The Van Buren press., 1895-05-11
STRAWBERRIES.
4 Mint Of Gela to Crawford County
Farmers.

- Wvs9 ~ VI1WlVEV G0uuyy
Farmers.
From The Little Rock Democrat Of Monday.
Commissioner vincenhcller, who went to
Crawford county last week. returned last night.
aud In conversation with Democrat man
said:
4 reached Van Buren, at o'clock Thursday
morning. slept two hours. got an early breakfast
and started for the strawberry fields In company
with the genial and versatile DeNahler and
M. Cook. fine view artist The rains extended
70 this place. and the people are happy. Well
tnoy might be. for the opportune rain was worth
Thousands Of dollars to them.
THE first farm visited was that Of Shibley.
Stuart 4 smeltzer. Here we got two good. con-
unuous views Of a seventy field, and
40 men, women and children busily engaged
harvesting the luscious fruit The next farm
visited was that of Phil. D. Scott His patch il
one year old, on new ground. and much Of the
lumber has not been cut Off We got fine view
OF this magnificent patch virtually In the
woods. from which 500 crates were gathered
Friday and Saturday. Mr.. Scott puts the same
intelligent business push into the berry busi.
ness he did In the clerks ONCE and though Z
novice, 10 making success much beyond his
most sanguine expectations. The next place
visited was the model. ail-round farm Of r. H.
n. Smcltser. one Of the pioneers In the business
In this section Here we got view OF two
crops on the same land which is set in pears,
The trees are fine and healthy, fve years old,
beginning to set fruit The ground between
the trees 10 covered with berries One hundred
and twenty-five hands picking almost entirely
In the shade Of the pear trees. Ten car loads
went today by refrigerator cars and three cars
by express
another interesting view was that taken
today around the express Office. It was packed
solidly. several feet high. The street was
blockaded with wagons and hacks unloading
for shipment by express. One poor benighted
fellow. . relic Of other days, with poor team
and homemade wagon. upon which was a
single bale Of cotton, got caught In the macl.
strom OF berry wagons and was hung up for
three honSs tN :tSF ywassas were relieved Of
their more precious burden. While there were
scores Of buyers from Denver, st. Paul, Min.
neapolis. Detroit BuffAlo. Cleveland, Kansas
City and other points, not one buyer appeared
to make an offer for the dethroned king One
wagon l noticed contained seventy five crates
OF berries and another sixty. The returns gave
them from Il 80 to S2 per crate or $40 to $50
per wagon load Forty.Ave cars have been
shipped since last Wednesday week. Tomorrow
we will take views Of the Expressman's Invest
ment Association, OF which more later
THE berries are in greater part shipped from
Van Buren, and the rumble Of wagons continues
from II m. to 2 O'Clock q. m. Que can conceive
Of nothing like itunless It is the movement Of an
army. The delivery Is made to the trains by
over 200 wagons. and there are four trains to
make In the fourteen hours; and as this Is
repeated day after day. it is nothing fanciful
when the scene is likened to that of an army.
''The greatest activity is at the express Office
and at the Arkansas Valley depot where the
refrigerator cars are loaded. The moving spirit
In 1t all is. Of course, J. L. Rea, the dual agent
af the Pacific and the Well.Fargo Express
Companies. He was not only the original pro-
moter of the industry. and the builder Of the
grand business done by the express companies
at this point but stands ready to help out others
with his money, at the same time his clear head
evolves order out of chaos"
up to yesterday 102 cars had b en- shipped
from Van Burcn. Sunday a special train left
with twenty-four cars to meet the express at
M0nett Each car is worth about $1,000 l
secured sixteen splendid views of the straw.
berry industry"