Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-24
EN- ROUTE TO KANSAS CITY.
A Very Prosperous Country and Many
Thriyine, Growing Towns.

Special Correspondence Of the Appeal
KANSAS CITY, Mo, October 22.-Sup-
posing that few facts in regard tn the
new railroad connecting Memphis and
Kansas City may be of interest to your
readers, have kept some notes. of hur-
ried trip over that road. On last Wednes-
day was informed that by going ria For
rest City and Netlleton | could reich the
Kansas City road and come through in
good time. Leaging by the Memphis and
Little Rock road on Thursday morning at )
o'clock l reached Forrest City in time for
breakfast. At this point it was necessary
to wait till ! o'clock pm. for the train
going north on the knobel branch OF the
Iron Mountain road, on which proceeded
to Nettleton. At Forrest City ] met sew
eral former Memphians-Mr. Fussell, Mr..
2. ID. Boyle, Mr.. Gabe Klein, now OF Lit
| tie Rock, and several travelling statesmen.
| While the fruit crop of the South generally
| is failure, ] saw at this place several OF the
| finest apples that ever came to my notice.
| They grew in q garden at Forrest City,
which Is growing, prosperous country
| town, with well-built business houses, and
was in session there, and all but the liti-
! gants were puzzled about mule, but each
/ of these was sure the mule was his prop
! erty. So much had been said about Net
| Teton, the point at which the Kansas CITY
| crosses the Iron Mountain road. that | eX-
/ pected to find lively little town. Imagine
my surprise when abuutS 5 o'clock at night,
! the train arrived there, and the brakeman
called twenty minutes for supper" and
we all turned out, and saw a lamp on a
| post and lights in one large room, in which
! there were two long tables for white folks,
one short one for negroes, and three beds.
| About POO yards north was the station. and
near it a saloon. These three houses con
! stitute Nettleton. But the eatinshouse is
| being added to with new front, one room
/ deep and three rooms long. Mr.. james
| Gilbert, good-natured old gentleman,
runs the eatinghOuse.
Starting from Ncttleton west the first
! town arrived at is JonesborQ three and
one-half miles distant. This Is an old
| town, which all the drummers were look
! ing to for business. The next town reached
was Hoxie, where the old Iron Mountain
road crosses the Kansas City. \ few miles
/ further on we crossed Black river at n
point called Black Rock At this point
| heavy rock is struck and fine farming
country is entered Evidences Of prosper
| ity and business activity ale abundant
| about tue station, and thought at once
that Memphis might soon be hauling pay
| ing rock from that point. y little further
on and the road strikes Spring river. Il lit
| tie stream of clear water running from
Mammoth Spring, located near tie Arlan-
sas and Missouri line. Rock .,bounds all
along this so-calied river. The road-bed is
a good one, well ballasted and smooth.
| The country is slightly broken, but all the
valley land near the river is il rultiva-
ton and has produced what may, under
| the disadvantages OF this year, be called
| good crops Mammoth Spring is near the
| Arkansas line, and one mile west of it is
Spring City, in Missouri. Two miles fur,
ther oil Is Augusta, Mo- This is Il grow
ing young town, where railroad shops are
to be located. There are a number of
| growing little stations between Augusta
and Springfield. At Cabool two illici; dis
tillers were brought nhoard Al Mountain
Station Ed Moon, Tom Graham and an
other Memphian came aboard, bound for
| Springfield. 1t may be said that all this
country from Iloxie to Springfield
is fair agricultural Land, amt many
OF the little towns are growing
rapidly. Good horses and cattle were
seen at many points. Magnificent scenery
is found in the mountains few miles from
| Springfield. \ horseshoe curve these IS
very much like that on the Pennsylvania
road, though the ghOunjains are rot 50
high. From Springfield 10 Fort Scott
there are many good farms and thriving
stations. Coal miners near Fcy, Scott
think they can place coSl "a Memphis at a
lower figure .nan il is now bringing
From foI7 Scott 10 Kansas City is some oi
| the finest grain growing land in the world
Magnificent farms, the HOUSES are large
and fine, stretch back for miles from the
road, and the scenes compares iavorably
with the richest regions in Illinois or any
other grain-gTowing state. Fine horses
and cows are at every home, and the sur
roundings indicate the highest degree. q
prosperity. Corn, wheat and llGc grass
are the leading produces, and are raised In
great s.uantities. This road will prove ont
OF the best Tor Memphis. The people
along the route, when speaking ai oul
citv, manifested a desire IL learn all they
could about I, ana seemed pleased thai
kansas City win get great share OF ou
trade. ".