The Van Buren press., 1879-08-23
Vol. 17.---NO. 20
ITEMS OF INFORMATION In
REGARD TO ARKANSAS.
July 18th, 1Sfo-Admitted
aState into the Union, S36.

| The state of Arkanras embraces an
area of about 52,l9S square miles, OF
SO, ,40G, 1913 acres Of territory, and lies
between latitude 33 and 36 80 north, and
Ion gitude Is and l3 80 west from Wash
ington, or 90 and 65 "a west from Green
wch.
| 1t is one Of the northern tier OF states,
in the great cotton belt Of the United
States, and the yield OF the tleecy staple,
per acre, will verage as much as any
state in the Union, Texas alone except
ed. Wheat, corn, rye, oats, the grasses,
potatoes and tobacco, grow to great
degree of perfection, and are profitable
crop. Fruit can be grown in abundance.
The peach and the small fruits are nov
receiving considerable attention, and are
yielding rich remuneration to those
who have turned their attention in this
direction.
There are seventy six counties in the
state, and some eighty odd newspapers.
There are Goa post offices in the state.
The state has public school houses in
every county, the valuation amounting
to upward Of S200.000. The public
school.taxes, in 1877, amounted to
S22G000. There are SIG teachers en-
ploycd in the public free schools. The
school population of the state, between
the ages of and q, is 1864 white
and AZ, ,4l6 colored.
The population, according to the cen.
sus of 1870, was Asa, 2S4. The vote for
governor, in 1878, was sS.733. 1t is be-
Iieved the population, in 1880, will be
900. 600
Politically, the state is democratic.
Her legislature consists OF 30 senators,
and 1872 represen talives--l Of the scla-
tors and of the representatives in tho
legislature were republican. We are rep
rctented in the congress of the United
States by 2 senators and representa-
tives, oil democratic.
About three million acres Of state
lands are subject TO donation or pur-
chase. Any adult citizen of the United
States, male or female, may obtain do
nation, not to exceed l50 acres, to each
applicant, by making application to the
commissioner of state lands, and paying
fee of So The conditions on which
thes lands are donated are that the donee
shall, within Is months from the date Of
the application, prepare acres for culti-
yation, ten acres within the IL months
above specified.
These lands are also subject to abso-
lutte sale, at fifty cents per acre, payable
in state and county scrips, which scrip
can often be purchased al cost of sey.
enty five cents on the dollar. Persons
are not restricted TO the number Of acres
purchased.
There arc over 1000, ,o00-say I,024,-
500 acres Of unconfrmed lands in the
state, subject to pre-emption by actual
tettlers.
Within the past two years So, ,473 acres
of land have been taken by actual set
tiers.
The Little Rock d Fort Smith railroad
company has over 1000, 900 acres Of
land for sale at from 50 to s12 per acre,
or an average, perhaps of S4 per acre.
They give long time for making payment
two, -four or six years. The lands Of
she Company lie in the Arkansas river
valley, on both sides Of the river, in Pu-
laski, Faulkner, Conway, Perry, Pope,
Yell, Franklin, Logan, Scott, Crawford.
and Sebastian counties, and embrace
some of the finest lands in the valley.
The Fort Smith road up to March 1st,
this season, transported from along the
line of its road 81 ,155 bales OF cotton,
( the product of the counties through the
! which the road runs.
The state has 3,997 miles Of naygable
water conrses, regularly traversed by
steamboats,. Within the state there are
eigh. railroads. having 800 81 miles of
road completed and in operation, to- wit:
St. Louis, Iron Mountain d Southern,
from Moark to Texarkana, 303,50;
Memphis & Little Rock, from Hopeield
to Argenta, 1873 90; Little Rock and Ft.
Smith, from Argenta TO Fort Smith,
l65 or Little Rock, Mississippi River
and Texas road, from Pine Bluff to Col.
lins, 5000; Arkansas Central, from Hell.
ena to Clarendon, 5000; Hot Springs
road, from Malvern to Hot Springs, "a.
Searcy Branch, Searcy to West Point,
1000; Cotton Plant and Brinkley, 1900.
Total number of miles, S0057
The public school system of the state
is in q more prosperous condition than
at any previous time. New districts are
being formed in all the counties, and
real genuine interest is being manifest in
the cause. Every newspaper in the state
is an earnest advocate of good public
schools.
The crop prospect for the presen,
year is reported good all over the entire
Estate.
4 Honest, Industrious immigrants who
may come from any quarter of the Union
of whatever national. religious or po-
litical complexion they may be, will be
heartily welcomed,
Oepital that is invested in lands or in
manufacturing interests and enterprises,
in our state, will pay three or four times
as much yrogt as it would, if it were in.
vested in twenty per cent. bonds Rus
sellyille Democrat.
A single wedge of pie was left over
from dinner When Georges mother
went to The pantry al hour later, that