The Mena weekly star., 1918-09-19
THEY ALWAYS COME BACK.
Former Arkansawyer Dcg-n t'
 Mena to Get in On Manganese.

Former Arkansawyer lsc.G-n to
 Mena to Get in on Manganese.
 Proof that a wandering Arkan- sawyer, no matter how far he may roam, always comes back to the land he first loved is furnished in the com ing of F. H. Mitchell to Mena's man. ganese field. There's world of TO- mantle interest in his recital of a three weeks cross continent journey from the Pacific coast to the Ozarks in a Dodge Mitchell is here prepared to make a minute investigation into the manganese proposition. If con- vinced the Mena field offers sufficient inducements he proposes to secure New York and other eastern capital in backing manganese development on a big scale If it's here he says he doesn't want to get in with any piker ante. but is ready to start with half a million.
 A quarter century ago Mitchell was a youth living in Hot Springs His first visit to Mena was in the days when a railroad grading camp occu. pied the townsite. He and Floyd Huff now Judge Huff of Garland county composed a pair of youthful nimrods that came over from Hot Springs or a hunting trip. While on that expe- dition Mitchell, even then as now in. terested in minerals, discovered evi- dences of rich ores in and around Sugar Tree mountain and in other To- calities about Shady.
 There was no interest in mangan. ese those days and the Hot Springs lads ended their hunt and went home In later years the quest for minera' wealth led Mitchell westward. He has not been stranger in many of tho big mining centers of California, Ari zona, Nevada and other states.
 It was at Battle Mountain, Nevada that the erstwhile Arkansawyer found what Dame Fortune had reserved foi him. In other words he made his pile and decided to get the proper enjoy. ment of his wealth.
 It was during this casing up period that he heard Uncle Sam's call fol manganese. Merories of that boy hood hunting trip to Mena were re vived and he recalled the fact of find ing manganese ore on Sugar Tree . mountain.
 Like a good patriot he was, ant like all wanderlust suffering residents of the Bear state. he decided to come back to Arkansas and investigate.
 Accompanied by his friend. ohr Chiono, a high-class mining man oi Hawthorne, Mitchell headed his trusty little Dodge eastward.
 Motorists of Mena interested ir transeontinental tours would find il most entertaining to hear Mitchell tel of the trip from Battle Mountain tS Mena. It's a stirring tale of striving against adverse fortune. They were three weeks on the road. there wer, breakdowns and delays. Mitchell useC <, up thirteen castings and ten inner tubes or the 2500-mile journey.
 But the little old Dodge got then thru, even tho she limped into Mens Friday morning after an all-nigh ride from DeQueen with broker springs and busted frame hastil, repaired with 2x4s fastened in plac, with baling wire. That Mitchell had mt forgotten all his early training il evidenced by his admitting the use O baling wire and in cutting a whit oak prize pole" to raise the ear whel the jack broke down.
 He's here now and says he's happy He ought to be, to hear him sin, praises of the excellence of the spring water and the superiority of Arkan sas apples and other fruits over tn western products. Maybe he was hun gry for some of that good old corr bread made from home grown meal Anyway Mitchell says he didn't find decent bit of pone until he passed tn Arkansas line.
 If some of the Glooms who mar tn scenery of the 0zarks and apologiz every time they mention Arkansa could only hear what this returning prodigal has to say in praise of tn land of his boyhood, it would giv them she'll shock.
 Mitchell is booster for Arkansa and doesn't give blank who know it. l have referred to him as a re turning prodigal, but unlike his Bibli cal prototype he isn't coming back fo the fatted calf. He wants manganese
 Mitchell was somewhat surprise to learn of the developments alread made in the Mena field. But he be lieves here is always room for on more and on this theory is preparin to get in on big scale while the get ting is good Jus as quickly as tn garage men can repair his damage car, Mitchell will start on a tour o inspection of the various places i