F 
 
 
 4/( 
 
 
 U 
 
 
 
 DODGE'S 
 
 
 
 GEOGRAPHY 
 
 
 
 OF 
 
 
 
 ARKANSAS 
 
 
 
 HINEMON 
 
 
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 Rand M^NaUr & Co. 
 
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fUBHARY of C0NaS£3s| 
 Two Copies Heceiruf! | 
 
 MAR 5 IJ08 I 
 
 wupyieni entry 
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 Class. 
 Book. 
 
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 Copyright ]»J^. 
 
 copyRiGirr deposit. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 By John H. Hinemon, former State Superintendent of Schools, Arkansas 
 
 Copyrigh", lOOS, liy Ran-l. McNally t Co. 
 
 I. ARKANSAS AS A WHOLE 
 Location and Size. Arkansas (pronounced 
 
 Ar'k«n-sa'). one of the Southern States of the 
 Mississippi Basin, lies between the parallels 
 of T,;^ degrees and 36 degrees 30 minutes north 
 latitude. The state extends westward from 
 the Mississippi River about 250 miles, and 
 the distance from its northern to its southern 
 boundary line is about 240 miles; in shape, 
 therefore, it is almost a square. (Fig. 2.) It 
 contains an area of 53,850 square miles, of 
 which 53,045 square miles are land. This 
 makes Arkansas twenty-third in size among 
 the states of the Union, its area being about 
 one-fifth that of Texas and about the same 
 as that of Alabama and North Carolina. 
 
 Surface. All the principal rivers of the 
 state run either in a southerly or south- 
 easterly direction. (Fig. 4.) This shows us 
 that the general surface of Arkansas is an 
 inclined plane with its base along the rivers 
 of the south and east and extending upward 
 toward the mountains of the northwest. 
 These mountains are a part of the Ozark 
 Plateau. (Adv. Geog., Fig. 191.) North of 
 the Arkansas River and extending from the 
 western boundary to the Black River are the 
 Boston Mountains. In the western part of 
 the state the Magazine Mountains lie south 
 of the Arkansas, while still farther south 
 are the Fourche Mountains. The scenery 
 throughout all the mountainous section of 
 northwestern Arkansas and along the White 
 
 Fig. I. .1 sccuc :ii M.in^'i: ''•niitty in the pictnrr-.qn. 
 
 r< I'j.'ii of )iortlih\-ilcni Arhiinsas. 
 
rl' 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 _fl Lonsi^J' B I' ■ ' *" -"■'.'" C 
 
 Fig. 2. ^ political map of Arkansas. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 J2 Sta/itle Miles to cue htch 
 Capital -^ County Seats a Olhey Cil. 
 
 CUUi Willi 40,000 and ovir LlttlC KOClC 
 
 Cities from ibfio^to 40,000 Fort Smith 
 
 Cities from 2,000 to lofioo Helena 
 
 Cities from j,ooo to 2,000 Benlonvillc 
 
 filiates under 1,000 Boonevil'e 
 
 ^1 Railroads ' Xavigable Rivers ,m^» 
 
 33' 
 
 Copyright, tqo<i, by Rand, McNally £" Company 
 
 River above Batesville is remarkable for its 
 beauty. (Figs, i and 5.)^ It is a region that has 
 much of variety. There are rugged mountains, 
 primeval forests, picturesque streamis, and wide 
 areas of upland farm and fertile valley lands. 
 
 Mount Magazine (Fig. 6), in Logan County, 
 with an altitude of 2,823 feet, is the highest 
 elevation in the state (Fig. 3) and is said to be 
 the highest point between the Rockies and the 
 Alleghenies. 
 
 The lowlands or plains of the southeast are a 
 part of the Gulf Coastal Plain. (Adv. Geog., Fig. 
 191.) Long ages ago these lands formed a pa^t 
 of the basin of the extended Gulf of Mexico. 
 Gradually the region rose, the waters of the 
 ocean slowly retreated, and at the same time 
 the White, the Arkansas, and the Red ri\-ers 
 became tributary to the extended trunk of the 
 Mississippi. In Arkansas the old coast line of 
 the Gulf is almost identical with the present line 
 of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain iS: Southern Rail- 
 way, extending from Texarkana to Cairo, and all 
 that portion of the state between this line and 
 the Mississippi was covered at one time by the 
 waters of the extended Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 The uplands of Arkansas constitute about 
 two-fifths of the whole area of the state, and in 
 this region are found the best fruit-producing 
 sections. The soil of the lowlands is made up 
 largely of rich allm-ium on which cotton thrives 
 luxuriantly, so that this is one of the V)est cot- 
 ton-producing regions of the country. (Fig. 20.) 
 Drainage. For the most part Arkansas is 
 drained by five principal water courses: the 
 Red, Arkansas, Ouachita, White, and St. Francis 
 rivers. The waters of the state flow in a general 
 direction toward the southeast and reach the 
 Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi River. 
 With the exception of the Ouachita, these five 
 ri^•ers all flow directly into the Mississippi, which 
 forms the entire eastern boundary of Arkansas. 
 (Fig. 2.) These streams have numerous tribu- 
 taries, and Arkansas has altogether more miles 
 of navigable water ways in proportion to its 
 area than any other state in the Union. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 3. ^4 physical map of Arkansas. 
 
 The Red River rises in Texas amid the rich 
 red loams of the Llano Estacado (Adv. Geog. , 
 Fig. 189), and because of heavy and sudden 
 rainfalls its waters are heavily laden with a 
 red sediment. This gives the stream the 
 peculiar color to which it owes its name. 
 The Arkansas River rises in the 
 Rocky Mountains of Colorado. 
 Its waters also carry a large 
 amoimt of sediment, which in 
 time of high water is deposited 
 throughout the flood plains and 
 gives to the bottom lands great 
 fertility and productiveness. 
 Oi'dinarily the overflows of the 
 Red and the Arkansas rivers 
 are not caused by local rains, 
 but are the result of weather 
 conditions near their sources. 
 
 The river basins contain 
 many "oxbow" lakes that have 
 been formed by changes in the 
 courses of the streams. (Adv. 
 Geog., Fig. 49.) At each bend 
 of a river there is constantly a 
 tendency to cut away the outer 
 bank. If in course of time, the 
 
 water cuts through the bank, it forms 
 what is called a "chute" or "cut-off." 
 Frequently the ends of the old river 
 beds are closed by silt and completely 
 separated from the new channel, and 
 thus "oxbow" lakes are formed. 
 
 The Arkansas (Fig. 9) is a very slug- 
 gish stream; its bed is filled with shoals 
 and sand bars, and where it comes in 
 contact with the waters of the Missis- 
 sippi a bar has gradually been formed 
 across its mouth. About seventy years 
 ago the waters of the Arkansas cut 
 their way to the White at a point 
 about sixty miles above the mouth of 
 that river. Arkansas River boats are 
 now able to pass from the Mississippi 
 into the White through this "cut-off" 
 and thence into the waters of the Arkansas. 
 This "chute" formed an island which contains 
 an area of more than fifty thousand acres, is 
 densely wooded, and in great part is subject 
 to overflow. This island is an extremely 
 wild region and a great resort for sportsmen. 
 
 Reproduced from John 0. Bnnnet'e Oeolo|ic»l Relief Map of Arka&su, oourteej of A. B. Purdutt. 
 
 Fig. 4. A relief map of Arka}isas. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 The White River 
 (Fig. 8) rises in the 
 extreme northwestern 
 part of the state and, 
 with many meanders, 
 flows in a southeaster- 
 ly direction toward the 
 Mississippi. Dams 
 built across the river 
 near Batesville (Fig. 
 7), render this beauti- 
 ful stream navigable 
 throughout the year 
 as far as Buffalo City, 
 Marion County. From 
 its source to the city of 
 Batesville the current 
 of White River is swift ; in the lower part of 
 its course it winds slowly through a low 
 alluvial valley with a soil remarkable for its 
 fertility. White River and its tributaries 
 are supplied with water which pours from 
 the rocky hillsides in streams fed by a multi- 
 tude of springs. All these rivers are noted 
 for their beautifully transparent waters, and 
 it is due to this characteristic that the prin- 
 cipal one owes its name. 
 
 The St. Francis River rises in St. Francis 
 County, -Mis- 
 souri. Separa- 
 ting Clay and 
 Greene coun- 
 ties from Dunk- 
 lin County, 
 Missouri, the 
 river then fol- 
 lows a sinuous 
 course south- 
 ward through 
 the counties of 
 Craighead, 
 Poinsett, Cross, 
 and St. Francis 
 and enters the 
 Mississippi 
 
 
 
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 m,": 
 
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 fc-V- - 
 
 
 ^SMBki^r ! . -- ^^"iSfflB 
 
 
 ■ ^^HP'H XI^M 
 
 
 vl^P^B 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 Cotirtesj of the Mlpiourl Paolflo Rallwey Compinj- 
 
 FiG 5. Haudford Bluff, near BalcsviUc 1 hcsc moun- 
 tain-like deposits are of limestone and furnish 
 exicUcnt material for building and 
 paving purposes. 
 
 Fig, 
 
 a1)out ten miles above 
 the city of Helena. 
 This stream is navi- 
 gable for about two 
 hundred miles and 
 passes through one of 
 the richest farming 
 sections of the state. 
 Millions of acres of 
 rich lands in the basin 
 of this stream are pro- 
 tected from overflow 
 by the St. Francis 
 Levee, which was com- 
 pleted in 1905. This 
 levee is more than two 
 hundred miles in extent 
 and was built at a cost that exceeded four 
 million dollars. 
 
 In the eastern part of the state are numer- 
 ous smaller streams and bayous. Many of 
 these are filled by water which "backs" into 
 their channels from the Mississippi Ri\-er and 
 its larger tributaries during the time of high 
 water. Throughout this section are found 
 large numbers of "oxbow" lakes, which are 
 filled with water during seasons of overflow 
 and remain as lakes when the waters recede. 
 
 Arkansas is 
 one of the best- 
 watered states 
 in the Union 
 and springs of 
 excellent water 
 exist in almost 
 every locality. 
 In the north- 
 western part of 
 the state large 
 and beautiful 
 springs are 
 abundant, and 
 in some the flow 
 is so great that 
 they furnish 
 
 6. .4 valley in the Magazine Mountains. Al'ove the valley rises 
 Mount Magazine, the loftiest summit in the state. Rugged 
 ranges, broad valleys, and beautiful streams char- 
 acterize this entire region. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
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 T^^^SttrtP^*^" 
 
 
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 E^...^^Hii 
 
 fld 
 
 
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 Pf 
 
 
 Fig. 7. The Government Vain across the White River 
 near Baiesville. 
 
 power used in operating mills and factories. 
 Laster Spring and Big Spring in Independ- 
 ence County, Rush Spring in Marion County, 
 Mill Spring in Stone County, and the spring 
 at Marble City, Newton County, are all noted 
 for their size and their unusual volume of 
 water. Mammoth Spring, Fulton County, 
 which owes its name to its enormous dis- 
 charge of water, furnishes abundant water 
 power. (Fig. 10.) Its flow remains almost 
 uniform throughout the year, and its dis- 
 charge is said to be 9,000 barrels per minute. 
 The waters of Mammoth Spring are espe- 
 cially adapted to the culture of bass. For this 
 reason a fish hatchery (Fig. 11) has recently 
 been placed here with a view to re-stock- 
 ing the streams of the state with bass from 
 this estabhsh- 
 ment. Silver 
 Spring and 
 Siloam Springs 
 (Fig. 50) in 
 Benton County 
 are among the 
 most beautiful 
 springs in Ar- 
 kansas. Silver 
 Spring is the 
 source of a 
 clear stream of 
 
 r , Fig. 8. A view of the White River. 
 
 water trom two £;„^_ ^^^ ^f the most flourish 
 
 to three feet White and the seat of 
 
 deep and from six to ten feet wide. Eureka 
 Springs is a much frequented resort. Big 
 Spring, in Washington County, near Fayette- 
 ville, has an output of about two and one-half 
 million gallons in twenty-four hours. 
 
 Blue Spring, eight miles from Eureka 
 Springs, Carroll County, has a basin about 
 forty feet in diameter. It is said to be 
 several hundred feet deep, which accounts 
 for the deep blue appearance of its water. 
 
 Fig. 9. 
 
 One of the great bridges spantiing tlie Arkansas 
 River at Little Rock. 
 
 Climate. Owing to the position of the 
 state the climate is modified by winds from 
 the Gulf of Mexico. Hence the winters are 
 never very cold and the summers are warm. 
 Differences in altitude cause a considerable 
 range of temperature between the southeast 
 
 and northwest 
 at all seasons. 
 (Adv. Geog., 
 Figs. 82 and 
 84.) The mean 
 annual temper- 
 ature (Fig. 1 2) 
 for 1904 was 
 60.5 degrees; 
 the mean tem- 
 perature for 
 \\' i n t e r was 
 41.2 degrees; 
 and that for 
 summer 77.1 
 
 In the distance may be seen Devall 
 ing towns in the valley of the 
 growing industries. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 degrees. The highest 
 temperature recorded 
 was 105 degrees and 
 the lowest 5 degrees 
 below zero, giving an 
 absolute range for the 
 year of iio degrees. 
 During the growing 
 season the climate is 
 such that agricultural 
 and orchard products 
 in great variety can 
 be produced abun- 
 dantly throughout the 
 larger part of the state. The rainfall (Fig. 
 13) in Arkansas is nearly as great as in any 
 part of the eastern United States with the 
 exception of the areas along the Gulf coast 
 and about the summits of the Appalachians. 
 (Adv. Geog., Fig. 188.) The rainfall for the 
 year 1904 was 43.45 inches. The snow fall 
 was slight, only 3 . 5 inches. 
 
 Vegetation. Originally Arkansas was one 
 of the most heavily-timbered states in the 
 Union, and to-day forests still cover more than 
 three-fourths of its total area. The early 
 settlers, were extremely careless in their use 
 of these valuable resources, and large areas 
 have been deforested. There is now, how- 
 ever, a growing tendency to check the useless 
 
 Fig. 10. Tlie dam across Spring River. The source of 
 this river is Mammoth Spring. 
 
 waste and destruction 
 of valuable timber in 
 this state as there is in 
 all parts of the country, 
 where the need for sav- 
 ing the limited timber 
 supply is recognized. 
 In Arkansas the saving 
 of the timber is made 
 easier because most of 
 her forests, especially 
 those of the pine belt, 
 have unusual self-re- 
 newing qualities. The 
 Arkansas National Forest, of 1,073,955 acres 
 has recently been established. It is situated 
 in the western part of the state and farther 
 east than any other National Forest. A large 
 area has also been withdrawn from settlement 
 as the proposed Ozark National Forest. 
 
 Every variety of staple hard and soft wood 
 flourishes in Arkansas. It is said 130 kinds 
 of trees are found in this state ; among these 
 are included the black walnut, hickories, 
 cedar, oaks, cypress, pine, cottonwood, elm, 
 red gum, sycamore, beech, black locust, and 
 maple. Oak, walnut, hickory, and ash of the 
 finest grades are abundant. The hard woods 
 are found chiefly north of the Arkansas River 
 and are unsurpassed in variety and quality. 
 
 Fig. II. The United States Government fish hatchery at Mammoth Spring. The large volume of cool, pure water 
 found here makes this an ideal situation for the breeding of fish, especially bass. The young ^ 
 
 fish are to be distributed among the various streams of the state. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 12. The mean annual temperature and rainfall of Arkansas 
 
 In the southern and southeastern parts of 
 the state are large areas of magnificent yellow 
 pine timber. 
 
 Animal Life. When the state was first 
 explored and settled, wild animals were 
 abundant. Large buffalo licks, so-called 
 because the buffaloes licked the earth for 
 the salt which it contained, are found in 
 the southeastern part of the state. Bears, 
 wolves, and panthers were numerous, 
 especially in the bottom lands of the 
 Mississippi and its tri1)utaries. Great 
 herds of deer were found everywhere 
 in the state. Swan, geese, ducks, and 
 other wild fowl were common on all 
 the streams and lakes. Swan Lake, in 
 Jefferson County, owes its name to the 
 fact that swan in large numbers then 
 frequented the locality. Small game 
 was plentiful everywhere. The buffalo 
 has disappeared before the advance of ^°- 
 civilization, and other large game is 
 found only occasionally. Much of this 
 wild life was recklessly slaughtered, and 
 strong efforts are now being made by 
 the state to preserve and protect game, 
 fish, and birds. Some attention is also 
 
 being given to the hatching of fish with 
 a view to re-stocking the streams of the 
 state with bass and other varieties of 
 food fish. In 1903 a law was passed 
 ])rohibiting the shipping of game or fish 
 out of the state, a measure that will 
 greatly aid in the protection and pres- 
 ervation of the game. 
 
 Native Peoples. When European ex- 
 plorers first visited the Mississippi Val- 
 ley, two great tribes of Indians, the 
 Osages and Quapaws, lived in the region 
 now comprising the state of Arkansas. 
 The territory north of the Arkansas 
 River was occupied by the Osages, while 
 the Quapaws — called Akaiisca by the 
 Frencli — were scattered over the south- 
 ern portion of the state. Under treaties 
 made in 1808 and 181 8 the Osages ceded 
 their lands to the Government and moved 
 farther west, and in 1824 the Quapaws 
 exchanged their Arkansas lands for a grant 
 in northern Louisiana. 
 
 In 181 7 the Cherokees migrated from 
 Tennessee to Arkansas and for eleven years 
 lived in tlie northwestern part of that terri- 
 tory. In 1820 the Choctaws came into the 
 territor\' from Alabama 
 and Mississippi, settling 
 in the southwest. There 
 was almost constant 
 trouble with the set- 
 tlers and the Choctaws, 
 
 ^vetag^c 
 
 
 Average jy.$^ inches 
 
 I g. 
 
 FORT SMITH. 
 
 Fig. 1,3. 
 
 The average annual rainfall of Amity and Fori Smith 
 from i8gf to 190^. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 From a [ihotograph. Courtesy if Mr*. E n Mi-Pi 
 
 Fig. 14. Augustus Hill Garland. 
 A gifted citizen of Arkansas 
 and one of the most dis- 
 tinguished statesmen 
 of his day. 
 
 in 1825, readily- 
 consented to ex- 
 change their land 
 for a large grant 
 farther west. 
 
 History. Early 
 in the sixteenth 
 century DeSoto, 
 the famous 
 Spanish explorer, 
 spent ten months 
 in the region now 
 included in Ar- 
 Icansas. Enter- 
 ing the territory 
 a short distance 
 above the mouth 
 of the Arkansas 
 he traveled in a 
 northwesterly direction, probably as far as 
 the Ozarks in what is now Madison County, 
 then southwest to 
 the hot springs near 
 the Ouachita. In 
 1542 DeSoto de- 
 scended the Missis- 
 sippi River to the 
 point where it re- 
 ceives the Red, and 
 here on the banks 
 of the great river 
 he died.i After 
 DeSoto no white 
 men visited this 
 section for a period 
 of one hundred and 
 thirty years. In 
 1673 Marquette 
 and Joliet explored 
 the lower Missis- 
 
 From &n oM en^rmvlDg. 
 
 Fig. 16. Hernando DeSoto the 
 
 discoverer of the Mississippi 
 
 and the first white man to 
 
 visit the region now 
 
 known as Arkansas. 
 
 Fig. 15. A historical map showing the areas originally occupied 
 
 by the Indians and the earliest explorations and 
 
 settlements made in Arkansas. 
 
 sippi Valley, and 
 on their maps the 
 Indians of this 
 region were des- 
 ignated as the 
 Arkansas. A few 
 years later (1682) 
 L a S a 1 1 e , with 
 Tonti, explored 
 this region and 
 took possession 
 of the country 
 for France. 
 
 Louisiana re- 
 mained under 
 French rule until 
 the close of the 
 French and In- 
 dian War (1763), 
 when it was ceded to Spain. In 1800 Spain 
 ceded the territory to France and in 1803 it 
 
 was purchased by 
 the United States. 
 The District of 
 Arkansas was es- 
 tablished and a 
 judge and com- 
 mandant were 
 appointed for the 
 Post. In 1 81 8 Ar- 
 kansas Territory 
 was organized, and 
 James Miller, a sol- 
 dier of the War of 
 181 2, was appoint- 
 ed Governor. In 
 1836 Arkansas was 
 admitted as a state. 
 Arkansas seceded 
 from the Union in 
 
 ' This route and the statement as to DeSoto's death have 
 long been accepted by many careful historians. They are based, it 
 is claimed, on the original papers of "The Gentleman of Elvas" and 
 those of DeBiedma. They do not agree, however, with later inter- 
 pretations of these papers. Theodore H. Lewis, of the Mississippi 
 Historical Society, has edited the original papers of '"The Gentle- 
 man of Elvas" for "Spanish Explorers in the Southern United 
 States", published in igo;. The editor's notes throw so much ad- 
 ditional light upon the Expedition of DeSoto that in the above 
 
 map we give, in addition to the usual iDute, one laid down in ac- 
 cordance wi^h the results of his researc.i. In pages 227-233 of the 
 work iust mentioned is recorded the arrival, illness, and death 
 of DeSoto at the Indian town, Guachoya. Of this town Mr. Lewis 
 says: "Guachoya u^as in the vicinity of Arkansas City, in Desha 
 County, and possibly at or near the large mound one mile to the 
 northward." On the other hand. "Publications of Arkansas His- 
 torical Association" says (Vol. I., p. 128): "DeSoto died and was 
 buried at Helena." 
 
lO 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 17. TJic value of farm products per square mile in Arkansas, 
 census of I goo. 
 
 When Arkansas entered the Union 
 the thirty-five counties, into which it 
 had been divided, contained a popula- 
 tion of 47,700. 
 
 Agriculture. Owing to the favorable 
 climate and the great variety and fer- 
 tility of its soils, Arkansas is preem- 
 inently an agricultural state. (Figs. 19 
 and 23.) Its location among the South- 
 em States of the Mississippi Basin and 
 its var\ang elevations — ranging from 
 125 to 2,823 fs^t above sea level — favor 
 a wide ^'ariety of products ; every crop 
 known between the Great Lakes and 
 the Gulf of Mexico may be grown here. 
 
 Although a larger acreage is given 
 over to corn, cotton in value is by far 
 the most important crop (Fig. 18) 
 
 1 86 1, and during the Civil War several impor- 
 tant battles were fought within the border of 
 the state. The principal engagements took 
 place at Pea Ridge, Helena, Pine Bluff, and 
 Prairie Grove. The state furnished about 
 55,000 troops for the Confederate sen-ice. 
 
 In 1868 ^Arkansas was re-admitted into 
 the Union. The period from the close of 
 the War Between the States to the adoption 
 of the present constitution was known 
 as the "Reconstruction." During the 
 war with Spain (1S98), Arkansas showed 
 her loyalty and devotion to the Union 
 by promptly responding to the call for 
 troops with a full quota of volunteers, 
 furnishing two regiments of soldiers. 
 
 Settlement. The first white settle- 
 ment was made by Tonti and twenty- 
 two Frenchmen, in 1686, at Arkansas 
 Post. (Fig. 15.) In 1 718, encouraged 
 by John Law, a number of Germans 
 and negroes settled near the Post. No 
 other settlements were made in this 
 region for many years, and at the time 
 of the Louisiana Purchase there were 
 less than three hundred white people 
 in the area now included in Arkansas. 
 
 grown, and on several occasions Arkansas has 
 won the premium over the world on both long 
 and short staple cotton raised in the fertile 
 lowlands of the south and southeast. The 
 prairie lands in the central part of the state 
 are now being utilized for the cultivation of 
 rice. (Figs. 25, 26, and 27.) In the alluvial 
 sections corn and sugar cane are grown. 
 While fruit of the best quality is produced 
 
 Jjess than 1 bate 
 II ttolO bales 
 S 10 to 35 bales 
 
 35 to 50 bales 
 
 Fig. iS. 
 
 7 he production of cotton, per square mile in Arkansas, 
 census of igoo. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 II 
 
 Fig. 19 
 
 • of an Arkansas planter. 
 
 in all parts of the state, the mountainous 
 section of the northwest is especially adapted 
 to the production of berries, peaches, and 
 apples, and is sometimes called "The Land 
 -of the Big Red Apple." 
 
 In 1900, the total value of all farm crops 
 (Fig. 17) in Arkansas was $56,803,000, and 
 of this sum 828,053,000, or about one-half 
 the total amount, was derived from the sale 
 of cotton. At the same time the value of 
 the orchard products was $1,250,000, and 
 that of small fruits and grapes, $700,000. 
 
 In 1906 more 
 than 2,051,000 
 acres were 
 planted to cot- 
 ton (Figs. 20 
 and 21), and 
 the yield of 
 916,000 bales, 
 valued at about 
 $45 ,000,000, 
 gave Arkansas 
 sixth place 
 among the cot- 
 ton - producing 
 states of the 
 Union and fifth 
 among those of 
 the Southern 
 Mississippi 
 Basin group. 
 
 The counties leading in importance are Jef- 
 ferson, Lonoke, Crittenden, Lee, and Pulaski. 
 Nearly one-half of the total acreage under 
 crops is devoted to raisiitg corn (Fig. 22), 
 chiefly for home consumption. The rich, 
 deep soils of the bottom lands in the north- 
 western part of the state and the alluvial 
 
 _ _^ .^'-^fc-1 
 
 
 1 
 
 m^^\% ^ 
 
 i^lfi- . ;. v^ 
 
 . ffSfefe ^'^sfc^^,;-"' 
 
 ■H^^^^'^^gy^B 
 
 Fig. 20. Picking cotton in a field in Mississippi County. The deep alluvial 
 soils of this county yield i,8oo pounds of cotton per acre. 
 
 Fig. 21. Evening in the cotton field. Weigliing 
 the day's pick. 
 
 soils of the eastern low.ands yield large crops 
 of this important cereal. Washington, Ben- 
 ton, Independence, Madison, and Randolph, 
 in the order named, are the most important 
 
 corn-producing 
 counties. 
 
 Arkansas 
 stands twelfth 
 among the 
 states of the 
 Union in the 
 production of 
 corn. In 1906 
 a total area of 
 2,237,000 acres 
 was devoted 
 to this cereal. 
 About 52,800,- 
 200 bushels, or 
 an average of 
 15,107 bushels 
 of corn per 
 square mile, 
 were raised. 
 
12 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 22. A juiti <>/ c. ') « in Franklin County 
 
 The com crop of that year reached a valua- 
 tion of very nearly $25,000,000. 
 
 
 JO 
 
 .'o 30 40 JO 60 70 So Qo 100 
 
 yta ccnif-ations 
 
 Agriculture 
 
 Domestic and 
 
 persojial service ^ _ 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 1 anspor/atioM 
 and trade^ „ 
 
 — i 
 
 
 Matiu/aclures 
 
 .. 1 
 
 
 Fyofessional 
 
 service 
 
 Mining 
 
 ■ 1 
 
 Fig. 23. Proportion of persons 
 engaged in each class of occu- 
 pations in Arkansas, 
 
 J'isl.ing 
 
 ! 
 
 census of igoo. 
 
 In the upland regions, where there is a 
 good clay subsoil, wheat (Fig 52), oats (Fig. 
 24), barley, and rye are grown successfully. 
 The Arkansas wheat crop in 1906 was valued 
 at $1,436,400 and her oats crop at $1,539,- 
 000. Each year sees an astonishing increase 
 in the area devoted to rice. In 1906 the rice 
 acreage was ten times as great as in the 
 preceding year while the yield of this grain 
 advanced from 11,340 to 113,490 bushels. 
 
 Grasses and forage crops are grown in 
 almost all parts of the state. The valleys 
 of the Red, White, and Mississippi rivers are 
 admirably suited to the growth of alfalfa, or 
 
 lucerne, and there is a large 
 yield of these valuable forage 
 crops in Mississippi, Independ- 
 ence, and Hempstead counties. 
 Sorghum is also widely grown as 
 a forage crop and, to a limited 
 ixtcnt, Kaffir corn which belongs 
 til the sorghum family of grasses. 
 Large quantities of wild hay are 
 ilso harvested, especially in 
 Arkansas, Lonoke, and Prairie 
 counties. 
 
 Horticulture. In Arkansas 
 every variety of temperate- 
 climate fruit (Fig. 29) thrives 
 and yields abundantly. Apples 
 (Fig. 28) are produced in in- 
 creasing quantities in all the mountainous 
 and upland sections of the state. In 1900 
 there were about seven and a half million 
 apple trees in the state; since then wide areas 
 have been planted to this fruit and the num- 
 ber is far larger. Washington and Benton 
 counties are credited with the largest yield. 
 Climate, sail, and drainage all favor the 
 growth of the peach, and commercial peach 
 orchards are now found in many localities. 
 Large shipments of peaches of superior qual- 
 ity are sent to the great markets of the 
 country, the Arkansas peach now rivaling in 
 perfection the widely-known Arkansas apple. 
 With the increased production of peaches 
 
 Fig. 24. Threshing oats on a great grain farm. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 13 
 
 flourishing canning factories have been estab- 
 lished where large quantities of the fruit are 
 canned and preserved for home consumption 
 and for shipment. 
 
 While pears, plums, and grapes are grown 
 in lesser quantities for shipment, the culti- 
 vation of the strawberry as a commercial 
 product has reached large proportions. In 
 1900 no less than 12,667,740 quarts of straw- 
 berries (Fig. 30) were harvested. 
 
 The watermelon (Fig. 51) and the canta- 
 loupe thrive and yield abundantly in many 
 sections. Because of its superiority the 
 Arkansas watermelon has won a prominent 
 place in the markets of the country, and has 
 
 Fig. 25. Threshing rice in Lonoke County- TJic fertile prairie land. 
 
 of this county yield from forty to seventy-five bushels 
 
 of rice per acre. 
 
 become a leading and profitable crop in the 
 state and one that is constantly increasing 
 in acreage. 
 
 Live Stock. The mild climate, vast 
 stretches of corn and pasture lands, and 
 many fine pure springs and running streams 
 of water all favor the live-stock industry. 
 In recent years much attention has been 
 given to the breeding of cattle, horses, sheep 
 (Fig. 31), and hogs. First-class saddle and 
 driving horses are bred in many sections and 
 good draft horses are displacing oxen in lum- 
 bering regions. 
 
 Cattle thrive in every part of the state 
 and fine herds of the best breeds arc now 
 
 Fig. 26. Irrigating a rice field. Wells sunk to depths 
 
 of from TOO to i io feet afford an ine.xliaiistible 
 
 supply of water for irrigating the crop. 
 
 to be seen in many localities. Cattle raising 
 is one of the chief industries in Prairie and 
 also in Conway County and is 
 receiving increasing attention in 
 many other counties. Near the 
 larger cities where cotton -seed oil 
 mills are located, large numbers of 
 cattle are fattened (Fig. 37) annu- 
 ally on the cotton-seed meal and 
 hulls. 
 
 Hogs have always been of im.por- 
 tance in Arkansas because the food 
 furnished by the great forests of 
 mast-bearing trees, and the mild 
 climate which permitted the stock 
 to live on the ranges, made it pos- 
 sible to raise them cheaply. Much 
 has been done to improve the stock and 
 Arkansas now raises large numbers of hogs 
 (Fig. T,;^) that compare favorably with the 
 
 Fig. 27. Harvesting the crop of an Arkansas rice field. 
 
14 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 ^^;,'.fl 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Fig. 28. An Arkansas apple orchard. 
 standard stock of great hog-raising states like 
 Kansas and Iowa. 
 Natural condi- 
 tions encourage 
 the raising of poul- 
 try (Fig. 32) and 
 each year marks a 
 steady gain in this 
 industry. In 1900 
 there were in Ar- 
 kansas more than 
 5,000,000 chickens, 
 370,000 geese, 180,- 
 000 ducks, and 1 40,- 
 000 turkeys while 
 the production of 
 eggs reached 25,- 
 500,000 dozens. In 
 the same year bees 
 
 Fig. 2q. Tlic vahtc of jritit products per square mile. 
 
 season permits the raising of two crops of veg- 
 etables from the same land. Irish potatoes 
 are grown extensively in the vallej^s of the 
 Arkansas, White, and Ouachita. The value 
 of the crop in 1906 exceeded $1,116,000. 
 Sebastian County leads all others in produc- 
 tion of ]3otatoes, marketing each year more 
 than a quarter of a million bushels. The 
 sweet potato flourishes everywhere and is 
 planted on every farm and in every garden. 
 Jefferson County with a crop of nearly 55,000 
 bushels has the largest yield. In the plateau 
 sections of the state increasing areas are de- 
 voted to onions and cabbage, both of which 
 are exceedingly profitable crops. 
 
 The sandy soils 
 of the state offer 
 ideal conditions for 
 the growth of the 
 peanut, which may 
 be classed among 
 the minor crops and 
 steadily grows in 
 favor. It affords 
 excellent food for 
 hogs. The pecan, 
 black walnut, fil- 
 bert, and hazelnut 
 flourish and yield 
 large quantities of 
 nuts. English wal- 
 nuts are grown in 
 some localities. 
 
 were kept on 178,600 farms and nearly 
 1,500,000 pounds of 'honey were pro- 
 duced. 
 
 Vegetables and Nuts. Mild winters 
 and quick-producing soils make it 
 possible to market vegetables early in 
 the season. For this reason wherever 
 transportation facilities connect locali- 
 ties with great trade centers vegetables 
 are a profitable crop, and market gar- 
 dening is becoming a leading industry. 
 In many localities the long growing 
 
 Fig. 30, Picking strauinrrics near Austin, Lonoke County. 
 
 Fruits are ^rown e.ytensively in this county and 
 
 large shipments made each year. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 31. Scene on a fine farm in Prairie County near Hazen 
 raising has become a leading industry of this county. 
 
 Manufacturing. While farming has ahvays 
 been the chief occupation of the people, in 
 recent years much has been done toward the 
 development of 
 manufacturing 
 (Fig. 40), because 
 of the favoring 
 natural conditions. 
 Railroads are grad- 
 ually being extend- 
 ed to reach every 
 section and in pro- 
 portion to its area 
 no state in the 
 Union has more 
 navigable water 
 ways, while coal in 
 abundance is found 
 within its borders. 
 
 Stoca 
 
 Fig. 32, .4 poultry farm near Fayetteville, Washington County. 
 
 Many varieties of hard woods exist in 
 various parts of the state, and fine cotton is 
 grown in large quantities. Therefore, with 
 good shipping facilities and abundant fuel 
 and raw material near at hand, Arkansas 
 offers a wide and inviting field for the manu- 
 facture of wooden ware of all kinds and of 
 cotton fabrics. Cotton factories have been 
 established at Mammoth Spring, Arkadel- 
 phia, Monticello, and several other points in 
 the state and a large and flourishing factory 
 for the making of wooden ware is in opera- 
 tion at Helena. At Fort Smith furniture 
 and wagons are manufactured extensively. 
 
 In 1900, Arkansas had about 
 5,000 manufacturing establish- 
 ments, with a combined capital 
 of $36,000,000. In the same 
 year the value of the output 
 of these plants was about 
 $45,000,000, while the wages 
 paid to the employees amounted 
 to $2,500,000 per year. 
 
 Arkansas ranks third among 
 the states in the ginning of cot- 
 ton. (Figs. 36 and 38.) With 
 the exception of the lumber industry and the 
 ginning of cotton, manufacturing is almost 
 wholly confined to the five principal cities 
 
 of the state. 
 
 By far the most 
 important manu- 
 facturing industry 
 in Arkansas is the 
 turning out of 
 lumber (Figs. 35 
 and 42 ) and tim- 
 ber products. The 
 saw and lumber 
 mills of the state 
 represent a total 
 investment of 
 821,000,000 and 
 give employment 
 to 16,000 men, the 
 value of the timber products (Fig. 34) reach- 
 ing annually not less than $25,000,000. 
 
 Fig- 33- 
 
 Arkansas Chester U'liiti h: 
 near Hot Springs. 
 
1 6 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 34. The value of lumber and timber products per square mile 
 
 The stand of pine 
 in Arkansas is es- 
 timated to be more 
 than forty-one bil- 
 hon feet, of which 
 four bilHon feet are 
 owned by lumber- 
 men, and in the 
 yellow pine section 
 are located some 
 of the largest saw- 
 mills in the world. 
 In the alluvial 
 sections are found 
 large areas covered 
 with cypress which 
 is being manufac- 
 tured into shingles 
 and lumber Arkansas timber lands of all 
 varieties are rapidly advancing in value, due 
 to the depletion of the forests in the older 
 states and to the constantly increasing 
 demand for lumber of every sort. There are 
 fifty establishments engaged in the manufac- 
 ture oj sash, doors, blinds, and similar pro- 
 ducts. (Fig. 39.) These industrial plants em- 
 ploy large numbers of wage earners and yearly 
 turn out prod- 
 u c t s worth 
 very nearly 
 $3,000,000. 
 
 Second in im- 
 portance to the 
 lumber i n- 
 dustry stands 
 flour and grist 
 milling. In 
 recent years 
 many factories 
 for the manu- 
 facture "of cot- 
 ton-seed oil and 
 meal have been 
 opened in Ar- 
 kansas. The 
 
 Fig. 35. 
 
 A great lumber yard at Fort Smith. This 
 manufacturing centers of the stale. 
 
 annual product of 
 these mills is esti- 
 mated to be worth 
 more than $3,000,- 
 000, and they fur- 
 nish employment 
 to large numbers of 
 wage earners. Af- 
 ter the removal of 
 the fiber, the cotton 
 seed is subjected 
 to pressure and 
 yields a large 
 amount of yellow 
 oil closely resem- 
 bling olive oil, 
 for which it is fre- 
 quently used as a 
 substitute. Cotton-seed oil is also used as a 
 substitute for butter and lard and in many 
 other ways. After the extraction of the oil, 
 the residue, called cotton-cake or meal, is 
 used as food for cattle and as a fertilizer. 
 In most mills the hulls are removed before 
 the oil is expressed, and these are made into 
 bales and sold as food for cattle. (Fig. 37.) 
 Arkansas has twenty- one shops for the 
 
 building of 
 cars and for 
 general shop 
 construction 
 and railroad 
 repairs. These 
 shops give 
 employment 
 to large num- 
 licrs of men 
 and have an 
 annual pay roll 
 of more than a 
 million dollars. 
 Large quan- 
 titie sof mussel 
 and clam shells 
 have been ob- 
 
 oiie of the chief 
 
THE GE0(;RAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 17 
 
 'u'li' oj a coiion giii. Hoc tlic pbcr is .sepa- 
 rated jroin tite seed and cleaned. 
 
 tained in the waters of the Black and White 
 rivers and in Dorcheat and other lakes in 
 Arkansas. At Devall Bluff (Fig. 41), 
 Black Rock, and at other points along 
 these rivers, establishments have sprung 
 up for the manufacture of pearl but- 
 tons from the shells. Pottery is manu- 
 factured in Saline County. 
 
 Mineral Resources and Mining. Ex- 
 tensive deposits of coal, ranging in 
 equality from lignite to semi-anthracite, 
 exist in Arkansas and the production ol 
 coal is by far the most important min- 
 ing industry in the state. The deposits 
 are widely distributed, the coal fields 
 (Fig. 44 j extending over an area of 
 more than 2,000 square miles. Mines (Fig. 
 43) are in operation in Logan, Sebastian, 
 
 
 kSif' imI^ 
 
 1 
 
 ^^jv^'^-j 
 
 Eyug 
 
 ■ 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 
 '^M 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 ^QI^MBIk ■-'■ ^^^^^H^^l 
 
 Fig. 38. Scene in a cotton compress ivlicre the 
 cotton is being pressed into bales. 
 
 Franklin, Johnson, Scott, and Pope coun- 
 ties, and an excellent brown lignite has re- 
 cently been obtained in the western part of 
 Clark County. In 1906 the output of the 
 coal mines reached 1,875,000 tons, and of 
 this amount 1,096,159 tons were mined in 
 Sebastian County. 
 
 Zinc (Fig. 45) and lead are widely dis- 
 tributed in Baxter, Boone, Newton, Marion, 
 and other counties. Arkansas zinc, because 
 of the purity of the ore, won the premium at 
 the World's Fair in 1903. Zinc is being 
 mined in considerable quantities. Natural 
 gas is found in abundance in the region 
 
 Fig. 37. 
 
 Scene at an oil mill. The cattle arc being fattened, on 
 the cotton-seed hulls jroni the null. 
 
 around Fort Smith and is utilized largely in 
 manufacturing industries and for heating 
 and lighting purposes. 
 
 Manganese has been successfully mined in 
 Independence and Izard counties and exists 
 in Pulaski, Montgomery, and Polk counties. 
 
 Iron is found in many parts of the state, 
 but the ores are of low grade, and because 
 of this, and the distance of the manes from 
 manufacturing centers, iron cannot be mined 
 with profit. The most important deposits 
 are in Randolph, Sharp, Fulton, and Law- 
 rence counties. 
 
 Valuable deposits of antimony are found in 
 Sevier and Howard counties. It is a brittle, 
 silver-white metal used in alloys, in medicine, 
 and in the arts. 
 
i8 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Ftg. 39. A stave factory at Paragould. 
 
 Novaculite suitable for whetstones and 
 hones of the best quahty is obtained in Gar- 
 land and adjoining counties. The fine grain 
 and great hardness of the novaculite known 
 as "Arkansas Stone" renders it particularly 
 valuable to engravers, jewelers, and dentists. 
 
 JQCO- 
 
 iSgo_ 
 
 " s 
 
 10 
 
 ■'S 
 
 20 
 
 25 
 
 3" 
 
 35 
 
 JO 45 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 : 
 
 
 
 
 Fig. 40. Growth of rnanufacturing indus- 
 tries in Arkansas in millions 
 of dollars. 
 
 Silver has been found, in small quantities, 
 in Sevier, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties. 
 The pearl fisheries of the Black and White 
 rivers and of several lakes yield pearls of fine 
 
 Fig. 41. A button factory at Devall Bluff. Observe the 
 
 huge pile of shells in the foreground out of 
 
 winch buttons have been cut. 
 
 quality, and recently diamonds have been 
 discovered in Pike County. 
 
 Bauxite (Fig. 47), the principal source of 
 aluminium, is found in large quantities in 
 Saline and Pulaski counties, and asphalt 
 mines are in successful operation in Pike 
 County. 
 
 Among Arkansas mineral resources build- 
 ing stones are especially important. The 
 
 Fig. 42. Rafting logs down Black River to the mills. 
 
 state contains immense deposits of the finest 
 granite. Blue and gray granite of superior 
 quality, quarried in Pulaski County (Fig. 48), 
 has been used in the construction of many 
 prominent buildings. In our state the mar- 
 ble beds embrace an area of about 2,500 
 square miles. These beds lie in the Upper 
 White River Valley in a region bounded on 
 the south by the Boston Mountains and on 
 the east by the flood plains of the Black River. 
 The area in which marble occurs includes 
 Marion, Boone, Benton, and parts of Wash- 
 ington, Newton, Searcy, Stone, Izard, and 
 Baxter counties. In 1836 a block of marble 
 weighing several tons was taken from Marble 
 City, Newton County, to be used in the 
 Washington Monument. This is supposed to 
 be one of the first pieces of marble shipped 
 out of the state. There has been a steady 
 development of the marble industry, al- 
 though as yet the product is used chiefly 
 for local building purposes. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 19 
 
 Fig. 43. Scene at a coal mine in Hartford, Sebastian 
 County. A large quantity of coal is mined here. 
 
 Limestone of superior quality is found in 
 Independence County. It is known as the 
 Batesville Stone, and is, periiaps, the best 
 limestone for building purposes in the state. 
 Limestone from these quarries was used in 
 the construction of the new State Capitol. 
 Limestone, not susceptible of a fine polish, 
 is found in many other localities and is com- 
 monly used in the construction of founda- 
 tions, walls, abutments, piers, sidewalks, 
 curbings, sewer caps, and stone trimmings. 
 It is not suitable for street paving as it will 
 not stand the wear of heavy vehicles, but it 
 has been used with 
 great success as a 
 foundation for 
 macadam roads. 
 Many of the cul- 
 verts and bridge 
 piers in the state 
 are built of Arkan- 
 sas limestone. 
 
 Slate, of various 
 colors and quali- 
 ties, is found in 
 large quantities in 
 Polk County. 
 
 Lime is produced 
 by burning lime- 
 stone or marble in 
 
 furnaces or kilns. The manufacture of lime 
 is developing steadily in Arkansas and, with 
 its abundance of excellent limestone (Fig. 
 46), the Upper White River Valley should be 
 able to supply the entire southern section of 
 our country with lime. Lime kilns have 
 been operated successfully in Independence, 
 Sharp, Boone, Carroll, Benton, and Washing- 
 
 
 7^ 
 
 ^ImI 
 
 ■f .^SiSesaS^^M^/- 
 
 A 
 
 ¥^^'jsm^ 
 
 I^HM 
 
 S'A 
 
 
 ^pii 
 
 *;>SiS* 
 
 
 
 Fig. 44. The location of the leading minerals of Arkansas. 
 
 Fig. 45. A flonrishing zinc mine in Boone County. 
 This lies in the center of the great zinc district. 
 
 ton counties, and lime has also been manu- 
 factured in Pulaski, Garland, and Sevier 
 counties. 
 
 Chalk is a soft white rock, consisting almost 
 entirely of carbonate of lime in a slightly con- 
 
 solidated state. 
 The school cray- 
 on, ordinarily 
 known as chalk, is 
 usually made of 
 plaster of Paris and 
 should not be con- 
 fused with true 
 chalk. Extensive 
 beds of chalk are 
 found in Little 
 River County, and 
 an area of about 
 900 acres is ex- 
 posed in the neigh- 
 borhood of Rocky 
 Comfort. This 
 
20 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 46. A ledge of St. Joe limestone. Limestones for 
 
 building, and for the maintfacture of lime are 
 
 widely distributed in Arkansas. 
 
 chalk bed is about 500 feet in thickness and 
 is highly valuable. It is the only limestone 
 of its kind and quality in the United States, 
 and in composition resembles closely the 
 chalk of England which has so long been 
 used in the manufacture of the famous Port- 
 land cement. (Fig. 69.) At White Cliffs, in 
 this county, a IdIuA: of pure white chalk more 
 than 100 feet in height is exposed along the 
 edge of Red River. (Fig. 49.) This is a rem- 
 nant of one of the most beautiful chalk for- 
 mations in North America. Inasmuch as 
 lime is absolutely necessary to the devel- 
 opment of all 
 plants, chalk 
 is extremely 
 valuable as a 
 means of ren- 
 dering the soil 
 more fertile 
 and productive. 
 Large areas are 
 underlaid with 
 fire, brick, and 
 pottery clays 
 and there are 
 extensive de- 
 posits of white 
 soapstone and 
 fuller's earth. 
 
 Mineral Springs. Mineral waters exist in 
 more than half of the counties of Arkansas. 
 Their waters are often used for medicinal 
 purposes and hence numerous health resorts 
 have developed in the state. While most of 
 these springs contain minerals that are help- 
 
 FiG. 48. Scene at a, granite aitarry in Pulaski County, 
 
 near Little Rock. Inexhaustible quaiUitics of 
 
 granite lie all about this city. 
 
 ful in the treatment of various diseases, the 
 waters of some are harmful. Such a spring 
 is found on the Dry Fork of King Ri\-er in 
 Carroll County, and is locally known as 
 Poison Spring, because people and animals 
 that drink of its waters are made ill. 
 
 Suljihur wa- 
 ters are found 
 in Benton, Cle- 
 burne, Dallas, 
 Drew, Garland, 
 Howard, Mont- 
 gomery, Stone, 
 Newton, Yell, 
 a n d \Y h i t e 
 counties; alum 
 waters in Hot 
 Springs, Drew, 
 and Scott coun- 
 ties, and cha- 
 lybeate waters 
 in Cleburne and 
 ilontgomery 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 21 
 
 counties, while lithia 
 springs of some note 
 are found in Baxter 
 and Hempstead coun- 
 ties. 
 
 Eureka Springs, 
 Carroll County, situ- 
 ated in a mountain- 
 ous section of great 
 scenic beauty, are the 
 best known springs 
 of north Arkansas. 
 Around these springs 
 has grown up one of 
 the most popular and 
 attractive health and 
 pleasure resorts in the 
 state. Thousands of 
 health-seekers from 
 all parts of the United 
 States visit this place 
 annually. For a few hours after heavy rains 
 the fiow increases slightly and the waters 
 contain sediment, but at all other times these 
 waters are noted for their purity and clear- 
 ness. The waters of Hot Springs (Fig. 64), 
 Garland County, have long been widely and 
 favorably known. The Aborigines were well 
 acquainted with their wonderful curative 
 properties and 
 these springs, 
 it is said, were 
 the fabled 
 "Fountain of 
 Youth" sought 
 by Ponce de 
 Leon. It has 
 been estimated 
 that they num- 
 ber from fifty 
 to s e ^' e n t y. 
 The waters are 
 pure, colorless, 
 tasteless, and 
 without odor. 
 
 Fig. 4g. .4 citalk bluff at White t'liffs Laiidins^. A'car b) 
 
 these deposits ^reat works Itave been built for the 
 
 tnanufaeture of Portland ecnient. 
 
 FlG.^O 
 
 and the presence of 
 free carbonic acid 
 causes them to sparkle 
 and also makes them 
 jilcasant to drink. 
 They are, however, 
 used chiefly for bath- 
 ing purposes. The 
 average temperature 
 of the waters is about 
 142 degrees Fahren- 
 heit. This \'ery high 
 temperature has been 
 attributed to several 
 causes but, according 
 to the eminent geol- 
 ogist. Dr. John C. 
 Branner, is mostly due 
 to the waters coming 
 in contact with masses 
 of hot rocks, the cool, 
 edges of which may or may not be exposed 
 at the surface. The United States Govern- 
 ment has reserved the land surrounding the 
 principal springs, and a large army and navy 
 hospital is located near by. Thousands of 
 people annually visit the Hot Springs for the 
 benefit derived from the waters. It is also a 
 popular winter resort for large numbers of \-is- 
 
 itors because 
 (if its delight- 
 ful climate and 
 its superior 
 liotel accom- 
 modations. 
 
 In Garland 
 County about 
 s c ^• e n miles 
 southeast of 
 the city of Hot 
 Springs are the 
 Potash Sul- 
 phur Springs. 
 Picturesque 
 scenery, cura- 
 
 vie'ci' of Siloam Springs. Otic of the most picturesque 
 localities in the Ozark Plateau. 
 
22 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 ii 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 / 
 
 
 S 
 
 ^8 
 
 kJEL^^BassS 
 
 hI 
 
 
 ^- 
 
 ^'<mm 
 
 
 BriH 
 
 1 
 
 ' ■ • "» '" 
 
 
 '^«vJs. 
 
 ■'■■> "^■^\^^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 -^ 
 
 HHH 
 
 ■ 
 
 I-'iii ,1 .1 traiti i<f i-n,s hriiii; l-aJ.-.l ..■it!: ZLialcrincIoiis 
 from Greene Counly. 
 
 tive waters, and excellent accommodations 
 have made this point a popular resort alike 
 for pleasure or health seekers. The water 
 is used chiefly for drinking purposes, and 
 much of it is bottled and shipped to all parts 
 of the country for medicinal uses. 
 
 Transportation. In early days the Missis- 
 sipjji and Arkansas rivers were the chief 
 highways of travel and trade. While the 
 railroads, which have been so large a factor 
 in the development of the state, now afford 
 a much more efficient means of transporta- 
 tion, river traffic (Fig. 52) is still important. 
 
 The first railroad in the state was built 
 in 1856. This road, known as the Little 
 Rock & Memphis, now forms a part of the 
 Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf division of the 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. 
 It extended from Memphis to Madison and 
 from Devall Bluff to Little Rock. Passen- 
 gers were transferred across the unfinished 
 gap from Devall Bluff to Madison either by 
 stage or by boat down the White River (Fig. 8) 
 and up the Mississippi. In 1872 the St. Louis, 
 Iron Mountain &- Southern road was com- 
 pleted from St. Louis to Little Rock, and in 
 1874 was extended to Texarkana. This road 
 and the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad 
 were aided by land grants amounting to more 
 than 2,600,000 acres of land. 
 
 In recent years railroad building has made 
 rapid progress, and there are now more than 
 4,500 miles of road in operation in the state, 
 an average of about 8.4 miles of railroad for 
 every 100 square miles of area. 
 
 The leading railroads of the state are the 
 St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern, the 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, and the St. 
 Louis Southwestern. These three roads 
 together have nearly 2,700 miles of track, 
 or almost three-fifths of the total railroad 
 m_ileage of the state. 
 
 The State Government. The state of 
 Arkansas is divided into seventy-five coun- 
 ties, each of which is again divided into 
 political townships. The township officers 
 are justices of the peace and a constable. 
 The county officers are judge, sheriff, clerk, 
 treasurer, coroner, assessor, and surveyor. 
 The state officers are Governor, Secretary of 
 State, Attorney-general, Treasurer, Auditor, 
 Superintendent of Public Instruction, Land 
 Commissioner, and Commissioner of Mines, 
 Manufactures, and Agriculture. Township, 
 county, and state officers are elected by the 
 people biennially. 
 
 The present constitution was adopted in 
 1874. To amend it requires a two-thirds 
 vote in each House and a majority of the 
 votes cast at the general election following 
 the session of the legislature which passed 
 the resolution submitting the amendment. 
 
 Fig. 52. Arkansas wheat on a Mississippi River boat 
 on its way to the Gulf. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 The legislature consists of a Senate of 
 thirty-five members, elected for four j^ears, 
 about one-half of them being elected every 
 two years, and a Hoitse of Representatives of 
 one hundred members, elected for two years. 
 The sessions begin at the Capitol (Fig. 58) 
 in Little Rock the second Monday in Januar}^ 
 of odd-numbered years. 
 
 The Governor is the chief executive officer 
 of the state and is Commander of the State 
 Militia. The chief duty of the Governor is 
 to see that the laws of the state are enforced. 
 He is a member of the Penitentiary Board, 
 the Board of Trustees of the State University, 
 and the Board of 
 Railway Assessors. 
 He has the yjower 
 to veto all legisla- 
 tive bills, to grant 
 pardons, and to fill 
 by appointment 
 vacancies in state 
 and county offices. 
 
 The Secretary of 
 State keeps a rec- 
 ord of the official 
 Acts of the Gov- 
 ernor and prepares 
 for publication the 
 Acts of the legisla- 
 ture. He is also 
 Custodian of the '''°- 5.^- 
 
 State House and grounds, and Librarian for 
 the state. 
 
 The Auditor is the general accountant for 
 the state, and keeps all books, vouchers, and 
 papers relating to the contracts of the state. 
 
 The Treasurer receives and keeps all 
 moneys of the state, and disburses the same 
 on warrants drawn upon the Treasurer by 
 the Auditor. 
 
 The Attorney-general defends the interests 
 of the state in matters before the Supreme 
 Court, and it is also his duty to give his 
 opinion on legal miatters when called upon 
 
 The Congressional 
 
 to do so by any of the various officers of the 
 state or by the legislature. 
 
 The Land Commissioner has control over 
 the state lands and disposes of them according 
 to law. 
 
 The Superintendent of Public Instruction 
 has charge of all business relating to the free 
 common schools. 
 
 The Commissioner of Mines, Manufac- 
 tures, and Agriculture collects and sends out 
 information concerning the development of 
 mining industries, the encouragement of 
 manufacturing enterprises, and the best 
 methods for the cultivation of Arkansas soils. 
 
 The j u d i c i a 1 
 department of the 
 state ■ includes the 
 Supreme Court, 
 Circuit courts, 
 Chancery judges, 
 County and Pro- 
 bate courts, and 
 Township justice 
 courts. 
 
 The Supreme 
 Court of Arkansas 
 consists of a Chief 
 Justice and four 
 Associate justices. 
 These judges are 
 elected for a term 
 
 distnctsof Arkansas, ,907- ^f gjg^^ ^.^^^S. 
 
 The state is divided into seventeen judicial 
 districts, in each of which a Circuit Judge 
 and a Prosecuting Attorney are elected. The 
 term of the Circuit Judge is four years; the 
 term of the Prosecuting Attorney is two years. 
 There are eleven Chancery districts in the 
 state, in each of which a chancellor is elected 
 for a term of four years. All suits in equity 
 and divorce suits are tried in the Chancery 
 courts. Minor offences or misdemeanors are 
 tried before jvistices of the peace in the justice 
 courts. 
 
 The law-making power in cities and incor- 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 porated towns is 
 vested in the Coun- 
 cil, composed of the 
 Mayor and Alder- 
 men. In cities of 
 the first class (those 
 having 5,000 or 
 more inhabitants) 
 police judges pre- 
 side over the city 
 courts, in cities of 
 the second class 
 (those with a popu- 
 lation of 2,500) and 
 other incorporated 
 places, Ma,yors serve 
 as judges. 
 
 Arkansas has two 
 
 The leading educational institutions of Arkansas. 
 
 gressional district, 
 appointed by the 
 Governor of the 
 state. This board 
 has entire control of 
 the following state 
 institutions: The 
 Deaf-Mute Insti- 
 tute, the Arkansas 
 School for the 
 Blind, and the Ar- 
 kansas -Hospital for 
 Nervous Diseases. 
 Persons admitted 
 to these institutions 
 are cared for wholly 
 at the expense of 
 the state. 
 
 Senators and seven Representatives in the 
 National Congress, (Fig. 53.) 
 
 State Charities and Penal Institutions. 
 The State Penitentiary is located at Little 
 Rock, but most of the convicts are employed 
 upon a state farm on the Arkansas River 
 about thirty miles below Little Rock. The 
 Legislature of 1904 made provision for a 
 Reform School for Juvenile Offenders. This 
 school has been established at Little Rock. 
 
 Arkansas has made generous provision for 
 her unfortunate. All of the state charities 
 are located in the city of Little Rock and are 
 under the control of a board composed of the 
 State Treasurer, who is ex-officio chairman, 
 and seven other members, one from each con- 
 
 A home for disabled Confederate soldiers 
 under state control is located at Sweet Home, 
 six miles from the citv of Little Rock. It is 
 managed by a board of five persons appointed 
 by the Governor. 
 
 Education. Liberal provision was made 
 for public education when Arkansas became 
 a state, but the public school system was not 
 well organized until after the Civil War. The 
 Constitutional Convention of 1874 provided 
 for a state tax of not more than two mills 
 and a district tax and adopted the following 
 declaration with reference to free education: 
 
 'Tntelligence ;md virtue being the safe- 
 guards of liberty and government, the state 
 shall ever maintain a general, suitable, and 
 
 THE LEADING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF ARKANSAS 
 
 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 
 
 1 Henderson College, Methodist Episcopal, South. Arkadelphia. 
 
 2 Ouachita Baptist College, Baptist, Arkadelphia. 
 
 3 Arkansas College, Presbyterian, Batesville. 
 
 4 Arkansas Cumberland College, Presbyterian, Clarksville. 
 
 5 Central College, Baptist, Conway. 
 
 6 Hendrix College, Methodist Episcopal, South, Conway. 
 
 7 University of Arkansas. State, Fayetteville. 
 
 8 Arkansas Baptist College, Baptist. Little Rock. 
 
 9 Maddox Seminary, Non-sectarian, Little Rock. 
 
 10 Philander Smith College, Methodist Episcopal, Little Rock. 
 
 11 Galloway Female College. Non-sectarian, Searcy. 
 
 12 Searcy Female Institute, Non-sectarian, Searcy. 
 
 13 Arkansas Conference College. Methodist Episcopal, Siloam 
 
 Springs. 
 
 PUBLIC NORMAL SCHOOLS 
 
 14 State Normal School, Conway. 
 
 15 Normal Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. 
 
 16 Branch Normal College, Pine Bluff. 
 
 PRIVATE NORMAL AND TRAINING SCHOOLS 
 
 17 Clary Training School, Fordyce. 
 
 iS Pea Ridge Masonic College, Pea Ridge. 
 
 19 Pine Bluff Presbyterian Training School, Warren 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 25 
 
 efficient system of free schools open to all 
 persons in the state between the ages of six 
 and twenty-one years." There is a state tax 
 of three and a local tax of seven mills for 
 school purposes, and in addition a permanent 
 school fund of over a million dollars invested 
 in state bonds, bearing 3 per cent per annum. 
 The educational system of the state is 
 organized under a State Superintendent of 
 Public Instruction, County Examiners, and 
 boards of directors for each school district. 
 There were, in 1907, 533,843 children of school 
 
 /900 
 
 iSqo 
 
 iSSo-. 
 iSjo-- 
 
 iSbo^ _ 
 
 iSjo^ _ 
 1S30 _ ^ 
 
 age; 
 
 Fig. 55. The population in hun- 
 dreds of thousands and the density 
 of population per square mile 
 at each Federal census. 
 
 of these 340,185 were enrolled in the 
 schools, in charge of 8,1 13 teachers. 
 
 The University of Arkansas (Fig. 61), sit- 
 uated in Fayetteville, was organized in 1872. 
 It is also the Agricultural and Mechanical 
 College of the state, established under the 
 grant of public lands made by Congress in 
 1862 for this purpose. The literary, scien- 
 tific, and engineering departments are located 
 at Fayetteville and have an enrollment of 
 about 1,200 students, with nearly sixty pro- 
 fessors and instructors. There are fourteen 
 buildings upon the campus and the experi- 
 ment station and farm adjoin the University 
 grounds. The ]\Iedica-l School and the Law 
 School, departments of the University of 
 Arkansas, are located at Little Rock, and 
 the Branch Normal College at Pine Bluff 
 is maintained for the education of colored 
 youth. The total enrollment of all the 
 branches of the University is about 1,700. 
 
 The Arkansas Normal School was estab- 
 lished at Conway in 1908, for the education of 
 
 teachers for the public schools. There is also 
 a Department of Pedagogy in the State 
 University. In addition to the state schools 
 there are many excellent denominational 
 institutions for higher education, and private 
 schools and academies of high grade. (Fig. 54.) 
 
 Throughout the state separate schools are 
 provided for white children and for negroes. 
 In most large towns and in all cities ex- 
 cellent public high schools are maintained. 
 
 Population and Rank. In 1900 Arkansas 
 had 1,311,000 inhabitants. With this pop- 
 ulation it ranked twenty-fifth among the 
 states, varying but little in its position since 
 1820 when it stood twenty-sixth. South 
 Carolina with 1,340,316 and Louisiana with 
 1,381,625 people stood just ahead of it. The 
 density of population was 24.7 per square 
 mile (Fig. 55), which was a little more than 
 that of Maine, and a little less than that of 
 the country as a whole. There are less than 
 
 Per cent 
 
 Total fopnlation 
 
 iWitivf to slate 
 
 Tennessee 
 
 Mississiffi . 
 
 Missouri 
 
 Alabama 
 
 Georgia _ _ 
 
 Illinois 
 
 Kentncky 
 
 Korth Carolina 
 
 All other states 
 
 Fig. 56. The state of birth of the 
 
 native-horn population and the 
 
 percentage of persons from 
 
 each specified state living 
 
 in Arkansas, Federal 
 
 census of igoo. 
 
 15,000 foreign-born inhabitants in Arkansas, 
 more than 98 per cent of the people being 
 native bom and nearly two-thirds of these 
 native to the state. (Fig. 56.) In the dis- 
 tribution of the rural and urban population 
 the state is also in marked contrast with the 
 country as a whole, for the population of the 
 countrv and of the farms continues to in- 
 crease more rapidly than that of the cities 
 and towns. In 1900 there were only eight 
 incorporated places in the state with more 
 than 4,000 inhabitants. (Fig. 57.) 
 
26 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 //. THE GROWTH AND DEVELOP- 
 MENT OF CITIES AND TOWNS. 
 
 Little Rock and Towns of the Upper Arkansas 
 Valley. Large areas of the most fertile fruit 
 and farming lands in the state and the richest 
 coal fields west of the Mississippi lie in the valley 
 of the Arkansas. With the development of 
 these great natural resources it followed that 
 all up and down the 
 
 Fig. 
 
 The distribution of 
 census 
 
 valley towns sprung 
 up and grew and 
 flourished as trade 
 centers. 
 
 Little Rock, our 
 capital and greatest 
 city, lies nearly in 
 the center of the val- 
 ley, as it does in the 
 center of the state. 
 Standing on a rug- 
 ged bluff overlook- 
 ing the river fifty 
 feet below, the city 
 has a commanding 
 position. It now 
 covers an area of 
 about twelve square 
 miles (Fig. 59), is 
 well and handsomely built, and within the 
 business district are found many substantial 
 structures and attractive stores, while in everv 
 direction extend miles of well-paved streets and 
 concrete sidewalks. Little Rock is the com- 
 mercial and manu- 
 
 facturing center of 
 the state. Eight 
 railroads enter the 
 city and these, with 
 numerous steam- 
 boats that ply upon 
 the river, afford ex- 
 cellent transporta- 
 tion facilities for a 
 large and growing 
 trade in cotton, 
 other farm prod- 
 ucts, and manufac- 
 tured goods. Among 
 
 the flourishing industrial plants of the city are 
 included some of the largest cotton compresses 
 in the country and extensive manufactories for 
 cotton goods, furniture, lumber, wagons, and 
 iron wares. Little Rock is the seat of a num- 
 ber of state institutions. The State Capitol 
 (Fig. 58), which has a striking situation on an 
 elevated plateau, is a magnificent building. The 
 city has a fine system of public schools, and is a 
 
 prominent edu- 
 cational center. 
 Among the leading 
 private schools 
 found here are the 
 Arkansas Military 
 Academv and Mad- 
 dox Seminary. With 
 an unrivaled loca- 
 tion, handsome 
 homes surrounded 
 by beautiful, well- 
 kept grounds, and 
 with excellent street 
 railway service, 
 splendid schools, and 
 attractive parks and 
 drives. Little Rock 
 is a delightful resi- 
 dential city. It is 
 
 Populatioa 
 
 ,000 
 38,000 
 
 J$,aao and fTier 
 
 ^?The relative elie of Incorpormteil 
 ^ cities BDd TillageB Ib ihomi bj 
 _J the sIm of 
 
 urban population in Arkansas, 
 of igoo. 
 
 somewhat widely known as the "City of Roses", 
 
 because of the profusion in which this flower is 
 
 found in all parts of the city. 
 
 On the north side of the river and directly 
 
 opposite Little Rock is the progressive town of 
 
 Argciita, which has 
 made an astonish- 
 ing growth in recent 
 years. Here are 
 large railroad shops 
 employing many 
 men. Just outside 
 the city, on the 
 famous "Big Rock," 
 is Fort Logan H. 
 Roots, where a 
 garrison of United 
 States soldiers is 
 stationed. North- 
 west of Argenta, 
 
 Capitol at Little Rock. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 THE CITY 
 
 OF 
 
 LITTLE ROCK 
 
 AND VICINITY 
 
 Fig. 5q. ,4 map of Little Rock. 
 
 and thirty miles from Little Rock, is Coiiifay, 
 a growing railroad town with a large trade in 
 cotton and other farm products; it has good 
 graded, and excellent private schools. Farther 
 up the valley, about fifty miles from Little Rock, 
 is Morrilltoii, the county seat of Conway County, 
 with a cotton-seed oil mill and a woolen factory; 
 its location gives it a large trade from both sides 
 of the river, and it is one of the most important 
 cotton markets in the state. 
 
 Still farther up the valley, on opposite sides of 
 the river, are Rnsscllvillc and DaniaiicUc. 
 Russellville, near the north bank of the stream, 
 lies in a fertile farming section underlaid with 
 coal, and has a large and growing trade in cotton, 
 small fruits, and coal. Dardanelle, Yell Countv, 
 
 on the south shore of the Arkansas and four 
 miles south of Russellville, is the trade center 
 for a district that yields large crops of cotton 
 and cereals. The Arkansas River is crossed at 
 this point by the only pontoon bridge in the 
 state. Six miles west of Dardanelle is Mount 
 Ncbo, a delightful health resort, and fourteen 
 miles southwest is Danville, the county seat of 
 the southern, as Dardanelle is of the northern 
 division of Yell County. North of the river in 
 the county of Johnson is Clarksvillc, the thriv- 
 ing countv seat of that countv, where are cotton 
 gins, saw and flouring mills, a canning factory, 
 and foundry and machine shops; it is a rail- 
 way town and ships increasing quantities of 
 cotton, fruits, and other farm products. Clarks- 
 
28 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 6o 
 
 .1 strctl s^\iic ill tlic 
 of Fort Smith. 
 
 ville is the seat of Arkansas Cumberland College. 
 Fourteen miles beyond, and in the same count v 
 as Clarksville, lies Coal Hill, the seat of flour- 
 ishing coal mines. 
 
 We are now well within the section covering 
 the coal fields, and here among a cluster of grow- 
 ing towns we find, south of the river, Paris, the 
 county seat of Logan, Booncvillc, a railroad 
 division town, and Magazine, a busy trade 
 center, and on the north bank of the Arkansas, 
 Ozark, with various industries and. with excellent 
 shipping facilities by rail and river, the outlet 
 for a region that yields cotton, fruit, other 
 farm products, and coal. 
 
 Beyond these, near the Oklahoma border, we 
 reach Fort Smith, the second city in the state 
 and the thriving town of Van Biircu. Fort 
 Smith (Fig. 60), the border city, lies on the south 
 side of the Arkansas in a splendid agricultural 
 region, rich also in coal and natural gas; its 
 position on the river, and its excellent railroads 
 furnish exceptional transportation facilities. 
 Because of the advantages of these conditions 
 it has become one of the most important com- 
 mercial and indtistrial centers of the state and is 
 destined to be the greatest business center of . 
 the great Southwest. Already Fort Smith holds 
 second place in the wholesale and jobbing 
 trade of the state. In recent years the city has 
 made an astonishing gain in population and 
 wealth. To-day it has between 25,000 and 
 30,000 inhabitants, or double the number it had 
 in iQoo. Fort Smith has extensive manufactur- 
 ing interests and an enormous capital invested 
 
 in the coal industry of Sebastian County. Here 
 is the largest cotton compress in the state, 
 flourishing furniture and wagon factories, flour- 
 ing and lumber mills (Fig. 35), and machine 
 shops; and from this point increasing quantities 
 of coal are distributed annually. A prominent 
 railroad center in one of the most fruitful coun- 
 ties of the state, it has a large and constantly 
 increasing trade in agricultural products. More 
 than 5.000 carloads of potatoes and large ship- 
 ments of vegetables, peaches, and strawberries 
 go from Fort Smith each year to the leading 
 markets of the country. Van Biircii on the 
 north side of the Arkansas, in a rich farming 
 region famous for its fruits, is a growing com- 
 mercial center, the count \' seat and largest 
 town of Crawford County, and the seat of vari- 
 ous flourishing industries. 
 
 The Plateau Towns. In the region of the Ozark 
 Plateau are found a number of thriving and 
 important towns. Among a cluster of these 
 towns, in the extreme northwest, is Faycttevillc, 
 the county seat of Washington County, the seat 
 of the State University (Fig. 61), and the largest 
 and most important town in northwestern 
 Arkansas. The State Agricultural Experiment 
 Station is also located here. Great quantities 
 of fruit are shipped from this point and here is 
 found the largest cold-storage plant in the state. 
 A splendid climate, pure, cool air in summer, 
 beautiful scenery, and the advantages offered 
 by a university town have made Fayetteville 
 a delightful place of residence and a much- 
 
 L'nii'crsily, J'ayiilcviiic. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 29 
 
 frequented summer resort. Northward, about 
 ten miles, is S pringdalc , a great shipping point 
 for apples, and northwestward, Siloani Springs, 
 a, busy village with fine mineral springs (Fig. 50) 
 near b\', and the seat of the Arkansas Conference 
 College. Directly north from Springdale lies 
 Rogers, a growing business town, with manu- 
 factures of flour and lumber, a large cold- 
 storage plant and fruit-evaporating works; it 
 ships large quantities of apples and strawberries. 
 A few miles northwest of Rogers is Bcntonvillc, 
 the county seat of Benton County, with a large 
 trade in apples and one of the largest fruit 
 distilleries in the world. To the east, in Carroll 
 County, in a situation of great natural beauty, 
 is Eureka Springs (Fig. 62), one of the most 
 widely-known health resorts in the state. Near 
 by are numerous caves, some wonderful in size 
 and beauty, and large deposits of onyx; this 
 onyx has been largely employed in the interior 
 finish of a great hotel on a mountain top over- 
 looking the city. It is a county seat of Carroll 
 County, and just beyond Kings River is Bcrry- 
 ville, also a county seat of that county. 
 
 Farther to the east in a splendid agricul- 
 tural country and adjacent to immense de- 
 posits of lead and zinc, is Harrison, the county 
 seat of Boone County, with various flourishing 
 industries. To the northeast in the same coun- 
 ty is the busy town of Lead Hill and farther 
 eastward is Yellville. the county seat of Marion 
 County, and the principal mining town in the 
 
 Fig. 63. In ihc business district of Batesville. 
 m Mum Street. 
 
 A view 
 
 Fig. 62. A bird's-eye view of Eureka Springs, high up 
 in the Ozark Plateau. 
 
 great zinc and lead fields of northern Arkansas. 
 Northeast lying on the border of the state, in 
 Fulton County, is Mammoth Spring, a delight- 
 ful residence town and pleasant health resort, 
 which owes its name to a spring that gives rise to 
 a large and beautiful river. Southward on the 
 extreme edge of the plateau and on the south 
 side of Little Red River is Hcbcr, the county seat 
 and chief town of Cleburne County and a 
 favorite summer resort. North and east on the 
 north shore of White River is Batesville (Fig. 6;^), 
 Independence County. Its elevation, natural 
 drainage, pure water, and beautiful surroundings 
 make it one of the most attractive places in the 
 state. It is a busy railroad town and has a 
 constantly increasing wholesale and jobbing 
 trade and manufactures of wood- 
 work, flour, and ice'. Near the 
 citv are the great locks and dams 
 (Fig. 7) built by the Federal Gov- 
 ernment in the White River. Ar- 
 kansas College, one of the oldest 
 institutions in the state, is lo- 
 cated here. Near l^y are numer- 
 ous deposits of marble and other 
 limestones. The Batesville quai"- 
 ries furnished much of the stone 
 used in the construction of the 
 new Capitol. 
 
 Towns of the Upper Ouachita 
 Region. Among a group of cities 
 and towns in the uplands south 
 of the Arkansas is Hot Springs 
 
3° 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 (Fig. 64) , one of the most celebrated health and 
 pleasure resorts on the continent and the fourth 
 city in size in the state. It is often referred to 
 as the "Baden-Baden" of America because in 
 its situation and general features it so closely 
 resembles the great German watering place. 
 Its foremost interest is in the thermal or hot 
 springs, found here. These springs, famous for 
 the healing properties of their waters, lie in the 
 center of a Government Reservation consisting 
 of four sections of land, set off by Congress, in 
 I S3 2, One free bath house, that is under the 
 direct control of the Government, and a 
 large number of bath houses belonging to 
 private owners, who pay the Government a cer- 
 tain sum annually for the use of the waters, 
 have been built to accommodate the ever- 
 increasing throngs that visit the springs. The 
 manufacturing interests are limited to a number 
 of planing mills and a wood-working plant. 
 Surrounded by scenery of unusual beautv, 
 substantially and attractively built, with many 
 well-appointed hotels and excellent boarding 
 houses. Hot Springs justly deserves its preemi- 
 nent position among the health and pleasure 
 resorts of the world. 
 
 Midway between Hot Springs and Little Rock 
 is Benton, the county seat and chief town of 
 Saline County, with flourishing sawmills and 
 cotton gins. Southwest of Benton and about 
 twelve miles from Hot Springs, is the thriving 
 town of Malvern, a railway town, principal 
 
 trade center, and county seat of Hot Springs 
 County, where are saw, shingle, and planing 
 mills, and a large plant for the manufacture 
 of brick. At the head of navigation on the 
 Ouachita River, and due south of Hot Springs, 
 is the growing town of Arkadclphia. It lies 
 on the extreme edge of the plateau, has fine 
 natural drainage and good water power util- 
 ized in the manufacture of lumber and cot- 
 ton, and is the site of a foundry and machine 
 shops. It has excellent shipping facilities and 
 a good trade in cotton and other farm products. 
 Westward about thirty miles is the busy town 
 of Pike City, the county seat and leading busi- 
 ness center of Pike County, Northwestward in 
 Polk County is the prosperous and growing town 
 of Meua. Founded in 1895,- Mena has made 
 an astonishing growth and to-day is the second 
 city in this region and one of the most progres- 
 sive in the state. Surrounded bv a splendid 
 agricultural country rich also in zinc and lead, 
 manganese and slate, it has a large and growing 
 trade in cotton, fruit, and other farm products, 
 and various flourishing industries, including 
 large lumber mills and productive zinc mines. 
 
 Towns of the Eastern Lowlands. Within the 
 basin of the Mississippi lie the richest lowlands 
 of the United States, and here, in Arkansas, 
 are found Pi]ic Bluff and Helena, the third 
 and fifth cities in the state. Pine Bluff is on 
 the Arkansas about forty miles southeast of 
 Little Rock and is one of the chief manufacturing 
 
 04. .4 general view of the city of Hot Springs. This famous resort has a beautiful 
 situation in a narrow valley surrou):ded by picturesque ranges 
 of forest-clad mountains. 
 
THE GEOGRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 and commercial centers of the state. Among 
 its industrial interests are extensive lumber 
 mills, large cotton compresses, and cotton-seed 
 oil mills. It has an extensive trade by rail and 
 a large river traffic, a line of packets connecting 
 it with Memphis. On the opposite side of the 
 river, and about thirty miles southeast of Pine 
 Bluff, is Arkansas Post, the oldest settlement 
 in the state. 
 
 Arkansas City, on the Mississippi River, is the 
 chief city in the southeastern tier of counties, 
 with large cotton and lumber interests and good 
 shipping facilities by rail and river. Westward, 
 in Drew County, is Monticello, the seat of 
 cotton manufactures and with a thriving trade 
 in cotton, lumber, and fruits; and directly 
 south, Hamburg, the leading town and county 
 seat of Ashley County. Northeast of Pine 
 
 Fig. OS. .1 
 
 ^' iij ]■'.'! i\-st looking from St. Frarxis 
 County Court House. 
 
 Bluff, in Arkansas County, is the prosperous 
 and growing town of Stuttgart, with coal, oil, 
 and gas interests and directly north Lonoke, 
 a flourishing railroad town, the county seat of 
 Lonoke County where the rice industry centers, 
 and where there is a Government experiment 
 station. 
 
 Helena is on the Mississippi, and is the most 
 important city in the extreme eastern part of 
 the state. Lying in the richest cotton-producing 
 region in Arkansas, it follows that it has a large 
 trade by rail and river with the towns and 
 plantations all up and down the valley. Among 
 its flourishing industries is included the largest 
 plant for the manufacturing of wooden ware in 
 the state. 
 
 Northwest from Helena is Marianna, a busy 
 trade and industrial center in Lee County, with 
 cotton gins and cotton-seed oil and lumber 
 mills; directly north of Marianna, on an eleva- 
 
 FiG. 66. .4 street scene in Joiiesboi.'. 
 
 tion known as Crawley's Ridge, the progressive 
 town of Forrest (Fig. 65), a railroad center with 
 
 a good trade, and with large 
 
 stave and other factories and 
 cotton-seed oil mills; and farther 
 north the enterprising town of 
 Wynne, the leading railroad and 
 business center and the county 
 seat of Cross County. 
 
 In the extreme northeast, are 
 Joncsboro and Paragould, two of 
 the most progressive towns in 
 the state. Jonesboro (Fig. 66) lies 
 on Crawley's Ridge, in a splendid fruit and 
 gardening region, and its thriving industrial 
 interests include barrel, stave (Fig. 67), and 
 heading works, basket handle and brick fac- 
 tories, and sawmills. It is a railroad town with 
 good shipping facilities and does a large whole- 
 sale and retail business. Paragould (Fig. 68) is a 
 leading railroad center with wood-working, brick, 
 
 Fig. 67. ^4 liard wood and staee unit, Jonesboro. 
 
32 
 
 THE GEOCxRAPHY OF ARKANSAS 
 
 Fig. 68. .4 view of Pnictt Street, tlie leadni;; 
 thoronglijare oj Paragould. 
 
 and concrete plants, lumber mills, Stave (Fig. 30 \ 
 pin, and canning factories, and a grain elevator. 
 
 Among a number of thriving towns in the val- 
 leys of the White and Cache is Ncivport on the 
 east bank of White River and at the crossing of 
 two railroads, where are thriving manufactures ; 
 pearl-bearing mussel shells are found in the river, 
 and here in recent years pearl fishing has at- 
 tracted much attention. Northward, on the west 
 shore of the Black, is Black Rock, in Lawrence 
 County, with cotton gins and lumber mills, and 
 still farther north on the same side of the river, 
 COf.iiug, county seat and chief trade center of 
 Clav County. South of Newport and also on the 
 east bank of White River is Augusta, the coun- 
 ty seat of Woodruff County, where is located a 
 factory for making pearl bvittons from mussel 
 shells. To the west is Searcy, the countv seat 
 of White County, famous for its white sulphur 
 springs and its e.xcellent educational advan- 
 tages; it has a good trade in cotton, straw- 
 berries, and vegetables. 
 
 Southeast, on the west shore of the White, 
 is Derail Bliij'j, where, as at Augusta, pearl 
 buttons (Fig. 41) are made and where there is a 
 large oar factory (Fig. 8) from which it is said 
 the navies of many countries receive their sup- 
 plies of oars. Beyond, on Cache River where 
 it enters the White, is Clarendon, the chief town 
 and county seat of Monroe, with a stave and 
 an oar factory and a foundry and machine 
 shops; and north, in the same county, the flour- 
 ishing town of Briiikicy, where are saw and 
 planing mills, a cotton-seed oil mill, stave and 
 heading factories and machine shops. 
 
 Tcxarkaiia, the chief citv of the southwestern 
 
 tier of counties, lies on the border of the state 
 adjacent to Texarkana, Texas, and industrially 
 and commercially the two cities really form one 
 community. Many flourishing industries and 
 numerous railroads are found here, and the 
 citv has a large trade. Near by, coal and 
 pottery clay are found. There are wood-work- 
 ing plants, furniture factories, a wagon factor}-, 
 machine and creosote works, oil mills, and a 
 pottery plant. 
 
 Northeast of Texarkana, in Hempstead 
 County, is Hope with thriving manufactures 
 and a large trade in peaches; near by is a fine 
 lithia spring. Beyond Hope, in a region rich in 
 minerals, is Prescott, the chief town of Nevada 
 County, a center of lumber industries, and 
 farther away in Clark County, the thriving 
 town of Gnrdon. De Queen, a growing indus- 
 trial town in Sevier County, north of Tex- 
 arkana, has large lumber mills, other industries, 
 and a flourishing trade. 
 
 East and south from Texarkana is Stamps, 
 the leading business center of Lafayette Coun- 
 tv, with car shops and large lumber mills; 
 southeast. Magnolia, the county seat of Colmn- 
 bia, with a large trade in lumber and cotton, 
 and in the adjoining county the prosperous 
 town of Eldorado. Northward on the Ouachita 
 River and at the crossing of two railroads is 
 Camden (Fig. 6g), the center of flourishing in- 
 dustries and an important trade. Northeast of 
 Camden is Fordyce, the ciiief town and the 
 leading business center of Dallas Countv. 
 
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