The Forrest City times., 1897-11-26
THE OMAHA EXPOSITION.
. s.l.ndId Opportunity to Display the
Products of Arkansas.
w.naesment of the Cotton Belt Rosts
wuI n cad the Enterprise-With the
Aid of Citizens Good Results
Will Surely Follow.

rh. Omaha exposition will be at
..nded largely by farmers who reside
- Io1va. Nebraska, Kansas and other
n-a;r;e states, consequently it will
fsord a grand opportunity to the peo-
rls of Arkansas to place before the
rsomanry of the grain producing
liens a collection of the soil products
atthis. the queen state OF the south. If
-. choice of sites had been given to
.he neople of Arkansas they could not
80 made a more desirable one for the
I;,n,av of fruits of the soil than the
go chosen. Arkansas is regarded by
a large number of outsiders as cotton
tate Thousands of energetic, indus
.r;ous farmers of the wind-swept levels
/ - the northwest would gladly migrate
% the genial climate of Arkansas, but
,bev do not relish the idea of becoming
oo.ton growers. The notion that cotton
IA about the only crop the soil of Ar
Lapxas will produce, and other mistaken
notions regarding the state can be in
mart removed If the Arkansas depart
r,ent at the Omaha exposition contains
.rvtbing like reasonable display of
| ordinary products of the farms and
| orchards, mines and forests of the state.
In Justice to the state, and for the
.,ate's benefit and profit, an effort
should be put forth by farmers and
fruit growers to effectually remove
| from the mind of the prairie farmers
every doubt as to the fertility of the
soil of Arkansas and it's adaptability to
general farming and fruit growing.
| The management of the St. Louis
| Southwestern railroad Cotton Belt),
| of which Col. 8. w. Fordyce is presi-
dent, have set good example for the
state by establishing a department in
the agricultural building of the expo
sition. They have procured 1900 feet
| of space and will make vigorous and
thorough effort to collect material
along the line of that road to place on
exhibition, to the end that every county
traversed by the line may be repre-
sented. The exhibit will include also
various kinds of numbers and timber
found in the regions through which the
i Cotton Belt passes. The leading spirit
! OF this enterprise is Col S. w. Fordyce,
general manager of the Cotton Belt
/ system, whose influence and sympathy
and practical aid have so often been
felt in the home industry enterprises
of Arkansas, and to whose executive
ability is largely due the high state of
efficiency of the st. Louis Southwestern
and also its popularity with the public.
Sarting at point opposite Cairo, the
St. Louis Southwestern traverses the
southeastern part of Missouri, entering
Arkansas near the northeastern corner,
running diagonally through the state to
/ the southwestern corner, entering Louis
lana at the northwest, having a term
| mus at Shreveport and extensions into
Texas, with roadbed of 1927 miles.
| 1t is, as its name suggests, cotton
belt route, as it passes through the
finest cotton growing territory of Ar
kansas and Texas, which means the
richest cotton fields of the world, yet it
might with propriety be designated
rhe Timber Belt Route,
as it penetrates the heart of the great
est forest of the south, comprising pine,
oak, cypress, walnut, ash, hickory,
beech, elm and other woods. The
area of the pine region alone is Is, 900
square miles, much of which is tribu-
tary to the Cotton Belt route. Atnumer-
GUS points from jefferson county on
down to the Louisiana line extensive
lumber mill plants are operating, some
OF which have a cutting capacity of
$4,000 to 10000 feet of lumber a day,
employing force of from $50 to 500 men.
All these lumber plants own and oper.
ate railroad which runs from the mill
ihto The pine forest for logging purposes
ana spur to either the Cotton Belt +
Iron Mountain trunk lines. The fourth
biennial report of w. G. Vincenheller.
chief OF the bureau of manufactures
and agriculture for the state of Arkan-
sas, says: I'm addition to this lumber
product, there is also turned out an
hually, in this state, the following
closely related forest products: Cedar
posts and piling, 1000, 900 pieces;
hickory, 100000 feet; cypress shingles,
o,VoO,ooo'0OO; fellos and slaves, $780,
wo,ooo; poplar, $500, 900; ash, &c, 600, 900;
spokes, 100000. The value of these
swell the total value of the states
forest products to not less than S2O.-
~V'ooO." These figures give an idea of
.ne lumber output of Arkansas. The
hardwood region of the Cotton Belt
route and tributary to it, lies mainly
north OF Grand Prairie, ranging north
ward to the Missouri line. All through
Out TINS section are found stave mills.
suihgie mills, fello and spoke factories.
neaulng mills, oar factories, box fac
,ories' lath machines and turning
.a.nes which convert logs, slabs and
,eiuse material into barrel slaves.
nesus and other articles for the home
auu foreign markets While these
mis- and factories have been for many
Sears an important factor of the states
.omuerce, the number is steadily in
Ueasing' making inroads into the hard
s .oou forests and bringing into the
s'a'e corresponding amount of rev.
eDue, As the denuded regions possess
sou OF fertility, large part of which
:. paced IN market at a nominal price
o,I s III many sections being bought and
UuitiVated by men of limited means co