Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-10

Between the mountains are fertile and well
watered valleys, The hills and mountain
walnut and other timber. and groves Of
valuable cedar are found, which at present
are being cut for the manufacture of lead
pencils from the wood.
The soil In the valleys is suitable for the
cultivation of almost every known product
OF the Temperate zone. excepting pc. hals
growth that is common further North
Particularly well is this soil adapted to
The production of small fruits, of grapes,
cotton and corn.
Within the mountains are valuable de-
posits Of manganese, lead and zinc-while
the Arkansas Geological Survey Reports
show the presence of gold and silver in
mines. Il they can be called such. have
never been developed, owing to the re-
moteness of the region from transporta-
the isolated situation Of this district, here
tofore. the real extent of the mineral re-
sources OF the country within twenty-five
or thirty miles Of Mena are yet prac-
been found, which certainly possess high
commercial value, yet ali these things
have barely been touched by the pros
been no way for him to ship his products
to the market, even If the deposits had
been Of the richest, for natural barriers
have shut out Polk county from the mar
kets Of the world.
Several Germans came into this country
great many years ago and conceived the
idea that 1t was suitable for the produc.
quite a number of vineyards scattered over
the hillsides. and quality Of native wine
is produced which is very excellent, rank
ing equal with. if not SURPRISING. the best
native wines Of this country, and the COM
mon diseases of the vine, which have
played such havoc with the vine in France.
Germany, Spain and California, have never
bothered Their vines.
The climate of this repion fe that
can be desired. Although in a much more
Southern latitude than Kansas or Mis-
souri,, the altitude makes Mena a much
valley is 1.350 feet above the sea level
about 525 feet higher than Kansas City is.
Consequently, while the sun perhaps Is
is always fine breeze blowing from the
mountain side, which relieves the heat, and
at night the atmosphere is always cool
and bracing. 1t is an ideal health resort.
A feature of Mena which every kansan
will appreciate is the absence of hot winds
and Northers. The mountain ranges which
enclrcle Mena's tributary territory keep Off
tation in the summer. and turns aside the
blizzards Of the winter so that the climate
Is very equable, not subject to sudden va
are much longer than further north, so
the agricultural products have longer
time to mature. and less to contend with
in a much better condition than in some
of the Northern and Western states.
The country about Mena is very well
that there is an nnderaow Of water
Throughout this entire country, which can
be reached by penetrating the ground to
The soil Of the valley region. generally
speaking. is a reddish sandy loan. quite
similar to the reddish soil of Southern Mis-
souri, and In the great fruit and apple belt
Il is quite safe to say that no new town
has ever been located in this country
which has the extent of new tributary
In the center of an area of about 5000
square miles. which had not been pene-
trated by a railroad until the building of
the Kansas City. Pittsburg & Gulf rail-
road.
The nearest point to Mena is Hot Springs,
which Is ninety miles away. Tuskahoma,
West. North. Fort Smith is the nearest
distributing point. ninety miles distant,
ana Texarkana to the south is 115 miles.
ritory Of about fifty miles in every direc-
ton. and it will become the center of dis
tribution for this entire territory. as well
the various resources of that district. 1t
is ideally located to make great town.
The population Of the district that is trib-
census of 1880. What 1t is now 1t would
be hard to estimate. but immigration that
has set in to that part of the country has
must be over g. 900 people within fifty miles
of Mena at the present time. 1t Is on this
tributary territory that Mena's foundation
rests.
points of railroads are usually centers Of
quite a large population; There are very
that have a population Of less than 1000
people. and as a rule these towns have
little Or no territory to
maintained from the pay roll Of the railroad
company. Most d;vision points have a
maS aS and NoM
railroad company, but also for the express
tributary territory that exceeds the area
of more than one state in the Union, so
that It will combine all the ADVANTAGES Of
bing and distributing center, as, from its
present advantages. Mena has many in the
The tide of immigration. which until the
last few years has been exclusively toward
the North and Northwest and West has
manv N Nortern dshearened and
discouraged by the destruction of their
crops from the cold winters and dry sum-
mere: have looked to the South as a means
Since the war the South has largely been
| overlooked until the last few, years. but
roads and the advertising of the re-
sources of these regions. Northern farmers
have wakeneQ up 10 the 1act tnat they can
sell their farms, even at a sacrifice and, on
account Of the low land values in the
| South, purchase farms even larger than
those they left, which yield them more
remunerative returns than they had en-
| joyed before. 1t is the cheap lands and the
| good lands that are drawing the farmers
| OF the North toward the South, and de-
! spite ali the Northern railroads can do to
| check this movement. II is progressing. and
all they can do cannot stay i. Mena will
immigration. as splendid farms can be
! bought very cheapfy. and wherever. timber
lands are cleared the timber can be sold
, at proftable figure; and the productions
much larger return in money than can be
obtained anywhere else in the United
| States. A great many farmers in the
North are tired Of carrying mortgages on
| their farms. They find that they can sell
their farms. pay of the mortgage. &c
South. invest the money in lands at one.
| fifth or even one-tenth of what they valued
| their old farms at. and prosper much bet
ter than they did in the North.
| 1t Is q source of surprise to those who
| have not investigated the country tribu.
tary to Mena that the sales OF lots In
that town have reached so high a figure
and the growth in population has been sc
great. month ago there were not more