Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-05-02
FORT SMITH.
A Paradise in Arkansas Captiv-
ates an old Arizonan.
The Healthiest City in the United
States Outside of Tucson, the
Death Rate Being Only
S.6S per 1000.
FORT SMITH, Ark, April z, 1896.

FORT SMITH, Ark, April z, 1896.
I know It will interest the many
Thousand reade.s of the CITIZEN to get
a little information pertaining to this
beautiful city, aud the magnificent
country that surrounds it. Words are
inadequate to properly describe its
beauty and surroundings, and the trem-
endous resources within its grasp that
contributes to its material happiness
Had this clty-this stste-been any
where in the great west, it would more
than rival fer famed California, in the
produce of it's rich slluvial--exhaustless
coil.
This is q city of 15 or 16 thousand
people, there is one grand business
aveuue-90 feet in width, with two
promenade walks on each side, 16 feet
wide and as smooth as floor. The
( beautiful avenue is about a mile IN
length, straight as an arrow, with a
gentle fall TO the river. The avenue and
side streets are paved with vitriEed
| Akron shale brick, manufactured here,
the raw material being found in abund-
ance. 1t would be hard to find In the
United States, another such city OF
| beautiful homes, surrounding the busl-
ness portion. There is finely equipped
| fire department, both paid and volun-
teer, and it is a pleasure to watch the
| noble horses perform their duty. AS
soon as the bell rings in the fire house,
the animals rush with such beauty and
precision, to their own different places,
where the harness is dropped on them
| by q sort of automatic mechanism. and
they are under wsy in full gallop il
side of five seconds.
There are eight fine public schools
the smallest one being as commcdous as
the one situated on the Military plaza,
Tucson. with school fund OF Sl65.000
at interest, and they own real estate
exclusive of school buildings and
erounds-to the amount of $500, 900.
There are two fine convent schools, also
q great commercial college, to perpetu-
|
distinguished citizen.
This city has thirty miles OF water
Mains. and the supply is taken from a
mountains river, with pressure so great,
that they dispense with engines, and
| only use the hose reels; %ater works
cost about half million dollars, and are
] sufficient for a city six times its size.
They have the finest sewerage system in
|
of maIns, aud the sewerage empties into
the Arkansas river which flows oy the
city; and in addition, they have per-
feet system OF storm-waters sewer.
From these facts are to be attributed
the extraordinary healthy condition OF
the city, ranking first in order 10 Y
cities in the United States, according to
the re port Of the surgeon general OF the
United States marine hospital service.
The death rate for Fort Smith being
only S.6S 10 every one thousand in
| habitants. Minneapolis, Council Bluffs,
and Ogden, Utah, coming next 10 order
respectively. This is startling fact,
and one to be proud OF.
They have gas snd electric lights,
street cars and electric railways; two
| fine hotels, the Main and Grand Central,
end besutiful opera house that cost
$50, 900; besides q magnificent county
court house that cost SlUO.OOO-ip a
place where material is abundant and
cheap.
| The United States court house and
post Office, ls an imposing structure,
and, in my opinion. looks inferior to it's
opposite rival, which will always cbal-
leuge-like q fair beanty-its more
pretentious national neigh Dor, the un-
stinted admiration that is its just
due.
They have twenty-eight factories With
a capital of about one million dollars,
and the output last year amounted to
81, 10000, aud what is very strange. they
are all runping to their full capacity,
and some csnpot fill their orders.
The utmost limit, under the law, is
l2b per cent taxation, but the assess
ment Of real estate is always about one
third its value.
i Av.st coal region Of superior bitumi-
nous surround this city, and the output
last year was over 1000 600 tone, giving
employment to 5,740 men. The mum
ber of carloads of various merchandise
in and out OF Fort Smith, daily for the
psst year-iucludipg the products OF
the factoriee-cereals, etc., amounted TO
4S cars per day, exclusive OF the vaet
coal tonnage. The strictly mercantile
business of the city-not including the
fsctories-amounted to over Hine mil
linns and a quarter dollars last year.
II is conceded one of the eb.est judges
in criminal Jurisprudence in the United
States, the Hon. 7. @. Parker, presides
over this federal jurisdiction; comprising
the western half of Arkansas, aud most
of the Indian Territory. Judge Parker
has sentenced more men to death than
eny IL dpe We read of In modern history.
he is on the bench OF the United States
) court here during the past q years, and
| cav it stated, that Ia that time, Sc
people were hanged within the wHlls OF
the old garrison grounds; besides the
many that were pardored by authority
of the president, and the many thou
sands that we're cent to prison and to
, the various penitentisries. | have nc
hesitation in saying that il will be q
great calamity to the peacefully dis
poeed people, il the criminal jurisdic
tion is taken from this court and trans
fered to the Iudian Territory. and put
into the hands Of ipcom petents. With.
out ability or experience. L was IL
Judge Parkers court one day, when
saw his grist mill at work. 1t took
r less than two hours to srreign twenty
, four prisoners all pleading guilty to
the various chsrges-aod to pees sent
, euce on them; some to the penite ntiary
at Leaven worth, some to imprisoo
} ment for various terms, and some
2 to both fines imprisonment. They
were tough looking eet-al
from the Indian country ano
the judge was lenient, merciful and kiro
D to them. Ii we he'd one euch judge il
q Arizona, it would take him but two
days in every county to straighten mat
= ters out and would be worth millions Il
q the territory. Ip justice to the peopl'
d of this city and this state, 1t must b.
said that all the criminals coming unde
the jurisdiction Of Judge Parker's court
| o,a from the Indian territOrv