The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1893-02-04
ARKANSAS LuMsER.

"
Talk with = Lumberman who Visited
the state with the Indiana Lumber
mems ENTHUSIASTICALLY Pleased With
Arkansas Lumber, Forests and Mills
Exchanging Lumber for Dollars.
The Indiana lumbermen who visited
Arkansas recently, to inspect the mills
and forests of the state. travelled on
their way south over the Cotton Belt to
Texarkana. and on their return north
ward over the Iron Mountain. These
routes traverse some of the best lumber
regions Of the state, and enabled the
visitors to form good opinion
OF Arkansas and its resources.
The party numbered about e25, and oc-
cupied five Pullman cars They spent
a week in the state, and on their way
home arrived at ST. Louis on Saturday,
January 2s. While there, one of the
members of the delegation, Mr. Robert
Snider, of Terre Haute, Ind, was seen
by reporter. and talked interestingly
and instructively about the trip.
1.-THE forests of Indiana" said Mr..
Snider, ''are almost gone. Good tim
Der is hard to find and commands good
prices, and the result is that Indiana
lumberlnen are looking around for a
locality where they can purchase plenty
of good lumber and at reasonable rates.
We were greatly pleased with Arkansas
and its timber resources Our train was
a special one, and we stopped at all
the towns on the roads, going south
and returning north, where there are
mills. We inspected the mills, learned
their capacity and ascertained the re-
sources of adjacent forests. The mill
men were all pleased at the visit,
showed us about their mills, gave ex-
hibition of the saving capacities of
their plants. and in every way endeav-
ored to show the strangers that their
visit was appreciated.
How do the Arkansas saw-mills COM
pare with Indiana mills?'
''They are far ahead of anything we
have in Indiana In fact there are mills
in Arkansas that equal the mills Of
the northern pineries. We saw large
logs sawed into lumber in minute
and half, and that, too. In instances
where it was necessary to square the
log. That is rapid work and no mis-
take. But what Arkansas wants is
more mills. and when they get the
mills they do not want to be backward
about telling the country about it, for
their products will be in great de-
mand, not only in Indiana but in other
northern states"
''Will the trip of'thc Indiana lumber
men result in much benefit to Arlkan-
sas?'
Eyes, and in this way: While the
| visitors are all jobbers-that is lum-
Der dealers-it will result in great
deal of money finding its way into the
state. They will not invest money in
lands and mills, but they want Arkan-
sas lumber We are convinced that we
can secure good lumber there, and at
reasonable prices, and that being the
case, we will buy there. We will just
simply send good dollars down there in
exchange for good lumber. The money
will go into the pockets of Arkansas
people. They will be simply taking
the timber off their ground and putting
it into their pockets in the shape OF
dollars"
Mr.. Snider further stated that If he
was out of business. and was looking
for an opening, ho would go to Ar
kansas, and engage in the lumber bust
ness, as there arc many fine chances
for an opening. lie spoke we'll of the
hospitality of Arkansas people, was
pleased at the indications of thrift dis
played in Pine Bluff, Cameron, Tex
arkana, Philadelphia, Newport and
other towns, and stated that he was as.
tonished at the growth Little Rock has
made In few years.