The Mena weekly star., 1897-08-18
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Regarding Mena and Polk County, Arkansas, Compiled by F. M.
 Reeves & Co.
1st WnERE Is MENA9

miles umth of the south line Of the state.
 2nd. How can l find Mena on map oi Che statt2
 There is no M,na on the map, for until th' first day of August, 1896. the towusite ot Mena WAS nearly an covered with virgin fo' est. but you can fud Dallas, Polk county, on Ghe map. and Mena lies about three miles north of Dallas
 3rd What railroads has Mena2
 One, the Kansas City, PittsburR & Gulf and is the halfway point between Kansas City and Port Arthur. She has round house repair shop and division offices, cold stofgt eating house. aud the only stock feed yards between Kansas City and Port Arthur.
 4th. What lines of business are represent ed now in Mena?
 All retail lines and several wholesale houses. in all over 200 business houses, two weekly and two daily newspapers
 5th. What is the population of Mena?
 Mtna has now a population of $500, which is constantly increasing in numbers.
 9th. What are the church organizations Of Mena?
 Methodist, P,esby terian, Baptist and Catho lie
 7th. What schools has Mena?
 high school ID seven departments, and Catholic Parochial school, and dedication ot th town plat provides l.2 per cent of lot sales must be paid into the city school fund and park and street fund.
 sth What are the trading facilities of Mena and how large territory does she com mand the trade or
 The trading facilities are of the very best as on the north her only competitor IS Fort Smith, at distance of ninety miles; Hot Springs on the east at a distance of eighty five miles; Jansen on the south, a new town on the Pittsburg and Gulf at distance of twenty five miles, and Talihna on the Frisco railroad eighty miles west iu the Indian Ter ritory.
 9th. What is the population of Polk coun ty, and of what nationality are the most Of the people?
 The population of Polk county is now about 5000 people. nearly all native Amer cans, and large majority of them were born in the southern States, but with the excep tiop of nine negro families uolty pelsons) the people are ali Angle saxon.
 10th. What is the general character of the surface of Polk county
 Nearly level basins in the valleys, butabout half the surface of the country IS uudulating ridge or mountain lands.
 llth. What is the general elevation of Polk coupty2
 Its mean elevation is 1850 feet above the sea level. but Rich Mountain, on the north line of the county, rises to the heigth of 3O67 feet, but no other mountain in the county IS over 2000 feet above sea level
 l2tr. What is the climate of Polk county
 Very temperate. It's southern latitude gives it a medium winter without snow aud ice. and it's altitude protects it from extreme heat of the summer season, truly enjoy able ch- mate the year round.
 18th What kind of water is used?
 Splendid spring and well water, always soft and absolutely pure.
 I4th What IS the soil of Polk county?
 The soil is of light color, incEninp toward red, of claynsture, stony on the hill and n,tu2tain sidts, but free from stene in the basins and valleys, and especially adapted to the growth of the pear, peach, ap- pie, grape blackberry, raspberry. quince and the strawberry.
 18th What are the principal crops of the county?
 Corn, oats cotton and the fruits named above, and all kinds of vegetables especially sweet and Irish potatoes.
 I6th What per cent. of the county is in cultivation?
 Not over the one-twentieth part of the sur face of the county is under cultivation, the rest being covered with the original forest Of oak, pine, gum, hieF ory, maple elm. iron wood, dogwood, beech wild cherry and the clinquapin chestnut trees.
 17th. What is the rainfall in the county?
 The mean average rainfall is about fifty. two inches of water, about half of which falls in the winter months the balance during the summer months, nsuring good crops of all kinds.
 lsth What are the chief resources of the county?
 The crops named above. its many kind of lumber, as yet uncut, and the mineral depos- its of it's mountains, which are gold, silver. platinum, copper lead zinc and manganese
 18th. Is it frst-class country for stock raising?
 Yes, if tame grasses timothy, red top. and clover are sown, but the wild grasses of the forest lands are thin but the hog tbrives as nowhere else, caring for himself on the roots and berries of the woodlands, and fattening nn the mast of the fnrest by winter lima