Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-18
QUEER WHITE RIVER
II is THE cROokEDEST STREAM ON
THIS CONTINENT.
Seven Times II Crosses the Missouri
Arknpsas Border and Travels Per-
hnps 1000 Miles to Progress 1870.
The WrcrI. of the Mary G..

From its four heads in the Boston
mountains to Batesvllc, whore it leaves
the Ozalfs and enters the Arkansas low
lands, White river is succession Of as
tonishing curves No other river on the
continent so nearly and so frequently
doubles upJn itself. From the source
to the fiat country is a distance on a
straight line of perhaps $50 miles. White
river between these points has a course
OF over 600 miles; some estimates make
it 900 miles.
The beginning is near the Indian Terri
tory border in the western part of Ar
kansas. The water runs toward all points
of the compass in quick succession many
times before it adopts a comparatively
direct course to the Mississippi. From
the Boston mountains the general course,
with many bend and curve, is north
ward and northeastward into Missouri.
Probably the highest point in this dircc-
ton is Forsyth, near the center of fancy
county From this pluce the White wrig.
giles its way back into Arkansas and down
through Marion county, to where the
Buffalo joins it. But not until the Mis-
souri-Arkansas border has been crossed
seven times does the uncertain stream
bear away to the outhcastward to stay.
Adding to the marvel Of White rivers
eccentric meandcrings are the walls OF
rock which tower from 200 to 800 feet
often from the waters edge. A birdseye
view from above would show the river
deep set in canyon of continuous and
often sharp curvatures. \ mile of river
in a straight line is unusual The can
yonlkc valley of the White narrows in
places almost to the channels width.
Over most of the course it is wide enough
for strip of fertile bottom land along
the river. The water wanders from one
side of the valley to the other 1t washes
the base of the towering palisades first
on the right and then on the left. 1t
maintains close relationship with a cliff
for half dozen miles. Then it sudden
~ crosses through the bottom lands and
hugs the opposite frowning mass.
On bright day n stretch of the wind
ing river seen from the summit of the
palisades shimmcrs like well polished sill
yer. white" aptly describes the APP
pearance. A nearby view from the banks
reveals Il degree of purity which is not
equaled by any other western river. The
contrast Of comparison with the streams
which flow through alluval country is
striking. White river has its origin in
mountain springs. Numberless under
ground channels in the limestone strata
help to swell the volume. Tributaries
vary from tiny rivulets starting high up
on the benches of the mountains to pow
crful streams which gush forth with a
roar from beneath shelves of overhang-
ing rock. Twenty miles below Forsyth,
beside the White, is McGill spring, which
pours out from tho face of the cliff n
body of water strong enough to run a
large mill. 1t is type of hundreds, while
the smaller and unnamed springs can
only be enumerated by tens of thousands.
The Buffalo, the Crooked and the North
Fork in like manner grow from the
springs along their courses and add to
the White their contributions of the
same clear, sparkling water
Only when heavy rainfall occvrs in the
watershed of the White does the water
lose its distinctive character. Even then,
while the rocky surface conveys to
the river a considerable portion of the
rainfall stained by the vegetation and
the soil, the greater part sinks into un'
foreground reservoirs and courses and.
slowly tltcring and settling, reaches the
river through the springs. which defy the
longest drought periods. White river
after protected rains. A 40 foot rise is
not extraordinary in the contracted parts
Of the valley. The water assumes a dirty
whitsh look But the food subsidies
quickly, the current clarifies even more
rapidly, and the river runs steadily dur
ing the dry season. 1t is not want Of
water which causes the unnavigate
stage. 1t is the character of the channel
"A series of long levels and of short rap
ids. If the current was evenly distribute
ed there would be depth enough for the
light draft stern whcclers all the year
Many years ago Forsyth was reached
by steamboats, on White river. The bold
navigators pushed their stern wheelers &c
the foot of the rapids. Then they sent
the rouStabouts clambering over rocks
and through the trees, dragging the tow
line its full length. The upper end was
strongly fastened to stand the strain
The boat end of the hawser was wounC
around the capStan. With the paddle
wheels driven by every pound Of pressure
available and with the donkey engin,
winding in the towine, the boat dragged
and pushed itself up foot by foot through
the foaming rapids After the passag,
was made a long reach of smooth, deer
water made easy progress for perhaps 20
perhaps 80, miles. In this way Forsyth
was reached And when the boat, load
ed to the guards" with lead and cottor
and hogs and the various products of The
White river country, turned Prov dowI
stream there was little to do but t.
trust to Providence and the nerve of thu
man behind the pilot wheel. The aurren
did the rest
One day, in spirit OF daring. Captain
Bateman said he was going to take TIT
Mary G. to Forsyth if il was her las
trip. He made McBee's and the othe
landings above Buffalo City and triumph
antly awole the echoes of the heights o
Pine mountain as the boat came in sigh
of Forsyth. But pride went before tn
worst fall that could happen to steam
boatman, In trying to turn the Mary c
to head down stream, the captain faile'
to gauge the width of the channel. ii
ran her nozzle ag'in the bank" on on
side The stern went around with
sweep and lodged against a gravel bar Of
the other side. The Mary G. lay for
few moments broadside in the channel
blocking it. There was creaking an
grooming The hog chains parted. TIL
Mary C.'s black was broken" TIL
wreck lay there until the elements wor
it to pieces. That was the end Of naviga
ton to Forsyth.-St Louis GlobeDemc
crat.
Got Home by Accident.
Dads been runnin fer Office ten year
steady" he said, hut the other day h