The Mena weekly star., 1896-10-28
ANOTHER VIEW OF nENA.
Tore Reasons for tue Futnss Pros.
 perity of Our City.

4y request of correspondents and many others, making inquiry of the town of Mena, many of whom labor under the mistaken notion that no town can amount to anvihiug unless large bodies of fertile agricultural lands are near to support the same, the writer gives the following facts.
 What this south land needs, and es- pecially the state of Arkansas, s towns to support the country. Now comes the inqu ry, how can Mena aid in this?
 As facts are required in answering thls question it is necessary to furnish actual observations made during an investigation Of the products of West ern Arkansas, extending over period of more than ten yeas. These shall be presented herein free oF coloring, as the V iter has not one dollar inter- est in Mena or near thereto, (wh'c many might suppose after reading this article.)
 ACh ySai u5c, "e NAS instance of steel men of Pennsylvania, (the writer's native state), the manga nese of Polk county was investigated and reported upon. At this time quite quantity of the ore was taken out and many pounds thereof sent east for analysis and inspection. The samples sent were taken from different locali- ties in the country, and nearly all being either surface ore or taken out of the viens from near the surface. The an- alysis thereof then, made showed me- talic manganese running from AS per cent to over 60 per cent; oxide of manganese from 57 per cent to over 60 per cent.
 | At the same time samples of iron ore were sent away for the inspection of eastern men, upon this it was found that the iron ore carried from 55 to 63 per cent, and one sample showing OK idle of iron over 79 per cent.
 Besides this iron and manganese, there are other valuable ores in this section of the country tributary to Mena but space forbids specializing; suffice it to say that anthony, lead, zinc and silver ores of paying char acter exists in quantities, and it is not too much to say that to those who know of these things large finds of these richer metals will be no surprise.
 In view, however, of the iron and manganese and all other elements of raw material from which steel is made. are here in large quantities, 1t will not be many years, and possibly not but few months, before iron mills and steel works are being erected at this point Of truth no other lo- cality in America offers so many ad vantages for manufacturing enterprises of all kinds as does this section. Plenty of the raw material exists or is near by for the manufacturing of ev- cry article of utility now upon the markets of the world.
 For steel making we can certainly assert and defy contradiction that Ar kansas manganese is the best in the world and why this ore should be mined and shipped north at an eDor- nous expense of freight. there to be manufacturde, looks very unousiness- l like to say the least
 Fuel abundant; coal can be had very cheap and with but short haul, while it will not be many months ere natur- al gas will be abundaDtly produced in less than fifteen miles of Mena, and it is also confidently predicted by expert men in this line that the largest yield ing wells of petrolium o,l in America will sooner or later be developed in the territory tributary hereto.
 Utilize of the timber, iron, man ganese and the many other natural products here so abundant, and there can be no doubt but that Mena will grow and thrive and live te become grown up city. B. K.