The Van Buren press., 1879-01-14
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
1 Brief Description of its Soil, Timber,
Minerals, ETC.. etc.
AND THE
Attractions offered to Immigrants.

ed on the extreme VI estRfn bpuNuaIN y
the State, adjoining the Cherokee Nation
and contains an area of about 362,oUl
acres, a good portion@of which is river
and creek bottom lands There is in The
County nearly 10000 acres subject to
homestead or other entry, and about 10
600 acres of Railroad Lands, which arc
now in the market, asd offered at from
81 to 81, 90 per acre, according to quail
ty Other unimproyed lands can bc
bought at from 50, 80 to Sl2,00 per acre
and lands partly improved at from 81 to
to Sl5,0o, per acre,
The Lands of Crawford County are,
the larger part of them, exceedingly fer
tile, and the greater pant Of them suscept-
| ihle of cultivation. There are, within its
limits, more alluyial lands than most, il
not all the other western counties. Well
watered, good timber, and capable Of
supporting a dense population. The
present population is estimated at $4,000.
Schools and Churches abound in all parts
of the county, there being forty light
School Districts in the county, in which
free schools ire taught from three to ten
months in the year
There are in the county eight Steam
Flourin2 Mills, two Wool carding ma
chimes, and large number of Steam
Cotton, Gins, dc, &e., as well rs other
machinery.
Cotton, Corn, Wheat, Oats, Tobacco,
Grasses, Grapes, etc. all do well, turning
off large crops.
Fruits Of all kinds Apples, Pears,
Peaches, Grapes, etc, are not cXcelled
anywhere, and in this connection we may
state, that at the Arkansas State Fair,
held at Little Rock last Fall. the first and
second premiums were awarded Crawford
County for the best and largest display
of Apples exhibited the eontesting eX-
hibits being large and numerous. In
short, the agricultural products Of our
fertile lands will vie in richness and quail
ty with those of the most favored locali-
ty in the Union
The Little Rock and Fort Smith Rail
way, runs through the entire breadth Of
the county from east to west. And the
Arkansas River, which is napigable the
greater part of the year, runs along the
entire length of its southern boundary,
thus giving to the citizens of the county
ample shipping facilities, and such as are
not enjoyed by many Of her sister coun-
ties
The description of Crawford County,
which we publish below, is taken from 4
report made from an actual reconnois-
sance by Messrs. }. NJ. Washbourne and
J. II. Haney, to the l.. L. d T. S. Rail
way, in 1857, Since that time there has
been of course, vast improvements made
in the condition of the county, in most
all respects:
"Very little pine is found in this County
but in the adjoining Cherokee Country. com
mencing nine miles north of westward from
Van Buren,, is one of the greatest pinerios
north of the Arkansas River. 1t will hereaf.
ter, be very valuable to your Road The up
lands in the eastern section f this county,
generally, are level and fertile rich in grass
es, vines, grape, and underground. Springs
are common in parts and water obtained with
readiness by digging. These lands are un
derlaid by terrugnous shaes and clays, and
where unproductive, can be made SO 10y ma
tera existing there or in the hills. One OF
the finest tracts of bottom land begins in the
city of Van Buren,, and runs down the river.
past the mouth of Frog Bayou or Clear Creek
to the mouth of Mulberry. The greater part
is high. dry, richly timbered with luNuriant
growth of vine, shrub and grass; well-wa-
tered, and as productive as amy land on the
Arkansas
Shales are everywhere exposed. even in the
city in several places Coal, or coal indiccs
are found all over the county, but the coal. as
a rule, is not as thick as it is in Franklin. On
Frog Bayou a considerable tributary to the
Arkansas, at Phillips bank, 5. IS, I ., Il. 30
coal has been dug for thirty five years, said
by smiths, who have worked it, to be the best
coal in the region; it is three feet thick, and
easy to quarry; it extends quite a distance
along this Bayou, and is a part of the Arkan-
sas coal field. This stream has long been fa-
med for its fine, wide. high and eli lands a
few small prares skirt it with excellent
grasses and herbs
On Flat Rock, stream eastward from Van
Buren, two miles, shale is exposed, and coal
has been found. The uplands, along this
stream. are fine for fruits grapes and berries.
This shale runs into Van Buren, and in the
well sunk tor the steam mill there. coal was
struck as, also. II very hard, blue, almost inn
penetrablc rock. Along this stream small
fragments of crystal--lS, also, on Il low ridge
on the land of f.. Scott, 5. 8. T. H. K. 81. and
along the hillside. near the Van Buren, steam
mll--are gathered. Limestone occurs at the
base of the bluff of fcrruginous st ndstonc,
above Van Buren; this bluff of sandstone
abuts on the river and yields fine building
stone; and on its height, which is a broad
table land, are some of the finest building
sites to be found in its picturesque vallcy-it
is tempting to the wealthy immigrant, Tht,
BLUM fronts, also, ON Lees Creek, at its con
uence with the Arkansas, and runs alongth
stream into the adjoining hills; the mouth o
| this stream is in ). IS, L, 9, Il. 30; opp6 sit
| the hlutl, across the creek, Is high Ia il
which lead was found many years ago it wa
/ probably drift. Fine springs gush out alon
| the valley of this stream, and its many aillu
ents; iron oXydeS and carbonate are con
mon everywhere, and the carhonaF is eNcec
dinghy heavy; indeed the absence of iron
the exception in this valley. ,hc water /
| this region is very good. ane. the strihg
about and near Van Buren, are accounte
the best in the country. The water is col
and sweet. These streams will all suppl
mills; and the county grows excellcr
wheat. The corn, cotton, cereals, grasses, =,
peciallv blue-which takes hold OF the sol
and spreads rapidly and close tas it does IN
deed in other parts of the valley l-clover an
fruits are all grown here in great perfcctio
and quantity TO the acre. Fruits, especiall,
have been so thoroughly tested and Cultival
ed by DR.. Il. Thursto,i, near Van Buren. tn,
it is now demonstrated that the Arkansas wi
produce NUT equal to any other valley in til
world
The Valley of Lees Greek contains exec
lent land, both bottom and high lands the,
last are for the most part, broken. rough an
rocky The Valley of Lees Creek, with il
tributaries, Is probably wider than that
. any othpr fri ibutaly rlInuiuu in IN tLn rls, r