The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-03
YESTERDAY, ODAl AND TOMORROW
Fort smith ~ n Was. ~ IL Is, aud as It
NIL Aln

YEsIERDAY, YANDTOMORHOw
Fort smith as n Was. ~ IL ", and ~ It
Nlii Ne,
In 1917 Fort Smith was military post,
and remained so until 1867. Its only bus
mess during this half century was tho
trade carried on with the red men Of the
Indian Territory, and about the only thing
il was noted Tor were the convictions OF
murdcrcr under the jurisdiction of the
United States Court, and the wholesale
hangngs that took place there. In 1850 it
hada population OF 5000, and today il is
claimed the number oi residents of tho
corporation reaches $4,000. This may DO
somewhat exaggerated, but certainly l5,-
600 souls live there. The number of
negroes, fortunately, does not exceed
100. This small proportion of the Afri-
can race Is n boon that all Southern cities
ycarn Tor and that few, II any OF them, can
boast Of.
II is not the purpose OF this article 10
boom or 10 unduly praise Fort Smith. To
simply tell the truth should satisfy tho
most enthusiastic Of her citizens. The
word "boom' is synonymous with "lic."
II Is an initiation, deception, u misrepro-
scntation. Something not founded on
facts. II il wind. II is gas. A dangerous
gas too. More dangerous sometimes TO
the commercial and industrial pro-
grcss oi "a city than escaping nat
ural gas is when carclcssly ingnited
in room 10y an unthinking person.
Rooms ARE explosive. In fact they arc
explosions They always "bust when
pressed too hard. To learn the bitter ex-
periencc OF the victims OF these dangerous
incidents OF u city's life. oEo needs only 10
recall los Angeles, Cal; Sheffield. Ala,
aud birmingham, Ala. II Is true that
birmingham Is great city today, but IL
would have been greater had II not have
been subject Ia "booms.' Lake BIrming-
ham, Fort Smith needs no booming"
Natural gas aud an absence Of u large.
negro population are no, lis only blcssiEgs.
Tho gas would be Of no particularly sirik-
ing advantage TO II were its surroundings
not as We find them. As il is, natural gas
will bn ~ valuable 10 that city rs IL is to
Pittsburg and ~ il could be 10 Birming.
ham, for within u hundred miles and at
much less distance are incxhaustiblc de-
pusils Oi iron, copper, lead and manganese
ores and an abundance Of coal. With
these rcsourcgs the great fuel can
bc utilized AMI open up markets ior the
productions oi the blast furnaces, the ROLE
ing-mill- and the factories Of Fort Smith
aud enable Il 10 compete with any city in
the county with ease, aud great ease.
Not only Ia thc ,icinaec oi this wonderful
little city are metals in great quantities,
bat the agricultural adipabi.ilics ol tho
sol IN Sebastian and adjoining counties
and la the great Indian Trrrlory * unsur-
passed. The Arkansas and Potcau Valleys
under cultivation would tccm with tllc
fruits of thu earth Tho fields aud orchards
today yield luNunant and magnificent
crops ol grain aud fruit as well ~ cotton.
The applcs and pears, and grapes aud
Strawberries, the wheat aud the oats, and
grasses aud vegetables, give the territory
the Just aud we'll deserved title that Boggy
johnson, who lived in those pau la "ye
oldcn time" gave it--thc garden spot OF
the world. 80 with all these resources,
the circle which has Tor IT, center Fort
Smith. would convince any man, without
any extra touches, that Fort Smith is
great place aud will be- greater.
Ia the building Oi city many natural
aud prccarious policies arc apt to be pur-
sued. When such resources ~ these bC-
come known to lhc world people are at-
traced. People who, not being satisfied
with cking out an existence which has
become dislastcful 10 them Ia the crowded
cities, will naturally turn 10 that place
which. In their opinion, oIcfs the greatest
Inducements II has been custom Of
some town builders, when they found
that they had resources which challenged
the attention Of capital and labor. 10 put
the prices ui their land, aud the rcnts Of
their houses beyond all reason aud just
ice. This does not help a growing
city. THIS IL boom. II keeps
ihO,c classes OF people who make a city
away. II IL not the wealthy mun who
makes q metropolis. Ear from Il. The
brst people to populate q town With arc tho
middle cand aliuring classes, the skilled me-
chanic ani ihc artisan These people make
comfortable liyings aud spend thcir earn
Ing. freely. They do not, as the rich
man, horde, but circulate money.
They mako money us'lul. They
spread H. without thom ihcrc would
bc mo- mouths to feed, aud
NO backs 10 cl0thc. They make the
world Without them no merchants
would hc necessary and no industry could
lo pursued They arc everything and
they work uut the schemes II civilization.
Of What benefit would c0ilandiro and cop
per and gold aud natural gs o., Il lho
hand oi man wasn't employed Ia develop
Ing ihrm2 The only answer ~ nppircnt--
NJ no benefit. Then " b. certain ihHt thcse
np' the people 30 induce 10 como
10 growing city. They nr attracted
by the natural RESOURCES and pot'ihItiiici
ui locality Now thc policy ipf ihe
buildcri ui q city to adopt j. 10 in.icr ils
class of people. build them coniortnbio
homes nnl chargc ihCm reasonable rents.
Real estate should not bc pa W. 20 fiiicu-
lously high figures, because the most pro-
grrs..,c aud best citizCnsaru those in mod
crate means. This is on important
point aud should be- ,ly looked after.
There seems to be- little disposition on tho
paft oi fud smith land owners 10 do this.
II the booming indications ol other
towns should prcscni iiacy, the leading
aud public.spiricd cilinns should crush
H. For by booming prices may reach
q point That could never again beatiaincd
This advice s well timed. because irom
the present prospect OF mpid and unim-
agnablo growth Il would b. the most So
ducil,c error to irll into. Watch it
Tnl ArrrAi j. glad oi ibis opportunity
10 record to tlc world fuller thau ANY other
paper has done tho new discovery oi nat
nril gas In tho border city OF
grand aud progressive state. Tho
Slate oi Arkansas lg not cXcullci ~ any
way by any State in the Union "a lar ~
natural resources gp. and with the snap
and gci.up.and-gUt that Is nov pruVailng,
immigration viii bl diverted lrom iio
cold and disagvcablo northwest 10 her
delightful cline. -,
T,,r Arrr,t heartily wishes Fort smith