The Daily Texarkanian., 1895-08-27
A COMPOSITE CITY.
remarkable Growth and Prosperity
Of Texarkana.
stan Correspondence Of The Republic.

is a town which covers a portion of
two states, within three miles of
another, and almost within a
stones throw Of the Indian Terri
tory. 1t lies between two streams,
one of which, Red River, borders
the state Of Texas, aud the other,
Sulphur River, flowing about 10
miles south. The town derives it's
name from three states, Texas,
arkansas and Louisiana, being
made up of an abbreviatiou of each.
Twenty years ago where there is
now a city Of $4,000 inhabitants
there was scarcely house to be
seen. The whole country around
was vast forest of yellow pine and
various hardwoods, such as oak, ash
hickory, pecan and other varieties,
There were some settlements along
the Red River, but hardly any in
this great timber section About
that time the St. Louis, Iron Noun
tain and Southern railroad reached
the Texas State line and stopped
here. A depot was located and
this place was made the southern
terminus of the road Then the
saw and hammer were vigorously
employed, and houses, both business
and dwelling, began to spring up
ike magic. The growth of the
town, however, though steady, was
slow pending the development of
the surrounding country, About
the first enterprise was saw mill.
The railroad company after laying
out the town site and selling lots
sold the timber to the mills for the
building Of houses on the sites from
which the trees were cut. Lumber
was then and Is yet one of the chief
industries Of Texarkana, which is
surrounded on all sides by large lum-
Der mills, supplying not only the
home but distant markets. There
are two large mills and several
smaller ones located within the city
limits, One of these mills has a Ca
pacity Of 1900 feet Of lumber, or
20 car loads of logs per day.
Some Of the mills here have rail.
roads running out to the tim
Der from which they ate sup
Piled, Many of the mills located
in the immediate locality of supply
arr owned by TexarGaua people,
who live in the city and do their
banking business here, and they are
virtually TeAarkana enterprises.
This lumber industry has done
mucb and s doing much TO build up
the city of Texarkana, but it is not
by any means her sole dependence.
There are located here other indus
trial enterprises, including iron
fouudries, ia which everything up
20 a boiler or steam engine is made,
There IL a furniture factory which
turns out a good article OF furni-
ture, made principally from OAK,
ash and cottonwood,
The town has a good waterworks
system, supplied by spring and
wells sunk TO the depth Of about 100
feet. The water is said to be sec.
ond only to the best obtained any
where in the United States, In
fact, It Is pronounced almost abso'
lutely pure, Though comparatively
level there Is a good surface drain
age, and the soil, which Is Of a
sandy character, rapidly absorbs
moisture, so that It is dry here
almost immediately after rain,
A good sewerage system is just now
being put In, which will embrace
The entire business portion Of the
city, and when completed must GER
tainly add to the healthfulness OF
the place.
In times past Texarkana, like all
frontier cities, had a reputation for
lawessness and violence, That was
In its younger days. Now there Is
not u city in the state with Il bet
ter reputation Tor law and order
and general peacefuness' 1t Is a
city Of schools and churches, with
handsome residences, fine business
houses aud pretty homes indicating
culture and refinement
The dual city Of Texarkana Is
about equally divided between
Texas and Arkansas, There ls q
little more territory included with
In the limits on the Arkansas side,
but the population Of the two towns
the one Ia Arkansas and the other
in Texas, Is about the same, and
though they have separate city
governments, with separate officers
and separate school systemsi they
are as distinet az II miles apart,
yet they cooperate In such a man
ner az renders the two practically