ARKANSAS 



ARKANSAS 



that it was into the Mississippi that his body 

 was lowered. (See DE Soro, FERNANDO.) 



For over a century and a half after his death 

 no white man visited the region, but in 1682 

 La Salle took possession of it in the name of 

 France. Four years later French traders estab- 

 lished a settlement at Arkansas Post, not far 

 from the mouth of the Arkansas River, but 

 no attempt was made to open up the wilder- 

 ness. Ceded by France to Spain in 1763, and 

 in 1800 back again to France, Arkansas came 

 into the possession of the United States in 

 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase (which 

 see). For a time it was governed as a district 

 of Missouri, but in 1819 was organized as 

 Arkansas Territory, the present state of Okla- 

 homa being included with it. On June 16, 

 1836, it was admitted to the Union as the 

 twenty-fifth state, and for a time its growth 

 was rapid. 



When the War of Secession broke out there 

 was doubt as to which side the state would 

 join, for though slavery existed within its 

 borders its population was fairly evenly divided 

 between northern and southern sympathizers. 

 Secession was decided upon, however, and sev- 

 eral battles during the war occurred within 

 the boundary of the state. Little Rock was 

 captured by the Union forces in September, 

 1863, and in the next year a constitution was 

 adopted which prohibited slavery. This was 

 rejected by Congress, however, the action due 

 largely to the reconstruction quarrel in Con- 

 gress, and not until 1868 was the state re- 

 admitted to the Union (see RECONSTRUCTION). 

 Meanwhile the carpet-baggers had come, with 

 the evils which always attended them, and 

 strife ran high between the carpet-bag faction 

 and the "reformers" (see CARPET-BAGGERS). In 

 1874, during the election of a governor, civil 

 war was averted only by Federal aid. With 

 the adoption in that year of the present con- 

 stitution an era of renewed peace and progress 

 began for the state which had for more than 

 a decade been harassed and retarded in its 

 development. The Democrats have been uni- 

 formly victorious in elections. 



During recent years the history of the state 

 shows steady progress in the development of 

 resources and industries The outstanding 

 events have been the legislative enactments 

 mentioned above the initiative and referen- 

 dum and anti-saloon bills. 



Other Items of Interest. The bowic knife. 

 first made in Arkansas for a brother of James 

 Howie of Alamo fame, is frequently known 

 24 



as the "Arkansas toothpick," and the state is 

 sometimes nicknamed the Toothpick State. 



The Black River and the White River 

 abound in mussels, which are sought not only 

 for the pearls which they contain, but because 

 the shells form the basis of the pearl-button 

 industry. 



It is estimated that the state has no fewer 

 than 130 different kinds of trees. 



Some of the springs have a flow so strong 

 that they furnish abundant water power. In 

 Fulton County, for instance, there is one ap- 

 propriately called Mammoth Spring which 

 discharges about 9,000 barrels every minute. 



No other state has so small a per capita 

 public debt. 



The state furnished 55,000 men to the Con- 

 federate armies in the War of Secession. 



Seventy years ago, or thereabouts, the 

 Arkansas cut a new channel across to the White 

 River, about sixty miles above the mouth of 

 the latter. The island formed by this cut-off 

 is a heavily forested region abounding in 

 game a veritable sportsman's paradise. 



In some parts of the state the summers are 

 so long that two vegetable crops may be 

 grown. 



"Lost hills" is the picturesque name given 

 to those heights of land which in the rainy 

 season are surrounded by impassable swamps. 



Scarcely a farm or garden is to be found 

 in the state which does not have its sweet 

 potato patch. 



When the rivers of Arkansas overflow it does 

 not indicate that there has been a heavy rain- 

 fall within the state, but that in Texas much 

 rain has fallen or far off in the Rockies in 

 Colorado the snow is melting rapidly. 



Alligators are found in the Mississippi as 

 i'.ir north as the mouth of the Arkansas. 



Arkansas watermelons are especially fine, and 

 are shipped all over the country. 



In early days bears were numerous, as the 

 popular name of the state would indicate. 



The Arkansas Traveler is the name of a 

 humorous dialogue which is given with violin 

 accompaniment, the music being of a peculiarly 

 hvrly nature. on. 



-..I, ,.-,.<*. Th<- reader who desires a 

 < detailed knowledge of Arkansas will flnd 

 the following; articles helpful : 



CITIES AND TOWNS 



Am.Mta Jonesboro 



Fort Smith Uttle Rock 



Pine Bluff 

 II.. t spring* Texorkana 



