The Mena weekly star., 1896-09-16
MENA'S MAGICAL GROWTH.
WHY A CLEARING IN THE FOREST BECAME CITY IN A MONTH.
The Town on the K. C., F. & G. Rail- road in Western Arkansas-Its Immense Tributary Terri
 tory and It's Resources.

One of the most unique features of the past decade has been the building of the town of Mena, Ark, by the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad, and the unparal- leled success of the venture goes to dis credit in a great measure the querulous and half-htarted walls of investors and property owners, who fan to realize that in hard times, as well as in good times. good thing is a good thing and cannot be kept down.
 The town of Mena Is the midway divis- ion point of the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad, which stretches from Kan sas City, the geographical commercial and railway center of the country. to Port Ar thur the new deep water harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. The line Is TO miles long, and Mena is almost exactly 3S5 miles from both Port Arthur and Kansas City. It is a division point, and, therefore, has located within its limits the usual roundhouses and shops, that are necessary at division points. The Wells-Fargo Express Compa- ny also has made the town a central di- vision point for it's business.
 The town lies in valley at the head waters of the Washita river. in Polk coun- ty, one of the western tier of Arkansas counties, bordering on the Indian Terri tory. The country, generally speaking, is rough, Lines of mountain ranges extend east and west from the Territory into Arkansas. and over as far as Hot Springs. Between the mountains are fertile and well watered valleys. The hills and mountain sides are clothed with pine oak linn black 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 haps wheat and oats, which do not attain she 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 zlnc--While the Arkansas Geological Survey Reports show the presence of gold and silver in limited quantities. The gold and silver mines, if they can be called such. have never been developed, owing to the re- moteness of the region from transporta- tion, and in fact it may be said that from the isolated situation of this district here- tofore, the real extent or the mineral re- sources of the country within twenty-five or thirty miles of Mena are yet prac- tically unknown Deposits of kaolin have been found, which certainly possess h gh commercial value, yet all these things have barely been touched by the pros pectors pick, for until recently there has been no way for him to ship his products to the market even if the deposits had been or the richest, Tor natufal EarIlers 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 it was suitable for the produce ton of grapes. Tn consequence there are quite a number of vineyarcs scattersd d O. CT the hillsides and a quality of native wine is produced which is very excellent, rank. ing equal with, If not surpassing, the Dssl 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 neyei \ osxfaere4. their yines--s