The Forrest City times., 1896-09-11
RAILWAY BUILDING.
Arkansas Has More Miles Uzeer ces.
strrotion Than Any Other State
Naocsttensi sysfe1-wholesoDe Laws-
sale OF Liquors. Sow ReEalst<d-Exen-
paens-fAx AssSssness-GrowtA in
Neaith->tste's Izdebtedae..-
An Worthy of Conslderrfsen

With many frst-class lines Of railroad
traEerslng the state. it Is yet claimed
that railway capital has stunned this.
TIE most remuRerAtive Seld IN the
rnloo5 but OF late there has been nota-
ole activity IN railroad building. Many
important lines are now IN prC oess Of
construction. while surveying parties
are running lines for a number Of PRO
lectea roads. many OF which viii con bt-
less soon be built No state in the
union has as many miles OF road under
construction al the present time as Ar
kansas, and every new line penetrates
timber belts. mineral beds. euarries o.,
granite, marble and manganese, fruit
regions and agricultural districts. cap
aole OF sustaining dense population
Ihe mineral belts have thus far been
only prospecsed and the forest belts
have been barely touched. Il Is evident
10 every rejecting reader that with IN.
creased railroad facilities the opportu-
mites for manufacturing industries will
be almost unbounded. besides great i'm
pulse given 70 agricultural trafic IN To-
calitles now isolated and dependent
upon wagon transportation. Many well
populated counties lying north OF the
Arkansas river. with farms well stocked
with cattle and yielding annual crops
OF grain and fruit, are waiting the ad-
vent OF railroads over which to dis
charge trains OF produce into markets
OF the world Instead of paving the
way for civilization. the lines OF road
which viii soon enter these counties
viii find civilization already estab-
llshed and fruits OF the soil ready for
shipment abroad. They viii find mines
open with ore in sight; granite Quarries
open with suficieney Of material near
and far 10 build dozen cities such al
St Louis. besides coal and limestone,
and the most promising mine OF niekle
IN the United States
AT present the state he's less than
5000 miles OF railroad. but every line
does a paying business In 1870 the to-
tai railway mileage Of the state was IS;
in 1870 it increased TO 256 miles; 1850,
$50; 1890. 2.l07 miles Railway develop
ment has stimulated every industry
notably berry growing. fruit and vege-
table production. In ali counties pene-
tratcd by railroads fruit and berry cul.
ture have attained great prominence
Much of the acreage which in time past
yielded its annual crop OF cotton now
teens with fruit, berries and vegeta-
bles- Shipments of berries are made
every spring BY special trains to the
northern markets-and later still there
IS an immense outflow OF potatoes and
vegetables, causing an inflow of money.
But neither berries nor fruit is the only
crop this soil produces Ii is adapted
to wheat, corn, oats. grasses, cotton and
lire stock. The farmer who has an ap-
titude for horticulture can exercise his
taste in this line OF industry with sstis-
factory and profitable results But
should his fancy incline TO cotton cul-
ture. grain growing or live stock pro-
duction, he ca a pursue any of these with
success, or he can diversity his opera
tions without a possibility of failure
THE way TO make q sure thing of
cotton growing, said an old-time farmer
10 the writer, is TO first raise your own
living off the farm and then put the
balance in cotton. | don't care if cot
ton is only worth 6 cents a pound; you
can make money ont oft, provided you
raise enough corn. grass and potatoes
to do YOU But more railroads and
more factories and mills will solve the
problem of how 10 make farming pay.
Every new railroad opens new avenue
TO market; every mandatory makes
market for surplus products An era
Of railroad bsilding in Arkansas may
safely be regarded a precursor of an
awakening of business and long fare
well to the almost lethargic condition
which has prevailed in districts remote
from railroads. Mines and quarries
will pour fourth their hidden treasures,
lands will appreciate and activity viii
mark all departments of industry. Sub
merged bottom lands will be brought
under cultivation by judicious system
of drainage. Immigration and capital
viii pour into the state, and Arkansas
will take its place as the leading man.
ufacturing as well as the leading agri-
cultural state.
The Educational System
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