The log cabin Democrat., 1921-04-30
GRAPHIC PICTURE
 OF EARLY CONWAY
DRAWN BY |. (. LINCOLN
Conway Pioneer Saw Evil of One Crop System-Foreeast Great
 Growth of County.

Conway in the year 1SS6 are graphi- caIly described with q high degree of accuracy in a pamphlet issued that year by the late Louis C. Lincoln, a I-copv of which is the value possession of Enc Hilliard. In view of the pres ent enforced breaking away from cot ton as the sole crop of the county, one statement by Nr Lincoln is high 1 ly prophetic and applies to 1921 con- ditions with equal force. His fore cast of the development of the state and county is also accurate and proves the vision through which he saw the county which was to emerge from Faulkner of 1SSS.
 The pamphlet enumerates the re- sources of the town situated on site which 15 years before had been a ''howling wilderness The popula- tion was 1,700; the public school had four teachers and an enrolment of about 200; there were 34 one and two-story brick business buildings and 51 mercantile firms, mostly do- ing a general business. and the total cotton shipped was 10000 bales. The churches and fraternal organizations were named and mention made of three newspapers published here One was the Log Cabin, of which J. W. Cnderhill was proprietor. the sec ond was the Democratic Guard, of which J. G. Woods was editor, and the third was the Faulkner County Wheel. l with C. B. Farmer as editor. City warrants were worth 100 cents on the dollar. Industrially, the town had a flour and grist mill two cotton gins. chair, broom and barrel factories and was assured of wagon factory. The three hotels were the Fincoln, Far row and Francisco. Two hundred carloads Of merchandise were shipped to Conway the previous year.
 | Crops grown in the county are treat ed at length in the interesting pamph let. MT. Lincoln proved himself an early apostle of diversification by his statement on cotton. Our bottom lands yield an average of about one bale to the acre." he wrote, "and our uplands about one-half bale. This year. however the yield will be far in ex- cess of this. But our northern friends do not like the idea of cotton and they are about right about it. 4 country which Is so happily adapted to the rais- ing of so many different products which treble the profit realized from cotton ad with one-tenth the cost of raising 1t, ought to quit the cotton business, or at least make it a sec ondary consideration. Indeed, some of our farmers are learning this as can be seen by the interest they are mani festing in the culture of grapes, straw berries, peaches, etc, the shipments of which are increasing every year.
 Concluding his summary of the county's resources, MT. Lincoln also predicted it's growth. After writing the above," his statement says, T have carefully read it over and don't think have drawn upon my imagina- ton, but have attempted to give fair and honest statement of facts. Now Ii any one may chance to read .his and wishing further information, just drop me a line-enclosing stamp, and will answer promptly. If you con- template coming west, come to Faulk- ner county for I'll tell you that Ar kansas is on the eve of a big boom and the time is not far distant when lands will quadruple in value
 As a piece of printing, the parph- let Is also interesting. It was pro- duced by the Log Cabin Printery and illustrated with cuts made in Chicago. Not having a stapler or stitching ma chine, the leaves were sewed togeth- CT on an ordinary sewing machine and the cover pasted on, resulting in a very creditable piece of work.
 4 certificate of approval by the late F. II. Nerriman, then county and pro- bate judge; is contained in the pamph- let. Judge Merriman praised Faulkner as the county for the "enterprisinq capitalist and the frugal and energetic home seeker"
 . The building trades could esily stimulate a boom if prices of those : days could be duplicated now. Best ; quality lumber could be delivered 1T 2 Conway al $l0 or sl1 per thousand , and "A No. l" shingles were quoted al . $2.50 per thousand. Common farm z labor drew $1 per day for it's work i and teachers were paid from $30 tc , $l00 per month although it is a saft
 guess to surmise the $100 class wal 5 limited. Milch cows could be bough : from $14 to S25.
 | Railroads proposed that year did no r materialize and MT. Lincoln's pre- ; diction that Conway would compete I with Little Rock did not come to pass ] The Iron Mountain, then controlled b!