The Green Forest tribune., 1900-07-26
ARKANSAS RESOURCES.
Ex-Goy. Fish back Writes for the
 Manufa cturers' Record.

FOfJ SIlllGn appeared III the laSJ issue of Manufacturers Record of New York:
 'In your impression of the 7th inst. you invite discussion of What Lines of Industry Offer Good Opportunities in the South?'
 The Manufacturers Record, or rather it's editor, in a little pam phlet of a few years ago showed by statistics how rapidly the south was out stripping the New Eng land Middle States combined dur ing the decade of 1850 to 1860. There was an inherent cause for this, and that cause was the immensely superior advantage in climate and natural resources of the south. Legislation and war have changed this during the de- cades since, but the same inherent advantages still exist.
 Permit me to take Arkansas as an illustration, because of this state can speak more advisedly.
 It has been said by a Memphis newspaper, which is thorougly conversant with the state, that Arkansas is the richest state in natural resources on the conti- nent; that you might wall it up and shut out all intercourse with the world, yet have all the re- sources for a great empire.
 Yet these resources are scarce- | ly touched. l cite a few:
 1. This state produces every agricultural product raised in the north and many that cannot suc- cessfully be produced by our northern states, such as cotton of of a very superior staple, rice and sugar.
 2. 1t has been estimated by competent judges that if the tim I'ber--hard woods and pine-of Arkansas were harvested and sold they would purchase every acre of land in Kansas and Ne braska at their present assessed values.
 8. Her fruits, especially her apples, have carried off the prem- iums at all the world exposi- tions, and her premium apples are all seedlings, showing that it is the climate and soil which pro duce them.
 4. Within a radius of 120 miles southwest, south and east of the city of Fort Smith are 10000 square miles of coal. Of the coals of this country near Fort Smith the quartermaster-general of the United States army official ly says they are 20 per cent. su- perior to any other in the world yet tested in the heating capacity, while they are entirely smokeless. Coal for manufacturers of this city before the strike in the mines near here last year, and which is not settled, sold for T5 cents per ton. It is now delivered at 90 cents per ton.
 5. The death rate of Arkan- sas, even including our alluyial districts, where the negro popu- lation congregates and lives with out any regard to hygiene, is nearly two per thousand less than any of our northern states. In this city it is only $50 per thou sand.
 6. A railroad now building from Eureka Springs into our zinc fields, 216 square miles in extent and superior in quality to the Missouri ores, according to Prof. Branner, will put this zinc within 160 miles by rail of the coal field of this county, offering fine opportunity for the smelling industry.
 [. We have 2,10a square miles of marble, containing thirteen varieties, in our zinc field, besides onyx, lead, copper, phosphates, tripoh and manganese, and white sand for plate glass.
 8. We have in Southwest Ar kansas four kinds of narl in jux- deposition, a fact which Prof. Branner, as also Prof. Hall in published reports says, seldom occurs,' and that if properly utilized, would be worth more to Arkansas than all the gold dug n,,t cAf th n ,irtl has hnnra 1Ir0rth tn