Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-06-06
Arkansas Military Post.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERN
MENT'S FORMIDABLE BUILD
INGs AT LITTLE ROCK.
n Mexican's Visit to the Spot on the
Mighty Bluff by the River Which
Will be Occupied by United
States Soldiers.

AeS 49, iAAtNAS
is being said about it, but it is a fact,
nevertheless, that the work on the
military post is being rapidly pushed
toward completion, and ere another
summer comes a detachment of Uncle
Sans regulars will overlook the city
from their commanding vantage on
the crown of Big Rock.
Together with a party of friends
your representative recently visited
the embryo post, and found the work
well in hand. A vast amount of labor
has already been expended on the
erstwhile forbidding crest of the rug
ged bluff overhanging the river, and
from its partially denuded crest strong,
substantial buildings of brick are being
reared.
Crossing the Arkansas at the upper
bridge the party proceeded along a
country turnpike, which is greatly in
need Of repairs, to the foot of the ele-
walton, whose name gave to Little
Rock its an%tithetical designation. At
the foot Of the mountain the govern
ment improvement begins in the shape
of Il road not eXcelied by any in the
United States. This was constructed
by Capt. John Lafferty, and is in every
way q model. Although more than a
mile in length it ascends so gently,
only one foot in twenty-five, that it is
scarcely perceptibie, and the long
graduation makes 4 pleasant driveway
for a summer evening. This excellent
| grade is obtained by only one turn
half way up the mountain side, where
it almost doubles upon itself, but in
evenly diverging lines. At first it was
intended to construct the road in SER
pentine fashion, the tiers rising sue
cessively above each other. This idea.
however, was abandoned, and to Capt.
Stevens and his able corps of assist
ants is due the credit of the present
model mountain roadway. The road
bed itself is well constructed, the base
being composed of about six inches OF
crushed rock, of which an abundant
supply was available along the route
traversed. This base was laid during
the wet weather of the early spring
and firmly packed by the heavy wag,
ons driven over it. The bed is slight
ter On the upper side, excavated from
a rock-ribbed soil which will not easily
be effected by rains.
As the party ascends the gentle in
cline, beautiful vistas open up through
the trees which clothe the hill side
and the panoramic view spreads wide.
and more beautiful as the summit /
neared. 1t is the intention of those il
charge to enlarge these and open 9th
err vistas, that the views may be am
plifed-
Near the summit of the hill anothe
short turn is made, and the crest i
fairly reached. Just inside OF thu
: curve is the rock crusher which Capt
Lafferty used in crushing the counties
+ IONS of rock with which the road wa
constructed.
p The mountain road here ends an
the post road proper begins, the gov
+ eminent reservation of 1850 acres ex
, tending only to this point toward tn
east. The road forks, the two branche
encircling the post grounds. The gut
ters on either side of the road ar
lined with rock to prevent washing.
Passing on a short distance the iirs
| evidence of the builders presenc
which appears is the quartermaster'
: stables, a substantial structure of com
4 mon brick with a capacity of one hur
dred horses. This, as is many OF tn
g other buildings, is constructed of con
mon brick, but so carefully has it bee
selected with reference to a similarit
of tint that its appearance is decepi
q i've. The casual observer would
d once pronounce it pressed brio
When completed the walls will b
oiled with Iinseed oil, increasing IL
# deception. After this came the con
missary's and quartermaster's stor'
house on the left and the bakery c
n the right.
o Entering an open space on n e.
h IRENE summit of the mountain IL
parade ground comes into view. {
the north side of this is the line