEM to take stock in the enterprise. We have thus far been un- ble to awaken any interest in the mat ter, but the importance of the enter prise stimulates us to continue our efforts. We have never before seen wide-awake business men so deliberate ly and so consistently shut their eyes to their own interests as have the business men of our town, of Little Rock and of the Fort Smith road done in this mat ter. To turn the trade of Boone, Scar cy and Newton counties this way would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to us. The people of those counties have been wanting to quit Springfield and do their trading at home for years. They have plead and implored us on this side of the noun tain for years to aid .hem in making q road from Harrison to some point on the Fort Smith road. Their over lures have fallen upon deaf ears and nothing has been done. They still plead with US to do our share toward the enter prise. Will not it pay us to take hold of this matter and exhibit little busi ness sense by meeting the oYertures of that rich section of country as sensible business men should do.
 The outlay required, it is thought, by those who ought to know, would not be very great. The benefit we would reap would be big thing. Who will put the ball in motion? Let ns hear from those interested,
 RussELLvILLE, ARK, Aug. 23, 1879.
 EDITOR DEMOCRAT: The necessity of an appropriation by the legislature to build a turnpike road from here or some other point on the l.. k. & F. s. R. w., to Harrison, Boone county, has more than once been urged through the columns of your paper. The people of Boone county; also; through their Representative to the legislature (Mr. Weaver) two years ago endeavored to get some assistance toward building the above mentioned road and, although they have failed to get any assistance, and little encourage ment, they are still very anxious for, and ready to assist in building the road.
 I am satisfied after trip of severa weeks through Newton, Searcy and Boone counties, that not only our citi- zens and the merchants of our town, but also the L. K. S F. s. R. W. Co. and the merchants of Little Rock, are certainly ignorant of the vast amount of trade, freights, and especially the large amount of cotton which they are, by their negligence and inactivity, per hitting to pass out of their very grasp, to another market,-to another State and be transported over other railroads to St. Louis.
 The shipments from Springfield of North Arkansas produce is very neavy, and there is but one barrier that can keep these shipments from us: that is the want of a good road from Harrison to this K. R.; and the expense to build this road is certainly insignificant when compared with the advantages that would accrue to us from 1t.
 Harrison, the County Seat of Boone county is only sixty-eight miles on an air line from Russellville, and from the best information l coulS obtain from the old citizens of Boone county, good road can be gotten connecting these two points at not exceeding eighty-five miles; while Springfield, Mo-, their present shipping point, is over a hun dred miles. Weare, then, from twenty to twenty-five miles nearer to Harrison than their present shipping point, while Marion, Newton, Searcy, and large portion of Boone county, are still nearer to us; all of which would gladly avail themselves of the projected road. And moreover they could find a fair market here for their bacon, lard, flour, potatoes, &c., &c., that they do not haul to Springfield at all.
 The shipments of cotton that this road would insure us, would also be from two to Ave thousand bales per annum. The shipments of live stock would also be considerable item to the R. R., ard the amount of goods shipped up this R. R. for these four counties would certainly be worth eX- pending a few hundred dollars to ob- tain. have been credItably informed that the North Arkansas trade with Springfield reaches the handsome sum of three to five hundred thousand dol lars annually. The Little Rock mer- chants could no doubt duplicate Spring field invoices, and secure this heavy trade which legitimately belongs to Arkansas.
 Let us by all means obtain the ser vices of civil engineer have the route surveyed and an estimate Of the proba- ble cost of the road then measures can be adopted to further the project. But we must make a move in that direction. This move cannot be made too soon. Shall we have this road, or will we still fold our arms and tighten our purse strings, while Springfield, Mo, gIows fat upon the abundant produc- tions of our border counties.
 s. N. E.
 The Greenvillc Miss. ] Advertiser says that a saloon keeper on the