The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-05-19

the score of its zinc territory; and in
other respects, it is becoming equally
known that it is adapted to dense
population as the best mountain re-
gions of the United States. 1t is a
meritorious case in all senses of the
word, which is borne out in the fact
that the country has helped itself to
present realizations in which stran-
gers share, without help from extra
neous or outside sources OF any kind.
1t is the secret of its mineral and
railroad development, and no class
of people more appreciate this phase
of the situation than do those who
have money to invest in mines and
railroads of new country.
The extent to which the question
of north and south roads, into the
Arkansas mineral field, is largely de-
termined by the topography of this
county, may be conceived from this
circumstance, OF it's highways hay-
ing been laid along trails, from the
Arkansas river to the Missouri river
that were used by voyageurs and
Indians who had an eye to the least
toilsome passages of the Ozark
mountains; and who at the same
time folio wed only a common instinct
when selecting the shortest routes
between given points that were 9th
erwise conditioned to the first named
requirements of the case.
These routes of early travel
through the Ozark mountains were
notedly the Dardanelle Trail, (begin-
ming at New, Orleans and ending at
St. Joseph, Mo, Js- enc way "a Eos 1
Miro, now Monroe, La, and Hot
Springs) the course ofwhich through
North Arkansas was via Richland
creek, western part of this county.
A second one was the Arkansas Post
and St. Joseph Trail, the route of
which, via the landmark of Boat or
Pilot mountain, Boone Co., was
through the Little Red river valley
of White, Cleburne, Van Buren, and
this county, the heads of which are
one mile south and three miles east
OF here. A third one was known as
the Natchitoches and St. Louis Trail 4,
the route of which was via Wiley's
Cove, Water Greek, and Shawnee
town, now Yellville, Marion Co.,
and the Little North Fork river a
Missouri continent OF White river.
1t was upon these three trails that
all others converged, whether from
Napoleon, La, or Natchez, Miss, to
st. Joseph Mo-, or from Nacadogches,
Tehuacana. San Antonio and San
Saba, Texas, to st. Louis. And the
only exception observed in the case
of past surveys for railroads, to the
rule of the greatest travelled high
ways following ancient trails over
the mountains, was the element OF
traffic as depended upon the particu-
lar region it was proposed to con-
meet with Little Rock and the Gull
of Mexico. But which conditions
are unexpectedly modified at this
time by the discovery of mineral. or
the discovery of considerable mineral
areas in North Arkansas that call
for connections of their own, other
things, beside the mineral, being
equal.
The Arkansas Northern survey oil
year ago, via Big Greek, eastern
part of this county, and thence via
the canyon of Buffalo river to the
Morning Star mining country, Ma.
rion county-is an example of what
is meant. The route seemed called
for, at the time, upon the ground o.
traffic possible to the mineral resour
ces of that particular region. But
as is now known, the cost of con.
struction over that route, as well az
important mineral discoveries over
a larger area OF territory, will lead
its projectors to consider other ap
proaches to North Arkansas, if any
thing is to be left in the treasury tc
pay for equipment, and for opera
ting expenses, until mines have beer
put under Roadway as regular pro
ducers.
Other departures from ancient
routes of travel through the Arkan
sas and Missouri mountains, will b,
tried, no doubt. But, il anything
comes Of the effort to build nortl
and south roads into the minera
field, and the rights Of hackers an,
stocLk ,,id... nrotected I, a.. coo