Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-29
OUT IN ARKANSAS.
G mpses Ct Men ana Things in State Little
Known 10 the East.

Chauncey NJ. Depew walked into the
Arkansas building at the Chicago
Worlds Fair and said 10 the Little
Rock editor:
Nov, Mr. Mitchell. have got about
thirty Or forty minutes 70 do Arkan-
sas, ana I'd like to see the best things
you've got TO show here for your
state.
Mr. Mitchell led the way and pointed
out the great mass of zinc ore, nearly
seven tons. the varieties of marble, the
hard and the soft woods, the cotton
and the potatoes. and. finally, the
fruit. while Mr.. Depew followed, ask
ing questions almost faster than they
could be answered. When he came to
the apples. the New Yorker exclaimed:
lis il possible such apples came from
Arkansas? Why, They are the equal. |
won't say the superior, Of our New
York pippin. our Duchess, the apples
that We esteem the highest. Do you
tell me sucn aples grow in a low coun-
try Amounting in swamps like Arkan-
sass"
The editor looked rather sharply at
Air DepeW TO be sure it was no joke.
And then he led his visitor 10 the re-
lief map Of the state.
You Will observe, Air. Depew." said
Mr.. Mitchell. that we don't have
much low. swampy country in Arkan-
sas. As you can see, only about one
NTH of the state can be characterized
in that way. The remaining four
ifths is hilly. rising gradually to the
mountains, $500 to 1000 feet high. From
THE slopes and plateaus, at elevations
ranging from 1900 to 1000 feet these ap-
PIES grow.
Nh. Depcu cook his lesson in the
phys. al geography Of the old Bear
state" like man.
II am amazed he said, Arkansas
is nor at all what | thought it was
If man OF the wide range OF
Chauncey NJ. Depew could be so mis-
taken about Arkansas" said Mr. Nit
oh-lI. as he recalled, few days ago,
this experience. what mistaken i'm
pr-seiuus must exist generally about
us""
The president Of the State Horticul-
tura! Society Of Arkansas is S. II. Now
lin, a Nirginian Of high intelligence,
with strong faith in the future Of the
fruit Industry II is an unpleasant
shock to discover that the State HOr-
tiCultuTal Society exists only through
The zeal of leading fruit growers. II
has no place to lay its head officially.
Its proceedings and its papers Of great
value find their way into print only
wnen some newspaper editor recog-
Iizes the worth Of this industry. The
Arkansas Legislature makes no pro-
vision for the encouragement Of fruit
raising. even to the extent of dissent
r-tiug Information about it. If Ar
kansas lent the official recognition TO
horticulture which Kansas does, there
would arise from these Ozark slopes a
smell of apple blossoms which would
scent the entire country.
There are orchards in the northwest
corner Of Arkansas from which a single
crop has realized more that the price
If the farms In the heart of this
northwest quarter Of the state is a
county Searcy which is destired. in
the opinion Of N0wlin and other hOr-
ticulturists. to be one of the greatest
apple producing localities in the Unit
ed States. At the present time Searcy
has not mile of railroad. Worse than
that, its borders are fifty miles and
more from railroad points Yet such
is the productiveness Of this natural
home Of the apple that the fruit IS
hauled overland several days journey
ID reach markets.
'Ihavp seen on the streets Of Little
Rock" Mr.. Nlwlin said. hundreds of
wagon loads of apples brought here
from Searcy county. The general al
titude stems to be just about what is
wanted for apple trees. To the west
ward the Boston Mountains tower,
shutting off the winds. The slopes are
On the lower side of the Ozark uplift.
Danger Of late frosts is the minimum.
The crop il surer than further north.
The quality and flavor Of the Searcy
apples IL unexcelled anywhere else.
Remote and almost inaccessible as
Scarcy is now il is destined 10 remain
so little longer. At the present time
railroad surveying party is running a
preliminary angle line through the
county The Eureka Springs extern
sion with 1000 men strung out on the
grade. is headed toward SearCy. one
road. il not two. will be running con
struction trains into the almost I'M
known section Of the state within
twelve months.
WofulIv lax official Arkansas has been
IN, attention to material development.
Years ago, almost a decade, the state IN
- spasm of good intentions. secured the
services of one OF the best biologists ana
lnineralogists 20 be had. Prof. Brannet
An investigation Of the zinc deposits III
Northwest Arkansas was made under ms
direction Until this time the results
have not been made public, When out
Tide capitalists have been invited TO con
slider the opportunities presented BY TINS
liudeveloped field they have asked often
III there has been any official invesuga-
lion The reply could be made ruthtully
Yes. by the state Geologist, Prof. Bran
ner."
Mention Of the name was sufficient OFT
to deepen interest.
What does Branner Say?' the OUTSIDE
capitalists asked.
The state has not yet appropriated
money for the the publication OF his re-
port" the answer was.
Subsequent proceedings were without
interest. Occasionally, with those in
rlined TO be suspicious the failure of the
state to print the professors conclusion
after having employed him to make the
examination. has prompted the SugGes-
zion that the report must be unfaVorable
or surely Il would have been made pub
lie.
in the closing hours Of the last Legis-
lature a bill was slipped through which
will remove the seeming reDr0dCh on the