Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-21
ARKANsAw LETTER.
The Charming Region Pene-
1Tated by the L. R. Il Fl.
\. R. r.
CLARKsvILLE. ARK.
DeceInher 2Qh- 1880

EVANSVILLE, ARK.
December 20th, 1882.
EDITOR LEDGER: Il is hoped that
few items picked up by rambler up
and down the Arkansaw valley will be
of some interest to the readers Of the
LEDGER.
Leaving Little Rock on the cars for
Ft. Smith the first towo OF any i'm.
portsnoe is Morrilton, fifty miles from
the Rock. Morrilton has been entirely
built up within the last seven years.
contains over two thousand inhabi.
tants, with many fine residences
business houses, churches, hotels and
schools, and is the most beautifully
located town in Arkansaw. The
country around is only tolerably rich
but has been settled up by
the most thrifty and enterprisir 2 class
of people, who seem determined to
make this part Of Arkansaw the gar
den of the West. Russellville, twenty.
FIVE mile. further up the road, is a
smaller place. though none the less
beautiful. A new enterprise for this
State has gone up at Russellyille in
the way Of fue brick cotton factory
which was but recently completed.
Ozark, one hundred and twenty five
miles from the capital, AID forty from
Fort Smith, is the most romantic and
picturesque mountain city in the
West, located on the railroad and
river, surrounded by pine clad hills
and blue mountains, from whose rug
ged sides the crystal and mineral
waters send forth their silvery streams
to make glad the hearts Of both man
and beast,
At Ozark | met Colonel j. A.
Dacus, the veteran journalist and
author, who once held place on some
OF the Memphis dailles. He is now
proprietor of the famous Wataluls
Springs, located near Ozark.
But Clarksvile is my present abid.
ing place, and is substantial and
prosperous town Of some thousand
inhabitants, the county seat of John.
son county, and the home Of Congress.
man Cravens, Circuit Court has been
10 session here for three weeks, with
the youthful aud newly elected Judge
Cunningham on the bench, who has
won the hearts of the people and the
respect Of the bar by his wise and
manly rulings.
This is a temperance country; no
saloons anywhere between Little
Rock and Fort Smith. The lawyers
are, as consequence, complaining of
a drouth in the criminal practice.
Colonel Joe Ward, Of this place, is
quite a curiosity. Having been blind
from his infancy, he early learned to
do without eyes, and went TO work as
a carpenter, tinker aud jeweler, ac-
quired considerable means, built a
large two-story brick store house
according to his own fancy, where he
now deals in dry goods, groceries and
notions, repairs all kinds of musical
instruments, and plays upon the piano
tor the Entertainment ofI
his customers. All of this
without any assistance or
clerks This entire valley is pene
trated by the Little Rock aud Fort
Smith railroad, and lies between the |
Magazine and Ozark mountains. The |
country is yet new, but is fast being |
settled by immigration, o great many |
Germans having settled here recently. |
The country is billy and broken, with |
fine, rich valleys between, where
cotton, corn and wheat are produced
in perfection. The hills are devoted |
to the culture OF fruit and stock rsis.
ing, which Is very profitable.
To day the streets of Clarksville
are crowded with wagons loaded with
apples, cotton and pork. After trav-
cling over number OF Southern
States pronounce this the best coun-
try far a nan with moderate means in
the whole land,
When the spirits of the iunumcra.
bic host Of gobblers shall warn VS. that |
the holidayq are oyer, then / may
write again. Yours,
John T. MATHEs.