The Portland daily press., 1897-09-01

as place can be on the lowlands. A
driven well furnishes an abundant supply
of water.
Mr.. Williams is having an uphill time
of the work. When he settled down to
work, after securing the lease from the
owners, he posted the lake for the pur-
pose of keeping the multitudes out.
White signs were put up about the lake
shores and the roads leading to them,
reading,
This lake has been leased to J. J, Will
liams of Memphis. All persons trespass
ing on these premises will be prosecuted
to the extent of the law.
]. j. WILLIAMS
GEORGE G. GRIFFITH.
There is a fierce rivalry between Bald
Knob and Searcy, the county seat of
White county. Searcy has her medicinal
springs of great merit andiher schools and
colleges, but Bald Knob has two rail
roads, through line from st. Louis to
Texas and branch line from Memphis,
while her rival has to be content with a
branch from the main line. When Bald
Knob suddenly sprung into prominence
by reason of being the place from which
most of the pearl hunters started to the
lakes the little county seat grew jealous,
dllu uST NluyOI tuu SoNOIdl lOhdihS5 StS~
zens came to the front with protest
against any one having the sole right to
the pearl fisheries in Murphy and Walker
lakes. This protest took very interesting
and somewhat exciting form. The news
spread abroad that a company from
Searcy was coming to fish and hunt pearl
and would dare any one to Interfere. with
them. A large delegation from Bald
Knob was on the ground when they came,
to see what was to be done. There were
shot guns plenty and some rifles which
made it look more ''scarey'' than it really
was 1t is common thing in the wooded
countries for men passing about to carry
a gun, not for protection but for the pur-
pose of killing game.
by the citizens of the rival towns as the
Searcy teams drove along the dim road
way by the camp of Mr.. Williams work
men and the people who had gathered out
of curiosity. When the Searcy people had
had time enough to camp and start to
work, Mr.. Richards, accompanied by
many of the Bald Knob people, started
for the rival camp. Again there were
kindly greetings, and brother Masons
grasped the outstretched hands of brother
Masons over the threatened breach, and
the matter was discussed in businesslike
way.
The Mayor of Searcy, A. W. Yarnell,
knew what he was doing. Then Mr..
Richards told the party that any one who
fished or hunted for pearls in those lakes
would be arrested as Mr.. Williams had
leased the lakes, and did not wish them
interfered with. A. T. Smith, leading
citizen of Searcy, said that upon investi-
cation he had found that the land was
government land and found that no indi-
vidual had a right to claim or lease it,
and that they, with that understanding,
had as much right there as any one else.
He thereupon drew from his pocket the
documentary evidence of his position
which was an affidavit from the County
Clerk setting forth what he had stated.
Mr. Williams was fortified in like
manner with deed for the same property
duly recorded in the County Clerk office
with page and book stated. 81
Mr.. Smith declared that under the laws
of Arkansas piece of property ould not
be posted without being fenced, and If it
were, it was no violation of the law to
treat the land as public domain. Both
sides were firm. AS neither yielded Mr..
Richards took all the names in the party
and went to Bald Knob to swear out
warrants charging each with trespass,
but on reflection and consultation with
counsel, it was deemed best to begin in
junction proceedings in chancery, re-
straining these and all other intruders
lTOlu blSSIt1Ss uutll bu0 law III UIiG CtS0
could be fully Investigated, and so the
case now stands. The Searcy people
withdrew the following day to lake
that was not under dispute and proceeded
to have good time, regardless of the
little disturbance, which did not appear
to discomfort either party.
The pearls obtained are very beautiful.
They bear slight pink tinge, that some
Ftimes appears to be perfectly white, but
not the white Of the average pearl on the
market. They are sof unusual size and
Of the finest texture, and bring the high
est market prices. # the pearl beds prove
as inexhaustible as Mr.. Williams hopes,
then Arkansas will be one of the richest
states in the Union, for choice gems are
being found in almost every lake and
stream in the entire state Thousands
of dollars worth have been sold already
from the different streams and lakes, and,
the industry has hardly begun.