The Daily Texarkanian., 1897-09-09
ARKANSAS.


walled in, or If some conyulsion of
nature should suddenly separate
her from the rest of the world and
prevent for all time to come COM
munication with other parts OF the
earth's surface, her people would
be dlscommended temporarily, but
they could live and thrive, be hap
py and prosperous. While possess
ing less of the illimitable sweeps of
territory and boundess area of
Texas, California and other Of the
sister commonwealths, she has
more Of the elements OF empire,
more variegated resources than
perhaps any other state in the
Union. There is no blessing vouch-
safed any other state that she does
not possess. Her mountains are
rugged, trowning, craggy, but they
contain the coal of Alabama, the
oynx of Mexico, the iron of Penn
sylyania, the marble Of Maine, the
valuable clay and minerals of the
world. Her cotton lands equal the
Mississippi delta, her wheat lands
vie with the Dakota praires, her
fruit lands excel New Jersey, her
timber lands are greater than those
of Michigan She competes with
Texas in cattle, with Illinois in corn
and hogs, with any and all states in
the elements of greatness Arkan-
sas Is in her infancy, With an area
of 33 ,5l8, 800 acres and with 2S, ,40O,-
$50 acres Of arabic land, only l0,-
140, 600 acres, or less than one third
are in cultivation leaving 1890,
$50 acres awaiting the husbandman
More than 300 miles of navigable
rivers pierce her in various direc-
tions, natures own highway of
commerce OF railroads she has
2, $40 miles in operation, In this re-
spect she Is behind, as will be seen
by reference to the excellent map
which accompanies this number OF
the Commercial Appeal. On the
south and east railroads have en-
tered, but in the vast domain
throughout the central north from
Little Rock tier after tier of eoun-
ties are awaiting the advent of the
iron horse, and practically the same
condition exists in the middle west
from Little Rock, This condition
Of affairs will not long eontInne, A
number Of railroads are projected
aud will be built without state aid
or with It, with private capital or
with state capital The develop
meut processes that are at work,
the ambitious energy Of her people
and the attention the state Is at
tracing must sooner or later bring
every portion Of II In touch with
every other part and the outside
world, There ia no state In the
Union that can boast a greater
variety of natural resources Her
rivers are teemlng with FISH, her
forests are alive with game, her
mountains are filed with rich ores,
her valleys fertile as the valley OF
the Nile, her prairles are rafpeted
with rich grasses, aud her timber
resources arepactieaIy ineShauat'
lble, On every hand h found the
raw material, and a few years will
see II utilized by manufacturing ens
terprIses, Every city, town and
community has its schools and
churches, It's eourtsand eiyie bodies,
! A high state Of civilization exists
"a higher state OF civilization Ia
inevitable, TO the poet and artist
the wild grandeur and magnificent
splehdors of the 0zarks will always
| furnish themes and Inspirations,
The wonders Of her springs and
health resorts, modern Spas aud
Baden padens, will ever be regard
ed as chief among the blessings Civ
Ell by providence TO mankind, >
Commercial Appeal