The Mena weekly star., 1896-09-16

Now that transport atlOn can be nad, he will soon start anew the work and feels sure of good returns.
 A few miles further we Jeff the wagon road and followed an old trail, which lead us through the only pass available to horsemen between Dallas and the Cossatot river country, the wagon road going by a very much longer route. This pass takes the traveller over the Church mountain. The highest elevation reached by the trail is nearly 24o0 feet above sea level and about 1000 feet above Mena. From this point scene can be viewed which is worth many miles of travel to any one who appreciates the grandeur and beauty of nature. Sitting on our horses, very willing to rest iron, their long hard climb up aud around tho mountain, we look down the steep declivity at our feet into the deep gulch across which, rising with walls of rock which seem almost per pendicular. our eyes follow to tho barren peak of Slate Stalk mountain, one of the most prominent and rugged in this par. of the country. Leaving this mountain to the left we look across the valley to the southeast, and here is one of the grandest sights in the mountains of ArlSansas-one that can be viewed for hours and not be- the less interesting Lying as Tn a. three distinct peaks, some of which were many miles in the distance and showed as blue outlines against back ground of clear sky. Among those most prominent are seen two high peaks of Hannah mountain, the Eagle mountain, Fodder Stack Sugar Tree and Smoke Rock. Again turning our eyes to the right we see the mag nificent mountain called by the un- romantic title of Boar Tusk.
 Awakening from the reverie into which the surrounding scenes seem to have drawn us, we again take up our winding trail the horses picking their way carefully, as though well aware of the disaster that might be caused by misstep or rolling stone. Gradually at first, and then sleeper and sleeper becomes our pathway until safety demands that we dis mount and lead our horses slowly and carefully down towards the valley. The descent is stayed for few moments for the purpose of examining a large outcropping vein of fine iron ore, of the brown hamatits variety
 which is sad to contain 55 per cent of iron. The assurance is given us that there are many veins of such ore through the mountains about us, but we cannot pass without selecting a sample, which we afterwards place by the roots of tree with other samples found and which we again picked up on our return three days afterwards. The valley is reached at last, and we arc glad to again resume our saddles. Down this valley, crossed and re- crossed by our winding trail, flows Smoke Rock creek. Back in the year 1894 this valley was the scene of an eruption. At the time of the eruption here, New Madrid, Mo, was undergo ing a convulsion of nature. commonly referred to as the New Madrid "shakes," which were responsible for what are called the sunken lands, Ono of the results of the eruption in the Smoke Rock valley, caused by the fumes and vapors, was the coloring with manganese of all the rock therein, which has since given the name Smoke Rock to mountain, stream and valley
 When about half way down this val ley we come to the first manganese prospect seen by the writer. This vein crops out nearly l50 feet up the steep side of Smoke Rock mountain, and is called the Jumbo manganese lode. It was discovered and has been worked by Mir. James T. Ward. the first manganese miner iG the west ern part of Arkansas. An eighteen foot crosscut shaft has beeu put down and large vein of good ore, beginning at the surface, has been found. The ore taken out is sent down the noun tain to the valley below as in shute and quantities of same now lie where they have lodged at the bottom. Con-