Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-24
WATALULA, ARK.
Just q Year Old, and Yet q Popu-
lOus Village.
Some Interesting Facts About .
Rapidly Growing and
Beautiful Place.
.sp.cial oorrespondence pubIic Ledrer.

Special Correspondence Public Ledger.
WATALTLA. ARK , June q, 1872.
Watalula Who ever heard Of such |
placer What does it mean, any
how? These are questions which will |
very naturally present themselves to |
perhaps a majority of your readers.
To answer them is one of the main |
purposes Of this letter. One year ago |
there was no such place in all this
broad land as Watalula. Now there |
is town here, with streets, hotels,
stores, shops, stables, cottages, and a
daily communication with the outside |
world through the medium Of the |
United States mails. In addition,
there is here a park containing eleven |
acres, which is rapidly being made |
one of the most beautiful
spots on the American continent, with
its fountains, its rocky ferneries and
lovely flower beds. In this part
gushes up spring Of water clear as
crystal, compounded in natures
wonderful laboratory, somewhere in
the mysterious depths of the Ozark
range of mountains, which was evi
IDENTIFY designed for the healing of the
nations. Superadded to all these con-
siderations, Watalula is situated in
the midst Of region which abounds
in the most charming landscapes to be
found anywhere.
IT'S HISTORY.
Watalula was founded about one
year ago, and building operations were
commenced. but it was about the first
of August before the first house was
completed. That was a hotel, con-
tanning seventeen or eighteen rooms.
Previous to that date, however, several
small cottages had been built, and
we're occupied by families from the
eastern part of the State. Immediately
upon being opened, every room in the
hotel was taken by visitors. Store
houses and dwellings were hastily
reared, and before the early frosts had
tinged the wooded mountain slopes
with gorgeous tints of autumn, Wata
lula presented the appearance of a
busy, bustling village. Many came
and pitched their white tents in the
vicinity of the cool fountain of
mineral waters, and the place
presented very picturesque
effect. Late in the autumn a largely
signed petition was presented to the
postal authorities, and postofiice was
established, and mail communication
opened with Ozark, six miles south
from the new village.
ITS LOCATION.
The traveller, who may happen to
look northward from Ozark, will OBJ
serve a blue mountain peak, which
presents very nearly the appearance Of
an inverted bowl. That summit is
locally known as Mount Ephraim
said to be 1890 feet high, and distant
from Ozark ten miles. Between that
town and this mountain peak the land
rises gradually into succession
, of ridges for distance Of
about six miles, where the loftiest
ridge shapes gently into the elevated
valley of the White Oak Greek which
, sweeps around the eastern and south
, ern base of Mount Ephraim. This
valley, when it reaches the southern
, face Of the mountain, is said to be
between 800 and 900 feet above the
Arkansaw river at Ozark. The vale
, of the White Oak is one of the most
attractive in all this region of country,
far famed as it is, for beautiful
scenery. In it, and right under the
shadow Of Mount Ephraim stands the
rapidly growing village of Watalula, al
ready celebrated for it mineral springs,
The situation and surroundings OF
Watalula are surprisingly charming.
, The valley is sufficiently extensive for
the building of city of $4,000 inhab-
itants. The spring which has given
name to the place wells up at the
northern side OF the valley, from the
s base of a rocky ledge of wenty-fve
or thirty feet in hight. 1t affords a
considerable stream of water which
always remains at q temperature OF
,, fifty two degrees. Though heavily
charged with mineral salts, the pres
ence of a large amount of carbonlc
acid gas gives it most refreshing and
agreeable taste when taken from the
pipe at the spring Remarkable
results have followed the use
Of this water by persons afflicted
with dyspepsia, catarrh, urinary dis
eases, granulated sore eyes; complaints
familiar to females, neuralgia, rheu.
matism and general debility. 1t is
dead shot" for chills when drank hot.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Watalula is just going on a boom.
New houses are being reared almost
every week. There are at the pres
ent time probably about thirty houses
/ under way. Some of these will be
quite handsome cottages.
But what is of more Importance to
the future of Watalula is the action
of the Conferences of the Protestant
Methodist church in Arkansaw
and Louisiana in locating their
University at this place. The site
selected is in upper Watalula, on the
beautiful plateau above the springs,
some four hundred yards from the
brink Of the cliff. The building COM
mittee, at a recent meeting, resolved
to proceed at once to erect suitable
buildings to accommodate the school,
Fifteen thousand dollars will be OK
pended this year. The Rev. Mr.,
Prather has donated a tract of SIX
acres for campus.
There is already an excellent unde
nominatioual high school in the vii
r lage. Messrs. Randolph & Thompson
) are general merchants, and keep a
we'll stocked place and are already
/ doing an excellent business, There is
, n kleokano;th and q vuaOon ahon at thf