Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-03-24
FROM ARKANSAS.

Special Correspondence Independent.
Hot SPRINGS, March IS, 1883.
The weather here for the past
two weeks has been mild and
pleasant. People are making gar.
den, and during the day the sun
Is quite hot enough 10 make one
hunt the shady side of the street.
But notwithstanding residents In
form US that the present season Is
the most backw they have ex-
perienced for years. Still bird and
bee and blossom proclaim that
Spring time has come gentle
Annie,' in this section of the
country. The OZARK Mountains
divide the State OF Arkansas into
two unequal parts, ana a remark
able phenomenon consists ia the
part that this division extends to
the climate as we'll as to the su-
perflcial area. On the northern
side are the climate and vegeta-
ton Of the Northern States, while
on the Southern slopes are the
semi-tropical productions and eli
mate of Mississippi and Louisiana.
A great deal of cotton is raised
In this (Garland) county-ln fact,
it is one of the principal products.
The crop of the county Is just now
being brought into market, in Hot
Springs, and almost daily you can
see wagons from the country COM
ing into town, loaded with from
one to three bales of the product,
which Is bought by the commits
sion men here for shipment to st.
Louis.
The ice used here is all manu-
featured. A manufactory IL Local
ted about a mile from town, and
the ice is made from pure spring
water, and is clear and nice. ills
frozen i'm bars about two feet In
length, and from three to four in
ches In thickness, and about a foot
wide. !: has all the appearance
and solidity Of natural ice, but
does not last as long when put In.
to the water.
One need not want a better
thing than to own two or three
business houses here. The rents
would soon make him rich.
Rooms rent from 500 to 5000 per
month, and the entire buildings
did not cost over $500 or 5000 to-
erect them. Most of them are
small frame structures, without
foundations, but set on poles or
tiles, five or six feet above the
surface Of the ground. They were
erected when the titles Of the
ground were in dispute, and Of
course, put up as cheaply as posi-
BILE, because there was no telling
who would come into possession.
Since the titles have been settled,
the buildings now going up are Of
a much better and more substan-
tial class.
The Grand Lodge of Knights Of
Pythias Of this State will meet
here sometime this month, and
the State Press Association OF Ar
kansas, some time in May, so you
see the town is fast assuming
prominence and will soon be q RI
val OF Little Rock.
The Washite river-ila size and
swiftness of current, about like the
Potomac-is about Ave miles dis
tent from Hot Springs, and
abounds in fish of various kinds,
esps cially the black bass. The
bass fishing season is already
opened here, and parties 60 out
every pretty day, and generally
return with good strings OF bass,
come of them weighing from three
to four pounds. The bait used Is
generally the live minnow, but l
learn that they rise nicely to the
fly l have not been out to the
river yet, but expect to spend q
day out there before / leave here.
Senator Camden, OF West Vir-
ginia, arrived here Tuesday eve
ming. the 18th inst, and met with
q fiattcring reception by the people
of Hot Springs. A large cOncOurse
of citizens met him at the depot
and the Hot Springs C0rnet Band
escorted him from the depot to his
hotel. This unexpected Grafton
was rendered him on account OF
his favoring legislation favorable
to Hot Springs.
The market here is now suppli-
ed with new cucumbers, green
peas, radishes, onions, lettuce, DC.
Butter 10 worth % cents; eggs Is
cents per dozen ; potatoes, New
York Early Rose for seed, 81 per
bushel green apples 81 per BUSH
al T.,