The Final Compromise [p.379] -- February
16, 1885, an act of the Arkansas Legislature, to authorize and regulate
the manner of disposing of the town-site-lands, was approved. It was
made the duty of the council to appoint one person from each ward to
grade, classify and price the lots, at values ranging from $1 to $20.
Evidence as to title was to be presented to the mayor, and upon his
certificate of genuineness the city treasurer was authorized to receive
paymet, upon receipt of which the mayor should issue a deed.
It was upon a different basis, however that the final settlement was reached. In February, 1885, the Eureka Improvement Compay, successors to the agricultural claimants, instituted proceedings in the United States Court for the western district of Arkansas to test the legality of the town site title. The city treasury was empty and its credit imapired, while there was a general disposition among the citizens in favor of a compromise, the litigation of five years having discouraged many. The city council requested the citizens to meet en masse, and appoint a committee to co-operate with them, which was done, Joe F. Ivey and J. H. Cameron being respectively chairman and secretary of the meeting. The committee thus chosen met with the council in February, 1885; a proposition from the Improvement Company was received, but not favorably considered, and an abrupt termination of the negotiations was imminent, when the president of the company suggested that the matter be laid over until after the annual meeting of its directors. March 11, 1885, pursuant to adjournment of February 24, the city council and citizens' committee again met, John Carroll, chairman, and J. H. Cameron, secretary. They were met by representatives of the Improvement Company, and after a conference, that continued from 4 P.M. to 4 A. M., a basis of settlement was at length reached. March 19, 1885, the report of the conference was submitted to a meeting of citizens in Downie Hall, by which it was referred for reconsideration to a committee, consisting of John Carroll on behalf of the city, and Powell Clayton as the representative of the Improvement Company. No essential changes were made. The compromise measures were submitted to a vote of the citizens, who declared in their favor by a practically unanimous vote. April 6, 1885, a decree of the United States District Court was promulgated, ratifying the compromise, the main features of which were the following: The Improvement Company was invested with the title to that part of Section 10 entered by George Penn, upon condition that deeds should be executed to the lot-holders thereon at the city appraisement, and that the Dairy Spring should be free to the public forever. The title to the Northcutt and Alexander entries was vested in the mayor of the city, the president of the Improvement Company and John Carroll, by whom deeds should be executed to lot-holders at the city appraisement, to churches without compensation, and all reservations to the city, all property unclaimed within a certain period to revert without compensation to the Improvement Company. A commission was provided for, to consit of one person representing the city and Improvement Company, respectively, and a third, mutually chosen by them, to have jurisdiction in widening of the streets, abatement of nuisances, removal of unoccupied houses, etc., and the Improvement Company was granted the right to operate street car lines, gas and water pipe lines, for a period of fifty years. This compromise honorable and just to all interests involved, removed the incubus of uncertain title which had so longer interfered with the prosperity of the city, while its provisions for public improvements insured a realization of those conditions which attract a desirable class of citizens.
Eureka Springs Railway [p.381] --
This road extends from Seligman, Mo., to Eureka Springs, a distance of 18.50
miles. The grade from Seligman, for some distance, is 138 feet to the
mile. The general direction of the line is northwest and southeast.
There is down grade thirteen miles to White River from the northwest,
and six miles from the southeast. A two-span Howe truss iron bridge
crosses the White River.
The road was chartered February 27, 1882, and opened to travel February 1, 1883. It was built by the Western Construction Company of Little Rock, Ark. The building of an extension to Harrison, Ark., 49.25 miles, is in contemplation.
The officers are as follows: President and manager, Powell Clayton;
vice-president and treasurer, Logan H. Roots; secretary, A. H. Foote;
directors, R. C. Kerens, St. Louis, Mo.; Logan H. Roots, Little Rock,
Ark.; E. W. Taylor, Jefferson, Texas; Nathan Herrmann, N. Y.; P. K.
Roots, Little Rock, Ark.; C. H. Smith, St. Louis, Mo.; Powell Clayton,
F. M. Richardson, A. H. Foote, Eureka Springs.
The operations for the year ending December 31, 1887, are here enumerated: Train mileage (passenger, 13,505; freight 13,885), 27390 miles. Passengers carried, 27783; tons freight moved, 24,900. Earnings: Passenger $35,011.52; freight $39,597.74; mail $1,459.68; express, $ 1,415.70; miscellaneous traffic earnings, $18,793.65; total, $96,278.32. Operating expenses: Transportation, $8,194.23; motive power, $5,767.84; general repairs, $2,355.98; maintenance of way, $5,848.39; general expenses, $9,153.68; total $31,320.12. Net earnings from traffic, $64,958.20. Payments: Interest on first mortgage bonds, $30,000; on debt, $30,000' other payments, $542.40; total, $60,542.40; balance surplus, $4,415.80.
Financial statement December 31,
1887: Capital stock (par value $100), $500,000' funded debt, first
mortgage 6 per cent. fifty-year bonds, due February, 1933, interest
payable February and August, $500,000; second mortgage income 6 per
cent non-cumulative bonds, dated February 1, 1883, $500,000' current
accounts, $5,774.67; profit and loss, $8,921.60' total, $1,514,696.27.
Contra: Cost
of roads, franchise, equipment, etc., $1,500,000' due from other
railroad companies, $3,568.33; from agents, $64.48; materials and fuel
on hand, $3,112.24; other assets, $7,951.22; total, $1,514,696.27.
Securities mostly held by construction company.
Rolling Stock: Locomotives, two; cars -- passenger, one; baggage, etc., one; platform, six; service, eight; total sixteen. Other rolling stock is furnished by St. Louis & San Francisco Railway company.
Business Interests [p.382] -- First
merchants: O. D. Thornton, the first merchant, established his place of
business July 6, 1879, with a stock of goods worth about $200.
September 13, 1879, Montgomery Bros. opened a grocery on the
opposite side of the street, with a stock worth $150. Mrs. Massman
supplied the lumber used in the early building operations from her
saw-mill on Leatherwood Creek. William Conant was the first liveryman.
The "King House," built by a mrs. King, of Washburn, Mo., across the
gulch from the Basin Spring, was the first hotel. The number of
business places in the summer of 1881 is given as 100. The first
shipment over the Eureka Springs Railway was several cars of hay, of
which S. C. Mills was the consignee. Spring and Main Streets, and
particularly the immediate vicinity of Basin Spring, have always been
the most active business portions of the town, and will doubtless
continue so.
The following is a classified list of business places at the present time:
Grocers -- E. S. Timmons, A. L. Baker, Harper & Smith, W. H. Kaylor, McLaughlin & Robinson, J. S. Alexander, Martin & Co., Joseph Beck & Son, Hudson & Henson, Edward Haigler, H. N. Childer, S. T. Dickens, J. M. V. Shreve, H. D. Field, G. S. Brown, G. W. Finn, C. W. Smith, Packard & Gammon, D. H. Hopper, G. W. Malcolm, Joe F. Ivey & Bro.. Levi Fuller & Son, Samuel Hays, S. J. Moore, & Son, E. O. Freeman & Co., Mark Dean, ------- Adams, S. Carrell.
Dry Goods -- Montgomery & Riley, S. Turner, Sam. Fyfe.
General
Stores -- T. E. Clark, W. W. Davis & Co., A. J. Ray, Davis &
Champlin, Wilson Riley, Nichols & Smith, Cuthbertson & Co., B.
N. Nichols, Payne & Haman, R. L. Meaders.
Hardware -- Joseph Breeding, W. G. Jenkins & Co., A. N. Matthews & Co., J. G. Breeding.
Furniture -- W. S. Wadsworth, Sutliff & Bradey.
Druggists -- E. E. Brim, F. Bellchamber, H. T. Pendergrass, T. L. Milner, N. Gibson.
Undertakers -- Z. B. Drummond, W. S. Wadsworth.
Books and Stationery -- H. Fitch & Son, Geo. Baldridge.
Jewelry -- J. P. Shepherd, H. T. Shepherd, H. Fitch & Son.
Butchers -- Lawson & Whitehead, H. O. Kinser, G. & C. Pendergraff, Fanning & Co., F. M. King, Thomas Banham.
Confectioners
-- Blockson & Young, Caldwell Bros., Snavely & Bro., G. W.
Swett, J. W. Whitten, C. H. Young, Maggie Kimball, W. S. Edwards.
Gents' Furnishers -- John Tobien, Bayless & Ross, James & Beck.
Ladies' Furnishers -- Appie Lee, Mrs. J. G. Cunningham, Mrs. E. W. Roe, Mrs. M. E. Boyd, Bertie Barnett.
Flour and Feed -- W. V. Crow, G. W. Martin, S. C. Mills, G. H. Keeler.
Miscellaneous
-- Woodruff & Co., lumber; L. E. Lines, sewing machines; Neill
& Co., boots and shoes; M. M. White, notions; John S. Tibbs, Eureka
Water Company, water shippers; H. A. Rogers, harness; H. I. Seidel,
produce, etc.; W. W. Bell, paints, etc. J. W. Hill, Charles Hurlburt,
Jacob Everman, livery and sale stables.
The Board of Trade was organized February 24, 1888. President, R. H. James; vice-president, Z. P. Freeman; secretary, J. B. Bolton; directors A. H. Foote, H. I. Seidel, T. D. Wickersham, F. A. Packard, B. J. Rosenwater, Norbert Valin, J. T. Spring, G. W. Malcolm, J. T. Champlin, G. W. Sweesy.
Hotels have always been a prominent factor in the business of the town. After the first, built by Mrs. King, several others came into existence in rapid succession. The City Hotel, by Mrs. Charles, on Spring Street, the Gilmore House, Planters' House and Eureka House were among the first. Conner's Hotel on Main Street, known as the Grand Central was the stopping place for new arrivals by the "nine-hour line" from Peirce City. The Mountain House, by Smith & Jackson, and Col. Zeb. Pettigrew's hotel were also in a flourishing condition at this time. The following is a list of hotels in 1881: Southern, Metropolitan, St. Charles, Grand Central, Pettigrew, Mountain, Hancock, St. James, Eureka, Kentucky, Ohio. The Perry House was built in 1881 by Joseph Perry, Esq. of Colorado. W. E. Beatty is the present proprietor of the Southern.
The Crescent Hotel was first opened to the public May 10, 1886, under the management of G. W. Kittelle. The building is five stories high, and is built of a variety of white stone, obtained at quarries on White River. The dining-room is 100x40 feet. The building is practically fire-proof. The Waring system of sewerage is adopted. A park of fifteen acres, presenting many attractions, surround the hotel, The Crescent was formally opened May 20 and 21, 1886, with an attendance of 400 guests and appropriate exercises.
The Eureka Improvement Company was incorporated January 15, 1883. The original organizers were Logan H. Roots, P. K. Roots and W. P. Davison, and a temporary organization was effected January 11, 1883. The permanent organization occurred in August, 1884, when the present officers were elected, as follows: President, Powell Clayton; secretary, A. H. Foote; treasurer, Logan H. Roots. The present directory is constituted as follows: Powell Clayton, R. C. Kerens, Logan H. Roots, A. H. Foote, F. N. Richardson, John O'Day, H. N. Morrill, D. H. Nichols, James Dunn. The company has a paid up capital of $269,100. Its property consists of several hundred acres of land, a large part of which has been laid off into streets and lots, and the Crescent Hotel, described above.
The Inter-state Gas Company, Theodore Platt, president, has succeeded to that part of the Improvement Company's franchise which relates to gas pipe lines. A gas plant has been constructed and is in operation.
The Citizens' Bank, authorized capital $10,000, was organized February 15, 1887, with J. T. Waddell, president, John T. Champlin, cashier, and R. J. Gray, vice-president. J. W. Freeman was elected president in March, 1888. The office of assistant cashier was created in March, 1888, with D. F. Powell as its first incumbent. The banking house of John H. Cameron & Co. was established in March, 1881, and subsequently suspended.
Steam Mills. Webb & Brown's steam flouring-mill was built in the winter
of 1887-88. The building is frame, three stories high; it is equipped
with three double sets of rolls for wheat and one for corn. The engines
are of twenty-five-horse power.
The corner-stone of the Co-operative Milling Company's mill was laid July 21, 1887, with impressive ceremonies. James W. Hart is superintendent, and L. H. Winchell, president.
Societies [p.385] -- Bethesda Lodge No. 10, Knights of Pythias, was instituted December 5, 1880, with the following officers: I. A. Newman, P.C.; A. J. Gibbs, C.C.; ----- Howell, V.C.; ----- Owens, P.; John Tobien, M. of E.; T. E. Clark, M. of F.; M. Harrison, K. of R. & S. Present membership, forty. Connected with this is a section of the endowment rank, instituted March 26, 1881; President, Joe F. Ivey; Secretary, T. E. Clark.
Eureka Division, U.R., K. of P., was instituted with twenty-eight
members, J. T. Waddill, S.K.C.; Joe F. Ivey, S.K.L.C.; J. H. Edmonson,
S.K.H.
Eureka Springs lodge No. 83, I.O.O.F., was instituted March 24, 1881, with the following members and officers: S. W. Damon, N.G.; J. Q. Cowles, V.G.; Wilson Broyles, Secretary; Joseph Willett, D. C. Boswell, Edward Eads. Present member-ship fifty-nine.
Basin Spring Lodge No. 386, F. & A.M., was instituted November 23, 1881. First officers: E. T. Walker, W. M.; H. H. Moose, S.W.; H. Glitsch, J.W. Present membership, sixty.
Eureka Chapter No. 82, R.A.M., was chartered November 27, 1884, and was organized under a dispensation granted April 9, 1884, to H. H. Moose, J. W. Cary, Peter Lamlaker, Henry D. Field, J. S. Tibbs, F. F. Hastings, S. L. Hickerson, R. W. Goudelock, D. B. Lukey, J. C. Cunningham, R. J. Gray, S. C. Reading, F. Belllchamber, W. C. Pendergrass, j. B. Fulton.
Cyrene
Commandery No. 9, K. T., was constituted July 15, 1885; first officers.
J. W. Cary, E. C.; H. D. Field, G.; S. C. Reading, C.G.
The Order of the Eastern Star is represented by two organizations.
Ruth Lodge No. 10, I.O.O.F., was instituted October 25, 1886, and numbers sixty members.
The W.C.T.U. was organized April 21, 1886; first officers, Mrs. C. C. Cook, president; Mrs. Miner Davis, vice-president; Miss Kate Richardson, secretary; Mrs. L. M. Himes, treasurer. Present membership, 100. Mrs. J. C. Fraker is the present efficient president.
The Y.W.C.T.U. was organized May 9, 1886; reorganized October 31, 1887, with thirteen members, the officers being Miss Appie Lee, president; Miss Hattie Fraker, vice-president; Miss Mollie Gird, secretary; Miss Maggie Moore, treasurer.
Newspapers [p.386] -- The Echo. In November, 1879, T. J. Hadley removed his printing outfit from Olathe, Kas., to Eureka Springs, and issued the first number of the Echo February 21, 1880. This was the pioneer newspaper of the city. A. B. Adams was in partnership during the first four months of its history, when he retired. In September, 1880, Hadley disposed of the paper to H. A. Nickell and J. B. Lowe, by whom it was continued until October, 1882. Nickell had become individual proprietor by this time, and moved the office to Ozark, Ark. In August, 1883, A. B. Adams bought a printing outfit to Eureka Springs, and Volume I, No. 1 of the Echo appeared September 5, 1883. It was a three-column, four-page paper. The Daily Echoing Nemesis first appeared Thursday, April 23, 1885. D. P. Cloyd was associated with Mr. Adams in this enterprise for a time. The name has since been changed to the Daily Echo, in connection with which a weekly edition is published, both under the proprietorship and management of Mr. Adams. The paper is Democratic in politics.
The Times. The original predecessor of the Times was the Republican, established in 1881 by Murphy & Penn, who retired at the end of nine months, when the paper was run in the name of S. K. Morgan for a time. Perry & Spears were the next proprietors, and assumed control February 15 1882, changing the name to the Times and politics to Democratic. June 20, 1885, the Times was consolidated with the Bulletin, established April 15, 1881, by Lucius Hitchcock, the consolidation taking the name of Arkansaw Times-Bulletin. Don J. Perry had previously retired from the Times. May 15, 1884, H. A. Cook succeeded Spear & Hitchcock, and in November, 1887, Sweeney & Weymouth, the present proprietors, took charge. The name has been changed to the Times, and under the present management, the paper has returned to its original political faith.
A number of definite journalistic efforts have been made at various times.
The annual meeting of the Arkansas Press Association was held at Eureka Springs in May, 1884.