The Van Buren press., 1897-09-04
done IN the way of constructing other
lines under the provisions of
Tho Hush Blll.

building by convict labor. The prOvlS-
lens of this law are so inviting to con-
sruction companies that capitalists are
erowding around the state board to be
first to avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity to take advantage of it. And
while the measure is tempting to con
structlon companies, the states inter-
ests are amply guarded. 1t is, there
fore, understood that the state board,
IN whom is vested the power to locate
and establish roads and let contracts
for their building, have the pick of the
field, as it were, in the selection of con-
struetion companies to build roads. In
recent interview Gov. Jones, who is
member of the state board, gave the
public an idea of the manner in which
capitalists view the scheme. He said:
Two bankers, one of Little Rock and the
other Of another city, have already called on
me and assured me that they can finance the
scheme One of them said he would rather
have the bonds of such road than United
States bonds, and offered to advance 10000 to
arrange the preliminaries l am positively ad-
Yised that gentlemen are now ready to raise
the money on the bonds Of any line the board
determines to build"
This means that one line of road al
least will be built under the Bush act
and the building of it is question of
time only. AT meeting of the citizens
of Marion county, held recently, the
committee which was appointed to draft
a proposal to the projectors of the Mis-
souri, Arkansas and Southern Railroad
company, who propose building a line
OF road from point on the Kansas City,
Pittsburg and Gulf eastward through
Benton, Carroll, Boone and Marion
counties to Yellville, the county seat
of Marion county, recommended the
donation of 10, 900 acres of decided land,
together with right of way through the
county to Yellville, with depot grounds
and terminal facilities. A committee
was appointed by the meeting to confer
with members of the state board for the
purpose of obtaining their legal sane
tion to the scheme. Sufficient prospect
ing has been done along this route to
warrant the statement that it is rich in
minerals, and as fruit and grain pro-
ducing country it stands unrivaled.
Meantime, the construction of rail
roads, not incl AIDED in the list of lines
to be built under the provisions of the
Bush law, is progressing in many parts
of the state.
Dirt was Broken Month Ago
on the Jonesboro, Lake City and East
ern road, a new line pointing from Net
tleton, in Craighead county, to Lake
City. on the st. Francis river, line
which will place one of the best tim
bered regions and farming sections of
the state in connection with all the
roads converging at the growing city of
Jonesboro. 1t iseXpected this road will
be completed in time to move the devel-
oping cotton crop. Work has been re-
sumed on the Arkansas Midland, an
unfinished road extending from Helena
on the Mississippi river, toward Little
Rock, and known as the short line route
from Little Rock to the Mississippi. 1t
lies through the famous cotton region
and timber belt, and will be, when i'm
ished, valuable acquisition to the state
capital Then there is the Lott road,
with Hot Springs and Little Rock for
ing westward through Montgomery and
Pike counties to Mena, about GO miles
distant. on the Kansas City, Pittsburg
and Gulf. The Lott road, which is
graded from Benton to Hot Springs,
with rails laid II miles, has been in the
hands of receiver the past two years,
waiting the fostering care of capital to
complete and put it in operation. 1t
now shows visible symptoms Of reviv-
ing and receiving the finishing touches
Another incomplete line in southern
Arkansas, known as the Southwest Ar
kansas and Indian Territory railroad,
running from
Smithton to Pike City.
has been surveyed to Sunnyside, on the
Mississippi, via Fordyce and Warren,
which, when finished, will form con
tinuous line from Pike City, in Pike
county, running in southeasterly di-
rection almost across the south side of
the state, traversing a portion of the
yellow pine timber region and cotton
producing districts, Fifty miles of new
roadbed will close the gap between
Warren and Smithton. Work is pro-
crossing on other roads in the southern
and southeastern parts of the state, be-
sides extension of lumber mill roads
into logging camps is being pushed in
the lumber regions. One of these short
lines, extending from Noble Lake, JEFF
ferson county, is being constructed by
convicts. 1t is a four-mile line running
to a shingle mill owned by Il. p Ladd.
The grading is being done by 100 con-
victs under a contract with the peniten-
tiarv board. Many of these lumber
roads connect with trunk lines and a
large number of them will eventually
reach across the country to other roads
or to points on the Mississippi river to
facilitate the transportation of mill
products and other freight to the mar
| ilets of the world Never in the history
| of Arkansas was the sentiment favora-
| BILE to railroad building so general or
so intense as now. 1t has, in fact, at
tanned the point of unanimous enthus-
| iasm, but
1t Is in Nowise "A Railroad Craze
nor a spasm of excitement which win
subside after being discussed at cross
roads and in club-rooms 10y visionary
enthusiasts-it is a dcep-rooted and set
tied determination, an outgrowth of
serious thought which has received new
impulse from the demands of improved
business conditions. Experience has
taught the people of Arkansas that the
perennial crop Of sentiment, supple
| ,nented with a crop of cotton, which in
past years were regarded the natural
products of the state and the acme Of