Travelin' the County

Submitted by Donnie Pickard

Van Buren County Banner, February 2, 1882

Travel
Last week we enjoyed a nice little trip through the eastern portion of the county. The weather was not at all times agreeable, but the more it rained the longer we stayed at the place where we were. Leaving town on Monday in company with J. D. King and J. E. Rhea Esq. Our first landing was

Bee Branch
We spent Monday night here with the whole-souled gentleman J. E. Rhea Esq. who is emphatically the big man of the place in more ways than one. This place which but a few years ago was but a wayside post-office is fast springing into a prosperous village. They have a good school, conducted by Miss Paralee Martin. A handsome church ornaments the highest hill in the place. Dr. Edward Rackliff a most elegant gentleman is located there and doing a fine practice considering the general healthfulness of the country. The merchants are J. E. Scanlen who is also postmaster, and Hargis & Rhea, both houses are doing a good business. Mr. W. M. French is in the drug business, and Mr. Allen attends to the wear and tear of farming implements, old wagons and horses feet. Mr. W. A. Gifford is the traveling merchant of the town. Scanlen is happy over the advent of a new boy. Our next point was

Quitman
No section of our county has built up more rapidly or more substantially than this beautiful town and the surrounding country. We spent two days last week at the Hotel de Rollow, and by the way there is no better stopping place for man or horse east of the Rocky Mountains. We always enjoy ourselves at Quitman; the people are so lively and social, full of fun and music. The college here is doing a good work. Not only for the youth of the county but for many from a distance. The Quitman College already enjoys a high reputation as an institution of learning and the day is not far distant when its halls will be crowded with students from all parts of the state. But Alex keeps our readers posted on Quitman affairs.

Waco
Is in Goff's cove. It is a new place, new men, new post office, new store, new goods, new gin, new blacksmith shop. The population consists of three families and one bachelor. Mr. John L. Brewer is the patriarch of the tribe. Bob Brewer is his assistant and presides as chief magistrate I his absence. Mr. George Morton is the accommodating blacksmith. Mr. P. C. Meneese, our Porter, the bachelor, is ginner, merchant, postmaster, and this time next year will be in the state p____ well there is not much difference legislature. Porter boards with John Brewer, sleeps upstairs, and notwithstanding he is a tall man and can reach higher than any body, he has to climb a pole every night to reach his bedroom. He is lazy about getting up in the morning, feeling, no doubt, that he is already high enough, and Mrs. Brewer has to call him to breakfast. Wake O Porter! Wake O Porter! She calls and that is how the place came to be called Waco.

(The boss is mistaken for if the way they get him out of the bed is any criteria, the place would have been called broomstick)

Sugar Loaf
In company with Mr. John L. Brewer we had the pleasure of spending a few days at the celebrated Sugar Loaf Springs. The Springs have changed hands within the last year, and a mighty change has been wrought in the neighborhood. The dark, gloomy, silent woods which once surrounded the Springs are fast disappearing, the merry laughs of sporting children, the music of saw and hammer, and the whistle of the steam mill are heard where a year ago only silence reigned. Improvements are being rapidly made. To an old citizen who is accustomed to think of the springs as being in the middle of a wilderness, the change is almost miraculous. The proprietors are in earnest, and they mean to build upa town. Much work has already been done. The Sugar Loaf Springs company organized September 10th 1881 with capital stock of $12,500.00 divided in 500 shares of $25.00 each. The property was laid off in town lots the last of October and first of November 1881. The plot contains 66 blocks, with twelve lots on each block, also a square of ten and one-half acres which includes the springs. The streets run parallel with the section lines. The names of those running north and south are, Van Buren, 60 feet wide, Conway, 60 feet, Broadway 80 feet, Park 80 feet, North and South Center, each 80 feet. Those running east and west are Clinton, 60 feet, Pine, 60 feet, Sugar Loaf, 80 feet, Spring Avenue, 80 feet, Main, 80 feet, Searcy , 60 feet, Quitman, 60 feet, Walnut, 60 feet. K There has been since the middle of December twelve houses erected or are now being erected besides one of best stream saw mills in the state. Some thirty or forty lots have been sold, all of which will be improved at an early day. The company will as soon as spring opens erect a boarding house with about twenty-five rooms to rent. Several others of a like nature are spoken of. We had the pleasure of meeting W. C. Watkins Esq., the secretary of the company, who escorted us through the principal streets and avenues.

We spent Saturday night with Jess Bean, Esq., in the Cove, and on Sunday morning struck a bee line for home.