The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1888-11-17
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT.
The Vast and Varied Resources Of Arkan-
sas and her Wonderful Progress.

The Vast and Varied Resources of Arkan-
sas and her Wonderful Progress.
Prof. w. s. Thomas who is repre-
senting Arkansas at the exposition, is
exceedingly pleased with the success
of the exhibit he has made there in the
interest of the state, says the Post
Dispatch. He says 1t has attracted
more attention at the St. Louis expos
ition than at anywhere the display has
been made, and there has been more
inquiries from home seekers than he
has ever had before. Prof. Thomas
can hold out some very strong induce
ments to people who wish to go to
Arkansas, for the resources of that
great state are boundless. 1t is
located very near the center of popu-
lation of the United States. The CEN
ter has moved from Ohio to the east
ern part of Kentucky, and continuing
its course will soon be in Arkansas.
The altitude Of the state gives 1t q
range of 10 degrees in latitude, which
accounts for the endless variety of its
products. 1t grows every species of
hickory that is found upon this CONT
nent, and the finest specimen of white
oak in the New York Museum of
Natural History comes from Arkan-
sas. 1t has shipped from one point
100000 feet of hard wood timber this
year, and all of 1t went to foreign
ports. 1t has more miles OF navigable
water in its boundaries than any state
in the union, making nearly every
portion of the state accessible to navi.
cation. Innumerable railroads cross
these rivers at every point, 80 that it
Is easy to transport the timber and
agricultural products to market. Its
mineral resources are wonderful. 1t
has coal of three varieties-semi-a an
thracite, bituminous and lignite-and
they are all found in large quantities
and lying close to the metallic mineral
deposits, which renders the reduction
of the metals extraordinarily cheap.
The metallic minerals of the state form
one Of her principal resources. She has
manganese, iron, zinc, antimony, lead,
etc., in large quantities and easy OF
access. Of the non-metalic minerals she
has great varieties of marble in enor-
nous quantities, and such variety OF
clays Tor ceramic uses as no other state
possesses. Within her borders art
found great deposits Of soapstone OF
seattle, which Is found nowhere else
in the Mississippi valley, and it has
haNnunA IF orrook ALMA {v1x hn nv<o
The range OF 10 degrees of latitude
which its altitude gives it, shows it,
beneficial effect in the variety of it,
agricultural products. In Arkansas
are grown the sugar and rice of Louis
lana, the corn, wheat and other cereals
Of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin; the
buck-wheat and barley of the extreme
northern part of the continent, and al
equal in quality to the products Of
any other state, and In quantity PEI
acre excelling any other part Of the
union. The state Is prolific in fruits
Of the finer varieties, and its apples
peaches, pears, grapes, and other fruits
are unexcelled. 1t may not be known
yet 1t IL fact, that Arkansas took the
premium for red wine at the exposi.
tion of Vienna, and its apples have
excited the admiration of horticultur.
lists the world over.
But not the least important advan-
tage which the state possesses L. her
educational system. Free schools am
taught In every neighborhood, village
town and city in the state. There an
$50 school houses In the state, S,70C
teachers, and about 500, 900 pupils, and
during the year ending June 80, 1886
the state expended 5000, 900 for edu.
cational purposes. There IL . strange
and interesting fact shown by the edu.
cational statistics Of Little Rock. and
1t IL that there IL not one solitary
point In this city, on which the Fed.
ersl forces erected fort during the
war, which does not now hold q school.
house where the children of the city
are educated.