The Newark Journal
Published In The Famous big Bottom Country, Where Alfalfa Is king.
$1 Per Annum.
Newark, Independence County, Arkansas, Friday, February 22, 1907.
Vol. 7. No. 9.
'GEN. ROBERT NEILL DEAD
Distinguished Citizen Passed Away
at His Home at Batesville
Gen. Kobert Neill, one of the
oldest and best known citizens of
the county, died at his home in
Batesville at 2 o’clock Saturday
afternoon of pneumonia. He had
been ill for about a week and his
death had been momentarily ex
pected for two or three days.
General Ne,ill was well known
throughout the state, having held
several positions of public trust,
outside of his own county. He
represented the Sixth district in
Congress for two terms, from 1893
to 1897. He was also chairman of
the first Arkansas railroad com
mission, taking that position in
1899.
General Neill was born at Desha
6-S years ago. He served through
the Civil war in the Confederate
army, and immediately after the
war he settled in Independence
county. He was the first circuit
clerk of the county, in lStJC, serv
ing until the Republicans came in- j
to power in 1N68 He had been j
engaged in the practice of law at
Batesville ever since the war, with
the exception of the time that he
devoted to public affairs.
General Neill is survived by a!
wife, three sons and three daugh
ters. His sons are Ernest and
Robert of Batesville and Hugh of
New Orleans. His daughters are
Mrs. Sam Phillips of Newport,
Miss Esther-of Batesville and Miss
Ella, who is teaching at Benton
ville.
SQUIRE THARP'S REPLY
To The Newark Journal:
Your invitation accepted for!
another long-winded stunt.
You very well know The Jour
nal has not t ated me fairly. You
had the facts as to my official acts
in the Arnold case and did not
publish them. 1 waited for three
issues of The Journal for you to |
do so; then 1 gave the facts to the1
public through your paper. Now
you seem to be somewhat touched
because I made complaint that you
had not treated me fairly.
And you feel that Alexander’s
stunt was a sufficient explanation
for your not giving facts in this
matter? Now, Mr. Editor, you
started this matter and if you made
an honest error in your first pub
lication along this line don’t you
think it would have been doing
myself justice for you to have
corrected this, by publishing the
facts? And again, you took an
other stab at me when you refered
to those who did not sign the peti
tion at the mass meeting, Jan. *2S.
And again you thrust your dagger
to its hilt, when I tried to give the
public some facts to put myself
right in their estimation and cor
rect an error for which you are re
sponsible.
Now, Mr. Editor, in justice to
myself I ask you to give the pub
lic your motive for this hienious
attack you have made upon me
and let me know if it is my private
or official record you are after,
and when you do this i will gladly
answer you and explain to the
public any questions that you see
fit to ask me touching my past act.
Oh! no, Mr. Editor, I did not
expect you to carry an explanation
in box car letters to correct your
error, but I did expect you to cor
rect that for which you are re
sponsible and not J. R. Alaxander.
So you might as well load your
big gun and get in training, for
I am here to see the finish. I will
be easily recognized as I still wear
the same old coat, keep my office
at the same old place, do ever.v
boby I can and occasionally a long
winded stunt, and last but not
least attend to my own business.
So 1 thank you Mr. Editor very
much for your invitation and as
sure you the very best of feeling.
1 am, yours very truly,
Jxo. T. Thari*.
A PECULIAR PHENOMENON
Tract of Land Near Danville Raised
Above Its Former Level.
Danville, Feb. lb.—Propelled
by some force beneath the surface,
an entire acre of ground near the
Underwood farm, seven miles
from Danville, has been raised and
is now from six inches to two feet
above the level of the surrounding
land. Formerly the land was on
a level with the land surrounding
it. The change took place in a
single night. Farmers' in the
vicinity claim that last Saturday
night they heard a strange noise
as of a cyclone, but could not ac
count for the noise until it was
discovered that this acre of ground
had been raised from a level with
the surrounding land.
There is no one here who can
account for the peculiar phe
nomenon, but it is the belief of
many that it was caused by gas.
At the end of the raised land there
is a clear break and the land is sev
eral inches higher than the land
immediately adjoining it. Toward
the center of the acre the land is
about two feet higher than near j
the edge.
Hundreds of persons living in
the vicinity have visited the scene
in the last few days, but no one is
able to give an explanation for the
peculiar condition. Many fear
that the lifting of this acre means
that an extinct volcano has broken
loose, and fear a destructive up-j
heaval.
FOOT AMPUTATED.
Dr. J. II. Ivennerly, of Bates
viile, went down to Dunnington
Monday and amputated the foot
of Col. J. C. Yanc.y, who was
shot about two months ago. The
operation was performed Monday
afternoon and it is stated that the
patient’s condition is more favor
able than at any time since he was
shot. Several days ago symptoms
of blood poisoning were very pro
nounced, and it was feared that Mr.
Yancy’s injury would terminate
fatally. It is now believed he
will soon be on the road to recov
ery.
35 BALES OF COTTON BURNED
Perry, Feb. 15.—Sparks from
the eastbound passenger train set
tire to cotton on the freight depot
platform here about 1:30 o’clock
this afternoon and 135 bales of
cotton were burned. The freight
platform was also destroyed, but
the lire was checked before it
reached the freight and passenger
depots. The loss is estimated at
$7,000. The cotton was under
bill of lading from the Rock Is
land Railroad Company and the
railroad company must pay the
losses.
See The Journal for job printing.
SULPHUR ROCK SKETCHES
Happenings of the Week at the Hub
of White River Township
Sulphur Rock, Feb. 19.—Mr.
and Mrs. W.C.Grammer entertain
ed with a party Saturday night.
Those present were Misses Beulah
Owen, Maude Moore, Maie and
Kate Hodges and Nellie Churchill,
Messrs G. W. Browning, Oscar
Owens, Farris Rice, W. T. derni
gan, EstusRice and Clyde Wilson.
We had a bear show in town
Saturday. There was a large
crowd on the streets to witness the
performance.
Sam. Tuggle fell from a wagon
Friday and crippled himself pretty
badly. We hope he will be out
again soon.
I rot. Sidney iickins and John
Rawlings went out to Charlotte
Friday to attend the W. O. W.
meeting.
Re v. James F. Jem igan preach
ed two excellent sermons here
Sunday at 11 o’clock and at 7:30.
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Mosby and
Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Landers were
down from Batesviile Sunday.
Dr. Marion Owens was over
from Memphis last week to spend
a few days with relatives.
Rev. G. L. Fink,of Dota, attend
ed the encampment meeting here
Wednesday night.
Owen "Wayman came in from
Auvergne hist week to visit home
folks a few days.;
John McArthur went to Syla
raore Monday where ho is interes
ed in a sawmill.
Miss Nettye Bevens spent Sat
urday with Miss Vela Jernigan
near Charlotte.
W. W. Hartstield was up from
Newark Wednesday night to at 1
tend the lodge.
Frank Fortune, of the Dota
neighborhood, was trading in town
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Wilson, of!
Newark, visited relatives here
Sunday.
John Marlin and family of New
ark visited relatives here Sunday.
Foorns Logan, of Logan town
ship entered school here Monday.
Ask Sam Conner where he was s
last Wednesday night.
Geo. Ashley was over from
Rutherford Sunday.
A. D. Engles entered school
here Monday.
J. C. Huddleston is on the sick
list this week.
Sam Conner was up from Mag
ness Sunday.
Mr. Geo. Wright is at home for
a few days.
GOV. LITTLE IMPROVING.
Little Rock, Feb. 16.--Secretary
Paul Little this morning received
a letter from Goveror Little writ
ten at Corpus Christie where the
Governor is now staying for his
health. In the letter Governor
I Little states that he stood the trip
very well and that he is getting
stronger every day. Governor
Little is not now troubled with the
| cares of state and his friends ex
S pect his condition to improve
rapidly. _
MAGNESS MUSINGS.
Magness, Feb. 19.—The young
people enjoyed a quilting party at
! the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert
'Jones, last Friday night. There
1 were two cakes given the ones
that done the nicest work. Miss
Lilly Hammonds was the lucky
girl and Mr. Thomas Lewis was
the lucky boy.
Jet. Burnes, is the champion
cotton picker, having picked 307
pounds yesterday.
Mayor Thomas Wald rip, went
to the county capitol yesterday.
Thomas Jones, transacted busi
ness in Newport yesterday.
J. E. Ferguson, of Desha, was j
in town today.
B. Crow, of Little Rock, was in
town today.
MAN BURNED TO DEATH
Andrew Pruitt Met Horrible Fate in
a Barn Near Oil Trough
i
Andrew Pruitt, who was sixty- :<
nine years old and an ex Federal i
soldier, was burned to death in a i
barn on Alf Leonard’s place near i
the head of Oil Trough bottom 1
Thursday night of last week. <
The oid man went to Newport 11
Thursday morning to do some i ]
trading. He bought a jug of <
whisky and in drinking along on i i
the way while en route home, be '
came intoxicated. He got down
oft his horse at Alf Leonard’s and f
became so noisy that Mr. Leonard f
started to take him on to his home 1
about two miles away, but as it i
was late in the evening and was i
getting dark, he stopped at the t
barn, put the old man in, covered s
him up well with hay and fastened
the door from the outside. About
11 o’clock Mr. Leonard was awake
and went to the door to see if the
old man was all right. Everything :
seemed to be quiet, and supposing
that the old man was sleeping, he
returned to bed. About 3 o’clock
he was awake again and found the ;1
barn in flames. Pruitt was burn- [
ed to death, his charred remains!
being found in the ruins after the!*
fire had burned itself out.
It is supposed that Pruitt sober
ed up during the night and upon
awaking struck a match to see i
where he was and in this manner
the fire was started. The door be- i
mg fastened on the outside cut oft'
ail means of escape and the old <
man perished in the flames.
Coroner Flinn held an inquest
Friday, the jury’s verdict being in 1
accordance with the above facts.
NEW USE FOR BOOZE. (
The Batesville News tells the i
following story of the new’ and i
useful manner in which the citizens <
of that town are now using their
booze:
“On last Wednesday an at
torney of this city and one of his
out of town clients became involv
ed in a quarrel over some business
matter. Strong epithets and hot
words were exchanged until the
client lost control of his temper,
and reaching down deep into his
overcoat pocket, drew' out an ugly
quart bottle heavily loaded with;
“Elixir of Life,” and grasping it (
by the neck he elevated it to an
angle of forty-five degrees and i
started to land on the attorney’s
cranium. This all transpired in 1
the circuit clerk's office, and when
the chief clerk observed that a
tragedy was about to take place he (
rushed forward and with his
strong arm stayed a terrific blow
which might have resulted disas
terously to the attorney and caused
the smell of corn juice to reign
supreme for many hours.”
BACK FROM OKLAHOMA.
Rev. J. I. Martin Tells About Corv-a
ditions in the New State.
Well, Mr. Editor, about a year
ago I moved my family to Okla
homa. I did not go myself until
April, and spent most of the sum
mer also in Arkansas, as I was in
the state mission work. I wrote
vou several letters in regard to*
that country, as many of your
readers will perhaps remember.
Well, we have moved back to
Arkansas, having arrived here the
40th of January. Of course, we
tad reasons for coming back, but
irst I must say that I have
lot changed my mind in regard to
Oklahoma as a farming country.
Jne hand can cultivate front
;hirty-live to fifty acres there, amt
t is much easier on a team. They
ise more modern machinery there
ban we do here, and the weather
loes not get so hot, as the wind
ilows ail the time. This is the
irincipal reason we did not like
>ut there, as there is a strong,
■oaring wind blowing all the time, -
vliicli makes it very unpleasant.
Chen, there is but little sociability
.mong the people. To give you
ome idea of conditions along thin
ine, I will .just state that we lived
n a half a mile of a famplify who
never visited us during tme entire
ime we lived there, not even in
iiekness. But there some reasons
'or this. The country is filled up
.vith people from everywhere,
people of all shades of belief,
morally, politically, religiously
>.nd otherwise.
We concluded that we would he
setter satisfied on own farm than
:o live on rented land in that
country. Wh^re a man rent*
;here for a pa# of the crop ho
must plant at least half his land in
jotton. Then when gathering
ime comes, hands cannot be had
,o gather the crop, so a man who
las only a small force cannot get
dong very well. If a man could
)uy a farm of course he could
nanage better.
I consider that as healthy a
iountry as this. Of course they
lave some chills there and somii
'ever. The country where wo
ived is mostly prairie, but thero
s enough timber for fuel.
I want to commend the efforts
>f the people of Newark in their
food work for temperance and
food morals and will say that I am
■ead.v to help in furthering tho
;ause in any manner that I can.
J. I. Martin.
CHARLOTTE CHRONICLES.
Charlotte, Feb. 1!».—Mr. amf
Urs. Luther Pickens, of Lota,
spent. Saturday and Sunday at this
dace with Mrs. Pickens’ parents,
Ur. and Mrs. P. S. Lane.
Miss Xettye Bevens, of Sulphur
rtock spent Saturday and Sunday
it this place with her cousin Mis:*
Mela Jernigan.
Several of the young people afc
,ended the apron party at Dfrhw
Wednesday night and all revow Jv
dee time.
Mr. and Mrs. Newt Blair, of
Jord, spent Saturday and Sunday
it this place visiting friends anil
•elatives,
Mrs. J. N.Churchill and daught
er, Miss Unie, were shopping at
Batesville Saturday.
Boone Tulley, of Sulphur Bock,
risited a “friend” at this place
Sunday.
Rev. J. L. Brown is holding %
protracted meeting at Cave City.