Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-21
IN THE OZARK RANGE
Where lWalids Seek the Virtues
of the Waters.
A TOWN FULL OF VALLEYS
Scenes Like Those of Alpine or Tyro-
lean Villages.
ROADS sHAMEFULLY NEGLECTED
Eureka Springs the Only Republican
Davis and Berry for Senatorship.
By WILLIAM L. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence Of The star and the Chicago
Record Herald
EUREKA SPRINGS. Ark, March IL 1905
In the northwest corner of Arkansas.
near the Missouri boundary. at the summit
of the Ozark range of mountains 1000 feet
above the sea, and the highest point
between the .Alleghanies and the Rocky
mountains, Is group of remarkable
springs OF cold water both pure and me-
dicinal Their virtues We're discovered and
proclaimed about 1879 although the Usage
Indians have legends concerning them
settlement of invalds and spectators
gathered here quickly. and instead of giving
,, the place some picturesque and appropriate
Indian name, they called it Eureka"
Powell Clayton. r. C. Kerens. the late
Logan III. Roots and their associates, built
a railway track to the springs, nineteen
| miles from Seligman station on the Frisco
road. and, on the highest eminence in the
vicinity, they built comfortable and at
tractive hotel. Logan II. Roots, who was
worthy of all admiration for ability integ-
rity and public spirit has gone to his re-
ward. General Clayton, the first citizen of
Arkansas. has just returned from eight
years service as ambassador to Mexico aud
proposes to spend the rest of his life at
Eureka Springs. He likes the climate
and the scenery, and finds Ii a restful and
satisfactory home He has large interests
here and has done great deal to build up
the town.
Mr.. Kerens also spends several months
here every season and has selected a site
where he expects to build handsome
home. He has recently completed pretty
little chapel in memory of his mother. 1t
stands near the Crescent Hotel, overlooking
the town, upon the spot where she stood
when he saw her last alive. about seven
years ago. He leaving for st. Louis
and she waved her hand to him across the
gorge.
Came as Invalids.
There are now about 1909 permanent res
idents at Eureka Springs, about TO per cent
of them from the northern states and 50
per cent health seekers. Nearly all the
business men were invalids who came here
hopelessly i'll from Brghts disease and
other ailments of the kidneys and the blood
Several citizens now most active in the af-
fairs of the town were brought In on lit
tiers. Two-thrds Of the houses We're built
by health seekers from the north, and they
have grated northern enterprise and taste
upon Arkansas Indifference and shiftless
ness. making curious medley. The natural
surroundings are beautiful, but there Is an
unfinished look about the town. Some OF
the streets and many of the back yards
are Uttered with rubbish, as If the occu-
pants did not have energy enough to clean
up; and it seems to be the fashion to
keep the wood pile on the front porch. Evil
IDENTIFY the populace are still in the utilitar-
ian period of development and have not en-
tered the aesthetic period
1t Is a curious fact, apparent everywhere
you 60 that people find it easier not to do
things that effect appearances. Many i'm
migrants from the north fall into the shift
less habits of the natives instead of teach
ing them Yankee habits of neatness and
thrift as they should do. From the way
in which the rubbish lies around it would
seem that many of the newcomers have
caught the Arkansas fever, when they
ought to make Eureka Springs neat and
tidy place.
The roads are simply disgracefu. One of
the main streets, which leads from the
railway station up the principal valley, IS
almost impassable, and visitors cnnnot
drive about the surrounding country eX-
cept TO two or three places They are COM
PEELED to go horseback. 1t is eXpla med
that the constitution of Arkansas prohibits
this or any other town from borrowing
money for public improvements and that
The proceeds from taxes are not sufficient
to keep the roads in repair without ConS.d-
erlng new ones. But there ought 10 be
public spirit enough to put the principal
streets in order and the citizens might
clean up a little and do a lot Of things that
don't cost money