The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-01-12

THE FAR SOUTHWEST
Observations Along the Iron Mountain
Railroad-A Glimpse at tho City of Little
Rock-A nayelouinr Cpuntrv

railroad 1Or leNaS, the scenes presented
from the time he leaves the heart ofthe city
from the union de pot, passing through its
suberbs and along the banks of the MisssSip.
pl are every moment suggestive of the vast
varieties OF tribute paid by numberless
| great natural resources and valuable in
dustries to advance its growth and add to
| its wealth,
OF course, the leading interest in the i'm
| mense array Immediately in the vicinity of
the city is that OF iron, as met with from
| the time ii is delivered IN the condition of
crude ore to the later period wDen in the
shape OF rails and machinery and other ar
| ticles in numberless valuable forms besides,
! it takes new departure for all portions of
the land, and especially to the great west.
And when, as the cars proceed south, long
trains loaded with cotton from the warmer
and richer agricultural territory greet the
eye, IT is further suggestive of how large a
section OF the country looks to st. Louis as
the most available market for the agricul-
tural staples OF the land.
Continuing along the banks ofthe Mssis.
sippi, otner pictures are presented, other
/ evidences of the character of the city as a
leading mart for trade and commerce, in
the long lines OF river steamers that dot its
shores. Fleets which commend themselves
at a glance as powerful agency for iurth-
ering the pursuits of commerce are sugges-
| tive by their numbers, even in winter, of
the immense values borne TO the city from
| the whole valley of the Mississippi whilst
furnaces, rolling mills, zinc factories. etc,
in infinite variety, are seen at almost every
turn OF the road as the cars pass swiftly on
ward.
And aside from the grain, thelive stock of
various kinds, comprising all that the rich
plains TO the southwest present from one
day to another. What is thus hurriedy
presented to view offers but a fraction of
the great traffic so abundant now, and even
more so at other seasons of the year. And
even when finally clear of the city, the sug'
gestion ofinlinite business enterprise does
not cease until one reaches the Iron noun
tains, eighty-one miles distant, yet scat
tered along the road are constantly re-
curing evidences of the abounding min.
eral resources which go to help the
city in its race for greatness. Although
for that distance the country, upon
an agricultural estimate and outlook, is
not very attractive, yet corn and small
| grain flourish, whilst the live stock on all
sides shows that the food product is no
trliling feature in the amount contributed
to make available the iron or lead product
OF the country adjoining.
/ Emerging from the succession of small
| IL,
the road leads INTO the broader valley, in
which the central object is the celebrated
Iron mountain, and the many neat and
pretty dwellings and substantial business
structures around demonstrate at glance
that the iron dug out of these unpromising-
looking hills returns TO the digger gold, Tor
it is notorious that these busy mining
towns are, Us general thing, exceptionally
favored with plenty of currant coin. that
which sets in motion all the springs of in.
dustry and furnishes in abundance the COM
forts of life,
A little beyond the Iron mountain is
Pilot Knob, another rich mineral protuber-
ance, the slope of which is traversed by an
inclined railroad for delivery of the ore to
the trains below, which are to bear II to the
great city and smelling process; whilst
large number OF comfortable tenements for
the many operatives indicate that capital
is abundant to handle the great masses OF
ore.
Proceeding mile or two farther, We find
| ourselves i'll the pretty and rich VALLEY of
Arcadia, having a beauty of its own, and
an advanced civilization such as the famed
vale" of Greece could never pretend to,
with all its real or ideal beauty as made the
most OF by It's ancient romanCes or Its ad-
mirers from other lands. And here l,od
dinner serves as reminder that the home
institution has the advantage for the tray
eIer, over the vale across the sea; and this
according to the experience of college en-
thusiast in the localities of ancient Greece
Tired with q days rambling there, and com.
PEELED at night to test the inequalities OF
that vale II Arcadia, the tourist was Lot as
successful as the large party who dned sat.
isiactorily to-day, the Grecian hostess, &C
cording to the college professor, having
grievously toned down his enthusiasm BY
turning her baby out of its cradle, that she
might appropriate ii to make up her bread
for the visitors" No damper of the kind
toned down the admiration eyinced for the
pretty spot, spangled with neat fields,
: orchards and nice dwellings, their inmates
more favored with real comforts than were
the ancient shepherds" of the iar-away
"vale, or even the kings and mobiles OF the
ancient world.
Leaving the favored spot, and proceeding
rapidly onward, We behold other evidences
OF Industry and resultant Thrift, even when
the valuable iron ores cease to present
themselves ms stimulus to capital and in.
dustry. Where they cannot dig ores, an
industrious people are found turning to the
forests for their gains; and 80 all along the
road We. see at almost every station ample
mills, which, operating on the abund.
ant yellow pine, oak or cedar, again load
trains OF cars to make business and con.
tribute to tho advancement Of the outside
world.
Much OF the region passed through Is
quietly and beautifully picturesque, the
pretty valleys being generally treversed by
swifly.running and clear streams; the
fields alive with sheep, horses and cattle,
telling OF thrifty farming country, where
comfort abounds, even il there are no great
staples to give people start toward sudden
az all lao 1.
st, Louis there is n freshness IN the shape
of new dwellings, stores, mills, etc, which
tell of busy and progressive communities.
Churches ana school.houscs, too, are pleas.
ing features OF these landscapes, the trav.
eler being pleased and surprised at eyi.
dcnces of Improvement IN numberless
forms. Proceeding south and q little west.
wardly still, we gradually came to a more
level and heavily timbered region,
and good farming countrS for corn
and small grain aud stock; whilst saw.
points like Mill Spring, Williamsyille, etc,
tell OF n general and steady industry, car.
ried on and based upon the ample supplies
of pine, oak, yellow pine and cedar along
the line of the road. Poplar Buil is q
market point on Black river, q fine, clear
stream; and continuing onward some 40
miles from our starting point, we at length
strike the cotton country, which continues
thence to the gulf coast. Cotton fields,
with great deal of the crops still unpckcd,
are now within almost constant view, corn
aud cotton appearing to divide the attention
of the farmers, whilst gin.houses aud the
old and popular wooden screw press of the
plantation are oi(en within sight. Another
feature of the advance made within no
long period OF time is seen Ia the storage Of
cotton seed at the stations. This article,
about q quarter Of century ago, was SO
much In the way as on many plantations
to be dumped, for convenience sake,
into the nearest stream, when
not hauled out to enrich the soil At
present, cpmmanding as much as $40 per
ton, and the product one of the most va n.
able oils IN the market, Il has Of course be.
come another great factor for the enrich. !