The Daily Texarkanian., 1897-06-21
VISIT 70 RICH MOUNTAIN.
Impressions Of the Mountain
Region of Polk County
Around Mena, Ark.
A HIGH AND HEALTHY COUNTRY.
Something About the Water, Climate,
Products and People,
A HIGH AND HEALTHY COUNTRY,


George W Fouke, W. A, Williams
aud the editor Of this paper, left
via the "Port Arthur Route" to
take in the mountain region Of
Polk county around Mena, Arko
with a view Of locating a colony
thereabouts ior the cheated term
First let us speak Of the new rail-
road, built under so many difficult
ties, through the mountains beyond
Horatio, Sewer county, While It
is true there are no mountains,
properly speaking, until Polk coun-
ty is reached slill there are many
many high hills which make rail
road building very difficult, Rail.
road winds in aud out Of these hills
and along the small streams, grad
ually reaching a higher altitude,
Near the little new town Of Gillham
we entered Polk county While at
the station we asked a native boy
Of about Is summers, what county
that was, he replied "GiIlham;' we
repeated the question and he said,
"Arkansas" evidently he did not
know the name Of the county in
which ne lived, Messrs Buchanan
aud lrouke sat back In the sleeper
and enjoyed our coIloquy Train
did not stop at llatton Gap as road
has built a town just beyond, Be
tween lIordtio and Menl are many
deep cuts aud high embannnents
II seems almost a wonder road ever
got through without tunnelng in
many places IT cost many ndllions
Of dollars to complete the railroad
over this mountainous country
Arrived at Meua at 6Ij, l0S
miles north Of TcXarkana, and took
QuarCera at Hotel Mena That al
Ilernoon aud the next mQruIng we
took In the city aud visited Its
pretty park and drank of the al
most Ice cold, sparkling water now'
Ing from large spring Water Is
indeed fine, pure Ireestone aud
soft, Mena Is a live city, elauNta
population Of 5000 souls for a place
less than one year old II isamaryel,
Has dozens Of enlcrprIang mer.
chants, two daily papers and sever
Al weekllea, q number OF Wholesale
establishments The Il, o. =, & q,
railrod round house ID located here,
and a branch line Ia to be built to
Hot Springs This will help make
II a good live city, County seat
will no doubt be moved there from
Dallas We found quite a nimber
former TeSafkaniahs In business,
among them Mr. w. j. Gallagher,
who enjoys good trade In dry
goods the two Chic brothers, In
charge Of q confectionery and Ice
cream parlof George Treher with
the railroad eompanyi Sheeley
Sbccn, with the Ice eompanyi ja3k
Knudson, In the plumbing bus,neasi
| q u. Doyle In charge of the Booth
furniture store, "a branch Of store
hefe) All appeared satisfied aud
doing fairly we'll
Saturday morning party visited
Dallas aud the Bethesda aprlngt
near there, four miles southeast OF
Mena, There arc thlfty'two min.
efal spfInes, impfegnated with
maghesla, iron, sulphur etc, All
were pleased with location and wa.
ter a cool retreat fomanlltally
situated Ina winding canyon Of the
mountains After having looked
I around Meua II was voted 10 10.
cate a 'fcXarltdna colony AZ these
aprIuga II possible The roads
around II are hard and firm, aud
can easily be lrayefsed by wheeled
vehicles, including bicycles II Ia
the intention to procure tents with
a general eating house, aud spend
the nummur here, provided bIX or
more famlloa viii join together,
Nights are delightfully."- cool here
aud the mineral water will prove
highly beneficial 10 many The
lUuathita river heads near and
there Is fine OobIng four or i've
miles dhlaut An kinds Of fruit
and vegetables are 10 be found Al
your own price, aud We are inform.
pd that fine spring chickens could
br had tofOlolO cents
Whllpal Dallas. We met Mai. i,
N Benefited, who WAS there fuf his
health He is pleased With the
springs
Saturday afternoon accompanied
by tovnallu agent " r. Laudou,
and the hotel man. Mr. kramer,
party took bnggts and visited Rich