The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-08-24
OUR ARKANSAW TRAVELLERS.
AFTER MANY TRIALS AND TRIBULA'
TIoNs, WITH A LITTLE FUN NOW
AND THEN, BACK AGAIN INTO
KANSAS, HOME AT LAST
WITH GREAT REJOICING.
VINITA, 1. T., Aug. II, 1892.

VINITA, 1. T., Aug. II, 1892.
EDITOR REGIsTER:-The "Arkan-
saw Travellers" are still on deck! We
left our camp ON Indian creek last
Monday morning about 7:30 and head
ed our horses southwest. We named
our camp on Indian creek the Ideal"
as it was just everything that the
name suggests as a camping ground.
At Indian creek we unanimously
favored a change in our destination,
and instead of going to Eureka Springs
as was our original intention, we de-
cided, ON account of the extremely
rough roads, to go to Sloan Springs,
Arkansas. Hence we turned cur
horses heads on Monday morning.
AT noon on Monday we reached a
small town, Noel, on the Cowskin
river. The place has a good reputa-
tion as fishing ground SO we camp
ed here and spent half day catching
few measly sinners such as might
be caught in any of the creeks of AL
len county, When night came, some
ofthe boys were so discouraged that
they wanted to take the first train for
home, but Mr.. Squier in his usual
way soon made them believe that
they were having an awtully jolly
time.
Tuesday morning, brightand early
and to our extreme delight-we left
the Cowskin river and by 1890 reach
ed Sulphur Springs, Ark, where we
decided to stop for dinner. There are
a number of interesting sights about
the town but the one thing of particu-
lar interest was the sulphur water.
1t is very strong and wholesome and
there is an abundance of it. The
springs are situated in a very pretty
park and it is very pleasant place to
go in not weather.
We left Sulphur Springs shortly
after dinner, and again turned SOUTH
ward. 1t has been excessively dry in
this part of Arkansas and it is pitiable
to see the crops all burned up by the
terrible drouth. The corn is dry
enough for fodder and the ears are
hardly tasselled out the corn being
only about three feet high. The
ground is awfully dry and the dust in
the roads is or 5 inches deep.
Tuesday night we camped in Deca-
tur, Ark. We got ia town just as a
large political picnic of the Demo-
Gratis and Pops. was breaking up, and
the farmers, cowboys, and Indians
were going out of town, leaving the
razor back hogs-and not few either
i'm full possession of the grounds.
We reached Sloan Springs, Ark,
at noon on Wednesday and remained
in camp there the remainder of the
day and the night to receive mail
There are quite number of Springs
there, but the writer visited only two
of the seven. Both Springs visited
gave forth an abundance of water as
cold as ice but with very little miner
al In it.
Thursday night We camped in
Southwest City, Mo-, Friday night at
Carey's Ferry. Here some of us had |
the pleasure of seeing our first ferry |
boat, and Saturday night and Sunday |
find US in Vinita, L. T. Thus you see
we were in two states and one terri |
tory all the same day. We haven't
seen much that would be interesting |
have been travelling most of the
time. But We must speak of one
piece of country in particular. 1t is
what is known as the Cowskin prairie.
This is the garden spot of this coun-
try. 1t stretches from Grand river
better known in Kansas as the Neo-
shO rIver-twenty miles west and is
mostly under cultivation. The crops
are good and everything looks beau
tiful. We would like TO give a de-
tailed description of this prairie, but
space forblds.
A few words about ViDita. 1t is a
lively little town of about 1900 popu-
lation, of which about one third are
negroes, one third Indians and the re-
mainder white people and half
breeds. 1t is the dirtiest, filthiest
and most unhealthy place imaginable.
The people all seem TO have just one
object in view-get money. They are
the most cross, crabid and unObliging
people we have met 1t seems to be
everybody for himself and the devil
for them all, and the devil is sure get
ting his share and somebody elses,
too, from the general appearance of