The Green Forest tribune., 1902-09-20
ROAD IS OPENED TO ST. JOE.
A Tribune Scribe Takes Haunt
 Down to the Front Monday.

The editor of THE TRIBUNE along with Mrs. Russell, Miss Gladys and Master Clayton, boarded the first passenger train for St. Joe in Green Forest Mon- day morning, this being the day set for the opening of the road for traffic through to that point.
 According to the measure by rail, St. Joe is 54.84 miles from Green Forest, the fare being S1.63.
 The trip through to St. Joe and return was made without special incident, no excursion nor cele- brating arrangements having been made on account of the occasion, Manager West as we'll as the other officials and employs of the road having been taxed too greatly with business to lend their attention to such matter at this time.
 There are three stops between Harrison and St. Joe. Bellefonte is the first, being 4.26 miles from Harrison. A cozy depot has been erected at Bellefonte and an agent is now placed in charge. Olvey is next, being 5.49 miles from Bellefonte. Nothing but a nice depot building is to be seen here. which has not yet been opened, Everton comes next, being 4.74 miles from Olvey. Here are three or four new store buildings and from the location and country surrounding, Everton bids fair to become a good business point. From Everton to St. Joe is a strentch of 14.16 miles, making Impossible for each of these places to become important towns.
 The road runs quite close to the old town of St. Joe, but there being no suitable place for a depot, the station is located about a half mile beyond the town, where is a nice location for a town. The railroad company has bought a large body of land at this place, sixty acres of which has been carefully plated for a town site. But the matter of town building is not being agitat- ed much yet. There has been no boom of the old town on the ac- count of the railroad. It is in a bad location, is poorly laid out and none of the buildings are of very substantial nature, has no water supply, and it seems a sort of a matter of common con- sent that the town be moved to the new town location, although no movements in that direction are vet being made. Four stores, two hotels and blacksmith shop about represent the businesses of St. Joe. A school building over which is Masonic hall consti- tutes the only places for public meetings. The town probably has in the neigborhood of a hundred inha bitants.
 Work upon the deep well at this point has again been stopped, a depth of 1900 feet having been reached and no gusher brought in. However, the oil indications are said to be excellent and the promoters of the scheme are not vet inclined to turn it loose.
 St. Joe is surrounded on every hand by what is supposed to be a rich mineral field. Two or three very fine prospects are located close to town, while jack is said to be being taken out in paying quantities only few miles away in several places.
 The people of Searcy may well consider themselves fortunate that a route through that county has been chosen by the St. L. & N. A. railroad rather than in some other direction. It means the country will be advanced a hundred years in the next ten. A market is now afforded for both the products of the mines and the farms, and with every natural advantage afforded the world famed Washington and Benton counties, there is no reason why Searcy along with Carroll and Boone counties shall not take front rank as a fruit producing SactiOn.