Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-14

according to the census of 1880, was
1892, and the vote cast that year was
269 for Dunn, Democrat, and IL for
johnson, Republican. But in 1882
Berry, Democratic candidate for Cow
ernor, received 524 votes. and Slack,
Republican, p votes. The increase
of population is such that the people
expect to poll eight hundred votes
at the next election. Since the
railroads were built immigrants
have been coming in quite rapidly.
1t is considered quite q boom for a
county in the back woods, that has
heretofore been so quiet and slow
going. Over twenty solid settlers
have located within three miles Of
Harrisburg in the last six months,
and many others in various parts of
the county. There is no special push
among the people here, and yet there
are no loafers. Harrisburg is not q
prohibition town, yet it seems to be a
temperate place, and the saloons do
sluggish sort of business. All kinds
of stock is in fine condition. Corn
looks remarkably well; cotton is rather
backward, but the stand is good 1t
is fine fruit country, or will be when
the people learn to look after this
crop as q source of profit. Most of
the county lies west of Crowley's
Ridge and is, therefore, exempt from
overflow and comparatively free from
malaria and chills. The county
abounds with fine springs and runs
ming water. Stock, as remarked be-
fore, can live all tne year round on the
range without feed, and there is little
or no stealing going on. The people,
as q rule, are honest, hospitable and
glad to see strangers, who may come
to locate or make investments.
What is the use of going to Texas,
fine country as that is, or TO New
Mexico, or Colorado. or Wyoming
Territory to start ranches when we
have such country right at our very
doors? Much of this land can be OBJ
tanned for only a song, though in the
nature of things this cannot long be
the case. The L'Anguille, a little river
which runs into the st. Francis,
abounds with fine fish, and in the
woods are to be found plenty of deer,
turkey and bear. This might indeed
be made paradise for the planter,
ranchmau, sportsman and country
gentleman, With rich soil, dense
forests, wide prairies, clear running
streams, a delightful climate, and
clever neighbors, and easy access to
markets and large cities, such as Mem
phis, New Orleans, Little Rock aud
st. Louis, what more could be de-
sired save the development Of natural
resources and gradual increase Of an
intelligent and thrifty population?
Many Northern people, including a
considerable German elemeni, have
moved in here since the railroads
were built and the tide has just set in.
The stave interest is big thing here.
At all the stations along the road
from Van Dale, eighteen miles below
Harrisburg, to Poplar Bluff, great
piles Of slaves are ready for shipment.
1t is estimated that there are 1000,
900 slaves OF the best quality on this
line ready to be shipped by rail to
Philadelphia, and from there, after be
ing dressed mostly sent to Europe. Mr..
j. s. Shaner and a sub contractor
under him, VIM. Barnhardt, are
doing a heavy business in this line.
They have at least fifty carloads ready
for shipment at Harrisburg. Their |
opinion is that the best accessible stave
timber in all this part of the State
will be exhausted in about two years
The best of all is in the bottoms west
of Crowley's Ridge, where very little |
of it can be reached. When the tim.
Der is all gone there will be crisis in |
the barrel business in this country |
and in Europe. But as the barrel is |
an indispensable adjunct of civiliza-
ton and OF politics, some other ma
terial will probably be substituted
paper, for instance, which has been
successfully used in the manufacture
of car wheels, boat keels and other
articles requiring great durability and
strength. A great deal of good tim
Der is necessarily wasted in getting
out slaves, as only the choice parts OF
tree that can be rived are used.
These men are getting out three
kinds Of slaves; first, the pipe sta We.
60 inches long with width of Al
inches and thickness of II inches;
second, the West India stave, Al
inches in length, d. inches wide and
an inch thick on the heart edge; aud
third, a common stave, 81 inches long,
Al wide, clear Of sap and II inches
thick. 1t is said to cost $50 per thou.
sand to lay these slaves down at
railroad station, and yet to be a very
profitable business. 1t has certainly
given employment to many people and
put a great deal of money in circula>
ton in Poinsett and various other
counties in Arkansaw. Mr.. Shaner,
who came here not long ago, expects
to get out million pipe slaves in the
first year. All these slaves are shipped
to johnson & Co.. Philadelphia, and
thence to Jamaica and to Europe
The stave men are very careful to buy
the timber from real owners, as there
is very stringent timber law in the
State under which suit for trespass is
brought either by owners of land or
by the State, or by both, in order to
make sure thing of it. So much fer
the stave trade, an important Industry
studied incidentally for the first time
during a brief stay at the capital Of
Poinsett county.
In looking over the books in Mr.
Godbey's Office Memphis man is sur
prised at the number Of Memphis PEG
pie who own lands in Poinsett. The
heirs Of the late Judge Harris, Hon.