The Forrest City times., 1898-10-21
IMPROVE THE WATERWAYS
Would Lead to the Development of
the Ri:hest Mineral Sections
of the State.
4 QUESTION FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Start the Boats and Mills and Factories
Will Soon Materialize- Electric Lights
and Electric Tramways Can BE Estab-
lished in All Parts of Arkansas.

1t was said long ago that there was
enough water power running TO waste
In Arkansas to operate all the mills and
factories of the southwestern states.
Locks and dams, aside from their use
for improving navigation constitute an
ideal base for manufacturing opera
tions. The water power which will be
created by locking and damming White
river and its navigable tributaries will
be sufficient not only to propel all the
machinery necessary to manufacture
the raw products of the southwest, but
1T will afford vast reserve power TO be
used for evolving electricity. The uses
to which electric power can be applied
are numerous. All the afiuents of
White river penetrate land exhaust
less in natural resources; rich beyond
dreams both in mineral and agricul-
tural wealth. To throw these regions
open to communication with the world
of commerce is light and compare
lively inexpensive task in this era of
splendid engineering achievements,
especially where electric power is avail
able. Electricity in store to move cars
on narrow or broad tracks will suggest
the expediency of building railroads
into the interior from every point on
the streams where locks and dams are
located to bring the mineral and other
products of the country to the base of
shipment.
With available electricity, every town
will soon be resplendent with arc lights,
and the system will extend to towns
and villages remote from the sites
where the electric current is stored,
thus bringing the populace under new
influences as well as new light. Not
only can power be leased to isolated
villages and towns for lighting pur-
poses, but also for operating machin-
cry, and as the state will own and con-
troll the system, a vast revenue will
accrce to the public treasury, while
substantial benefits and hopeful infiu-
ences are being spread over the dis
tricts affected. A double service is by
this means rendered--taxation is re-
duced and resources developed.
A few details are deemed admissible
and desirable. 1t is assumed that
White river can be made navigable the
year round from it's mouth to a point
within ten miles of Fayetteville. From
the latter point TO the mouth of Black
river there are 2S shoals requiring a
lock and dam; that is to say, we have
2S times the power which this stream
affords at the nearest dam to head
waters, reinforced by its confiuents; in
other words, the lower we descend the
stream, the greater the water power by
reason of the increase in volume. To
this may be added the available power
OF such tributary streams as the Big
North Fork, James Fork, Buffalo Fork
and that portion of White river which
energies from above Forsyth, These
streams drain north and northwest
Arkansas, besides vast scope Of south.
west Missouri, extending to within a
few miles of Springfield, every acre Of
which is fruitful with minerals and
timber, not to mention other elements
of wealth in the form of lands for desir-
able farm homes.
At this writing it is said Arkansas
mas about 500 able-b bodied convicts
available, with prospect of recruits to
the number of few hundred more
when the autumn term of circuit court
shall have ended. But admitting that
the available working force will be
kept at 500, the state can divide this
number into eight working details of
100 men each and have the work of con-
structing locks and dams progressing
at eight different points at the same
| time.
Next in Importance to opening White
river and tributaries to navigation is
the establishment of water power for
manufactures. Dams constructed for
the purpose oflocking boats over shoals
may be said to be so much towards
manufactures, rs they are available for
such uses and can be 30 used without
detriment to the business of carrying
boats from one level to another. In
other words, dams constructed for lock.
ing purposes are rs advantageous for
water power as though built solely
for milling purposes. These water
powers will inevitably attract mills and
factories. Cotton mills are coming
southwark. Who can fortell the mum.
Der of these plants that would be
planted at the dams on White riveri
In making an estimate it should be re-
membered that the dams, which afford
water privilege, also afford boating