The Green Forest tribune., 1911-12-01
OBSERVATIONS AT LITTLE ROCK

Our visit to Little Rock last week furnished us an opportunity to make some first-hand observations about our capital city that may be of some ln- terest to our readers.
 It had been eight years since We had previously visited Little Rock and so many changes have taken place in that time that it was some time before we could gain our bearings. The old Iron Mountain depot has been replaced by a structure that is strictly modern in every particular and fully in keeping with the business this giant system enjoys at the states greatest business center.
 After leaving the station the first sight that catches the eye is the new capitol building The impression gained at the distance is that it is a most magnificent structure and the opinion is not changed after you have been through the building With one pos sible exception, 1t is the finest capitol building in he south and 1t viii com pare favorably with that of any state m the union. The cost, however, has been fully i'll keeping with the magnifl~ cence of the great structure, and then some. Nobody yet dares to estimate the whole sum that will have been spent by the time the building IS finally completed and the necessary surround ings secured.
 There have been some very great ia1- provements in the city in an industrial way. The buildings of the Southern Trust Co.,, the State National Bank and the Marion Hotel are imposing in- deed and would be creditable in any city, while many other buildings of less pretentious designs have gone up i'll the past decade
 Our state capital probably presents the greatest variety of architecture and pride of any city in the land. Un- der the very shadows of these modern sky scrapers are buildings that would disgrace any community. Shacks or nuts that have been there for the past thirty or forty years and from even be- fore the civil war are permitted to stand without sign of repair. It was a glance at these dilapidated old houses that first brought US to realize that we were again in Little Rock.
 The climax of eye sores, however, is not reached until you visit the old capi- tol building which is the most miser- able old oat roost on top of civilization. Here 1t stands, caving in, falling to pieces and rotting down right in the heart Of the business district of the city, occupying ground that would bring the state four hundred thousands dol lars. It is indeed fitting monument to the imbecility of the men who domi- mated the last legislature and refused On account of sentiment" to let a bursted state treasury realize one penny out of the old trap. Talk about preserving the old hulk, why it would take $50, 900 to bring to the point of re- spectabilty, and many thousands each year to keep it in repair. Its only oc- cupants now besides the bats and owls are the state treasury and tine su- preme court. It was suggested the treasurer's office mad not been moved for the reason it had nothing to move and the supreme court is so far behind with it's work that it can't get time to make the transfer.
 It was our pleasure while in the city to meet several people about whom our readers have more or less concern.
 Bert Jernigan, 9 former Green For est boy, is making good as banker, being connected with the Citizens h. vestment Co., He added much to our pleasure by the courtesy of an auto ride. He is married and lives in a fashionable portion of the city.
 Dell Evans, son of Dr. W. A. Evans who some years ago practiced medicine at Rule, is assistant to the chief of the clerk of the railway mail service and is prominent. He was delighted to have an opportunity to hear something from his old home. He says his father is still living and is practicing his pro- fession at Hearyetta, Okla.
 Clio Harper was one of the first familiar faces to greet us in the new state house. We have known Harper always. He has been in Little Rock about twenty years. For a dozen years he was editor of the Little Rock Demo- crat, but recently withdrew from the publication and founded the Arkansas Free Lance. end :s right now doing q stunt ad the expoaing political corrup- tion in the state. Up to the present time he has received but one licking. If Harper makes good at his present job it might bring some distinction to The Tribune as his first newspaper artacM wag pubHs.stu in this paper in