Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-12-06
A MODERN LITTLE CITY,
Few Facts A bout Pine Bluff and the
State of Arkahsas-A Pleasant
visit 10 Einff city.

: LITTLE RcCK, Nov. 2S.-Worb
has kept me pretty close of late, sc
L had no opportunity to gather ma
terlal for letter. but on Sunda,
last in company with an old Mexico
boy, Mr.. Nelson Frank, boarded
the Iron Mountain train for a run +,
Pine Bluff, about % miles south.
east. The country one pass es
through cn the way is generally vel
wooded, and a resort for the sport
ing part of surrounding gentry, be
yond that however, it is uninter
esting. In two hours we find our.
selves entering the third city CT the
state. First impressions are decided
ly against it, and a warning reaches
me in time look out for the sand, u
as | am about TO step off the cars.
And it is no joke, for indeed it is
hard to find any part of the city, ex'
cept on the principal thoroughfares,
where it is not foot deep; and |
think it shame that the Iron Noun
tain railroad would not provide
some kind of Il platform for its pas
sengers to step upon.
/ We proceeded to the city proper
and on Main and Barraque streets
| find some handsome business
houses. At the corner of these two
streets stands the County Court
House, an impressive looking build
ing with an illuminated clock tower.
| Our next visit was made to lady
who will probably be we'll remem-
bered in Mexico as Miss Rose Frank,
now Mrs. Samuels. Your cores
| pondent received most cordial re-
ception at her hands and spent the
time very pleasantly in speaking of
Mexico and its people. Her hus-
band, very genial gentleman is
one OF the Bluff City's most substan-
tial business men.
In the afternoon we were extended
the privileges of the Bluff City Club
by Messrs. Blum and Franklin, two
of it's young and active members.
The club rooms are the prettiest that
| have seen for long time, the
ladies' parlors being beautifully fur
nished, whilst the gentlemen are we'll
cared for with reading and billiard
rooms, bar and card rooms. They
have a magnificent hall, in which
the many grand balls take place, for
which this institution is so noted.
In the evening your correspondent
was given an opportunity to judge of
"true Southern hospitality" The
occasion was the first meeting of
the" Entertainers" )" club composed
OF the Bluff City's young ladies
whose object it is to entertain the
young gentlemen, and they do it in
way that would make your mouth
water. The young gentlemen of Pine
Bluff are indeed fortunate to live in
such a community. Believe I'll
move there myself.
Monday morning set the wheels
of industry in motion once more.
Stores were wide open and the
streams of purchasers and traders
were incessant. The street car sys,
tenn was going for all it was worth.
The mules having been put to bed
early on Sunday night, were up
bright and early ready to put in
good day. Drays loaded with cot
ton could be seen at every step and
the various machine shops and mills
were buzzing along at a rate that
would make your head swim. By
the way, Pine Bluff is the great cot
ton center of the state, and thousands
upon thousands of bales of this pro-
duct are handled and pressed dur
ing the season.
The city has great many enter
prises at the present time, and the
brightest future of any town in the
state. 1t has now population of
10000 people. is the division of the
Cotton Belt Road with car works and
machine shops, has numerous lum'
Der and cotton seed oil mills, found.
ries, cotton compress and warehouse,
whilst it has churches OF all de.
nominations and fine school build
ings and good training for both
white and colord children.
The Merrill Institute is an insti-
tuition donated to the city by Mr..
Joseph Merrill for the use OF the
young white people, and has fine
gymnasiums, library, reading and
lecture rooms and bath rooms.
In fact, it has everything that a
modern town of its size needs-gas,
electric light and water works, and
best of all, plenty of enterprise.
fear that | may be encroaching
too much upon space, bat | cannot
close my letter without a few re-
marks upon Pine Bluff in particular
and the State in general. | know
that Arkansas has an unsavory rep
utation outside of its borders, anG
now that | am here l ask, "Why?'
. Nature is bountiful to her. Hel
|. climate, with few exceptions, is ex'
, cellent and she offers untold advan
tages to the homeseeker. l hav,
) met here some of the kindest people
it has ever been my fortune to meet