Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1890-04-24
SLEEPY OLD ARKANSAW.
An Interesting Letter Dcscrip-
tive OF it's People and Their
Lazy Ways.
A Region Of Wonderful Re
sources Hampcrcd in it's DC
velopnlcnt by Could.
Hot Springs Rapidly Becoming
the Baden Baden of the
New World.


the Baden Baden of the
New World.
From mAmcrica's Great Winter Resort
HoT SPRINGS, Arkansaw, April To-
Especial correspondence The eternal
verities demand that the name of this
state be spelled and pronounced Arkan-
saw. The modern Arkansas has yet to
show evidence to acquit. "Arkansaw'
falls naturally from the lips, and either
here or abroad, smile over the delightful
simplicity and primitiveness of the con.
dition of everything accompanies the
name, with all right-minded, genuine
people.
1t is easy now to get to the Hot
Springs. From St. Louis the Iron
Mountain road runs Pullman sleepers to
the center of Hot Springs town. The
best train leaves St. Louis in the even-
ing, and the steamboat whistle on the
engine soon puts the occupant OF berth
to sleep under the misguided notion that
a waterway trip is being made down the
Mississippi. The next morning the
whole northern spell is broken. The
traveller has awakened in a new country
and the presence of civilization has near.
ly vanished. The road bed at this season
is but spinal column of rails and ties,
winding like long sea serpent through
a shallow sea. On either side is water
reaching far out into the quiet woods,
and the water only is disturbed by the
occasional heavy dashes of ram that STIR
it's surface to sympathetic receptivity.
As you roll and bump miscellaneously
along on the track, the real inwardness
Of Arkansaw grows upon the attention.
The stores and houses OF the little
stations, as we'll as everywhere in the
state, are raised foot or more above the
ground-to keep the floors dry and per-
NIT the hogs of the neighborhood unob-
structed access TO shade and society;als
to furnish a nursery for tleas and other
friendly insects. The cattle are diminu-
tive, hollow, black or spotted specters
that stalk sadly along or stand in the tall
woods, melancholy sacrifices to poverty
heredity, and flies. The stores or barter
establishments all have front porch and
three or four wooden chairs with straight
backs, left out over night. The chairs
are worn smooth with sltters, the frame
work strengthened by Stats nailed across
for the security Of the reliable occupant.
whose deep-contemplative presence is
always in touch with the peaceful seren-
ity of the place. This is the business
end of the Arkansaw country store and
the proprietor Is the first man to show
mp IN the front row. A saw mill at long
distances startles the air with buzz
startling because there is motion in it. Old
show bills adorn the sheds and decorate
the barns. A doctors little pen on the uni
versal stills has one end of the sign
board fallen down, making the sign point
toward the dripping skies, showing the
way where his patients can get the only
treatment that will ever do them any
good. The farms are occasional little
clearings in the timber. Arkansaw has
100000 acres of land and over $4,000, :
600 of it are in timber-now the most
valuable in the United States. The
clearings show evidences of corn or
cotton patch as crops. The corn stalks
left standing are skinned and polished
by the little COWS after the little ear has
been appropriated by the farmer" The
house belonging to the clearing is un-
painted, save harmonious brown,
natures pigment, put on by sun and
rain. If a vine creeps up and shades the
open door, it is Il gratuitous touch Of
dellcacy and color not native to the oc-
cupant. Once in while a negro's cabin
is whitewashed, showing an interest in
life not felt by the white man. AS the
train goes along the women and children
get in the open doorway. Generally this
entrance runs through the entire build
ing like barrel with both ends knock
ed out. The womea lean easily and
naturally against the door frame and the
children drift easily and naturally tc
their places, a.hold of her calico skirts
The skirts droop with disheartened
limpness; the woman is freckeled, lean
lengthy and dogged. The children are
fat and all the same size. Most of the
trees passed by are pines. of yellow hard
kind. Low growing dog-wood trees
with green leaves and big white four
leaved blossoms are pleasant interrup
tions to the monotony of tall pines.
In the Clutches of Jay Gonld.
Little Rock is the metropolis of the
state and is handsome town of 10000
people, with growing manufactures, rail
roads and prosperity around. 1t is the