From the Clay County Courier [undated]:

Williams, Current River and Western...

The train pictured above, [sic] was in operation a century ago.  In the year 1877, H. H. Williams came to the Corning area looking for a location to set up a sawmill.  He chose the area four and one-half miles North of Corning.  He established the mill one-fourth mile Southwest of the Williams cemetery.

After being in operation for a short period, it was decided to expand the business.  There was a great demand for all wooden products, including wagon materials and barrel staves, as all barrels and kegs were made of wooden staves.  A mill and stave factory were put into operation at a location one mile and a half South of Moark, on the West side of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad, now Union Pacific.  The land was on the East side of what is known as the Headley farm.

A small town was built up named Williams, which was always referred to as Williams Switch.  Then it was decided to put in a rail line running West to the town of Palatka, and on to Bridgeport (now Success).  This was Williams, Current River and Western, but was referred to as Little Narrow Gage.  Palatka became a busy town with a mill and stave factory, a cotton gin, a boarding house and several general stores.

A depot and post office were established at Williams due to the train flag stops.  Business prospered in the 1890's [sic].  Other mills were added and keep competition caused the business to diminish, resulting in the closing of the business in 1898.

The photo was taken in 1897 in Palatka in the last year of operation.

Prior to that date the line was in operation about 15 years.

As the son of the late H. H. Williams, to my knowledge, I am the only living person who personally saw the line in operation.

I thought this article and photograph would be of interest to the Corning and surrounding communities and I am pleased to share it with you.

Sincerely, James H. Williams, 10 Ridgeview Court, St. Charles, Missouri, 63301 

“On Railway S. of Corning on Lake 1910”.  From copy.  (Akers).

From the Clay County Courier:

"Booser Tram, 1910"
By J. M. Oliver, Jr.

After operating from '04 until '09, the available timber around Corning was fairly well depleted and Mr. Booser had to build a tram road across the north end of Corning Lake to the west bank of Black River.  Logs were floated down the river, [sic] to a log reservoir at the terminus of the tram--hence brought in to the mill on flat cars.  Black river was unlevied at the time, so frequent floods made operation of the tram a sporadic event.  When at flood stage the stream covered everything between it and the East side of Corning, with frequent washouts on the main line of the Mo-Pac.  After washouts in August '15 and February '16, that company decided it was necessary to raise the tracks between Corning and the higher ground across the river.  Tracks and bridge were raised above high water marks and no washouts have interrupted traffic since."

“1912”  “No. 3 on Corning Lake Trestle, Corning, Ark.”  From copy.  (Akers).

“Mail Train #7 going through Corning 45 miles per hour”.  From copy.  (Akers).

Submitted by Danny Moore