The Russellville Democrat., 1882-09-07
JUTTySjUI'Vi JUUISI7I.
Its Minerals, Water. Soil, Pro-
 ductIons, Schools, Etc.
IcoNPlLEp BY N. ResE. l

This county is situated on the north side. of the Arkansas river, one hundred miles west from Little Rock and sixty y-cight east from Fort Smith, in the coal fields and iron regions of the Arkansas river valley--has an area of six hundred and sixty square miles, or 422,000 acres, and has Q population, according to last census, of II ,265.
 ITS SURFACE AND TOPOGRAPHY
 May be divided into three well devel- oped sections. lst. The Arkansas river bottom. 2d. The uplands or barrens. 3d. The mountains.
 The Arkansas river bottom lands extend along the river thirty miles with g varying width of one-fourth to two miles. The surface is level and some parts subject to overflow. The soil of this bottom consists of a rich alluvIal deposit, admixed with varying quantities of sand, supports heavy native growth of cottonwood, ash. elm, sweet and black gum, oak and pecan timber. The undergrowth consists principally of cane, sper- wood and pawpaw.
 The uplands, or "barren," as it is called, extends from the bottom land to the foot of several spurs of the Ozark Mountain, and have va rying width of ten to fifteen miles. The soil IS clayey, the surface rocks consist of arglllaccous slate and fer ruginous sandstone. The native growth of this section is black, white, red and post oaks, blackjack, nick ory, pine and sassafras, with the oaks largely predominating. The section is we'll watered by numerous small streams, and springs of fresh and chalybeate water abound.
 The mountain district embraces the tract of land lying north of the barrens, and forms the northern part of the county. It has a varying width of eight to twelve miles. The mountain slopes are broken into ab- rupt, rocky hills and narrow gorges, supporting growth of blackjack and other varieties of oak, pine, beech and sugar maple. The noun tain tops are level, having a clayey soil oyerlaid with thin stratum of light loan, and supports a good growth of several species of the oak, black walnut and cherry. The out cropping rocks are sandstone.
 RIVER AND CREEKS.
 The Arkansas river flows from west to east, making the south boundary line, giving about thirty five miles of river front to the coun- ty. The Big and Little Pineys flow from the north through the east part of the county, south to the river Big Piney being navigable for flat boats and rafts six to eight miles. Big Spadra creek flows from north through the middle part of the coun- ty, south to Arkansas river, near the Spadra coal mines. The Horsehead creek and branches also flow from north through the west part of the county to the river. Big Mulberry creek has it's source in the northern part of the county and flows south west through the northwest part of the county to Franklin county; thence to the Arkansas river.
 SPRINGS AND WELL WATER
 There arc in this county twenty five chalybeate springs, one white sulphur spring, and great number of fresh water springs, pure, cold and healthy water abound.
 CHARACTER OF SOIL.
 The soil of the river and creek bottoms is of various depth. In some localities stiff and waxy, in others generally mixed with sand enough to make it work easy and be very productive, and is capable, when we'll cultivated, of producing crops of every varlety-corn, from 60 to 100 bushels, cotton, from 400 to 600 pounds, lint; wheat, 16 to 2S bushels; oats, 40 to 75 bushels; rye, 20 to 40 bushels per acre; clover, red top, timothy, all the mIllets, from two to four tons per acre; potatoes, Irish and sweet, garden and other vegetables, etc., good enough to satisfy any one.
 On the ridges, uplands or barrens, the soil has dark red clay founda- tion, and is well adapted to hold fer tilizers when applied to it, and is capable of producing, when properly cultivated, remunerative crops of every variety. Corn, from 25 to 40 bushels; cotton, 250 to 400 pounds, lint; wheat 10 to 22 bushels; oats, 20 to 45 bushels; rye, 15 to 30 bush els per acre. Clover, red top, tim. othy and all the milets, good crops. Potatoes, garden and other vegeta- bles do we'll, and fruit of every vari- ety in abundance, and of quality that would attract attention any where, and especially so on the mountain land, where potatoes, wheat and fruit seems to excel other portions of the county.
 RAILROADS.
 The Little Rock and Fort Smith Railway runs Twenty-Five miles ] from east to west by Clarksville, through the south part of the county.
 SCHOOLS.
 There are forty common school districts in the county, in which schools are taupht a mart of aach