Goodspeed's History of Benton County, pp. 95-110
Towns and Villages
Avoca
This little village is prettily located on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, five miles north of Rogers. It was laid out in 1881 by Albert Peel, who built the first house and opened the first store in the place. It now contains the railroad depot, two stores, kept, respectively, by Albert Peel and J. R. Dunagin, a blacksmith shop and grain warehouse, also a district school-house. Grain, railroad ties, fence posts and fruits, especially small fruits, are extensively shipped from this station.
Brightwater
Brightwater
is a station on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, two
miles northeast of Avoca. As a village it was established about the
year 1840, by an old pioneer settler, Enoch Trott, who kept a tavern or
"stand" and a grocery, principally for the use of the drovers and other
travelers on the old State road. A leading article sold at the grocery
was in liquid form. It was called "Trott's Stand." At the breaking out
of the war Judge Long kept the only store in the place. This
store-house and the few other buildings there were burned on the
occasion of the battle of Pea Ridge. The first improvement there, after
the war, was made by Albert Peel (now of Avoca), who bought the land
and put up a dwelling-house and a store-house. It now consists of the
general store of Joe Dickson & son, the drug store of Drs. T.
M. & R. S. Rice, the grocery store of Hill & Lynch, a
blacksmith shop and a fruit evaporator, the latter by Kimmons &
Son. The capacity of the fruit evaporator is about 200 bushels per day,
and when operated the proprietors employ about twenty-five hands. The
place has a district school-house, but no church edifice. The only
organized church there is the Christian, and the members thereof
worship in the school-house. Pea Ridge Lodge No. 119, A.F. &
A.M. is located at Brightwater. In amount of shipments the place
compares well with other stations on the road.
Bentonville
The origin and location of Bentonville, the county seat of
Benton County, has been given in connection with the organization of
the county. Being established in 1837, the first store opened in the
place was managed by Dr. Nicholas Spring, under the firm name of Blythe
& Spring, and the next one was opened by two brothers, John G.
and William T. Walker. Blythe & Spring had a pretty fair stock
of goods but the Walkers had a broken stock, worth only about $800. In
1840 or 1841 another store was opened by some parties from
Fayetteville, and in 1850 the town had about five business houses and a
few mechanics' shops. Being so far inland, and in a new country, the
settlement of which was slow, the growth of the town was also slow and
gradual. In 1860, just before the outbreak of the Civil War, it
contained five general stores, kept respectively by A. W. Dinsmore,
James Woolsey, Greenwood & Hobbs, J. M. Vestal and James A.
Dickson; the furniture store of Henry Baumeister, the saddle and
harness-shop of J. W. Clark, the Clark Hotel by J. W. Clark, the Vestal
Hotel by W. R. Vestal, and three or four mechanics shops. It also
contained the county public buildings, and two churches, Cumberland
Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal, South, and the building of the
Masonic lodge and school-house, and had a population of about 500. Of
professional men there were four physicians -- Drs. C. D. Talliaferro,
D. H. Hobbs William Wilson and John Gray. There were also a few
attorneys and local officers, together with the county officers. In
addition to the foregoing there were one or more "dram-shops" or
saloons in the town.
Bentonville, especially, suffered terribly from the ravages of
war. In February, 1862, when a portion of Federal troops belonging to
Gen. Curtis' army passed through the town, a soldier lingered behind,
either with or without authority, and was killed by one in sympathy
with the Sourthern cause. Some of the Federal soldiers returned to the
town next day, and on learning of the fate of their comarde became
exasperated, applied the torch in revenge, and on this occasion
thirty-six building were consumed by fire. In justice to the commander
of these troops, who were then encamped a few miles southwest of the
town, it must be said that as soon as he learned the state of affairs
he sent back to stop the burning of the town. Afterward, from time, to
time, buildings continued to be burned in the town, and in the country
surrounding it, by both Federal and Confederate soldiers, and some were
burned by thieves and plunderers belonging to neither army. Both
contending parties now claim that the court-house was burned by the
other. According to best authority, the two churches, the Masonic hall
and school building, and the jail, were burned to prevent their being
used by the Union armies. After the first burning, scouting parties of
either army, passing through and finding houses standing, would imagine
that they were left because their owners were in sympathy with the
other army, and would therefore burn them. This work of burning
property was carried on to such an extent that when the war closed only
about a dozen houses were left standing in Bentonville. At the close of
the war the county was devastated and the towns likewise, but the
people were inured to hardships, and were dtermined if possible to
retrieve their lost fortunes. With but little capital they applied
themselves to the work, and the following directory and sketch of the
present business and institutions of Bentonville will show how well
they have succeeded in their efforts. It is true, however, that much of
the success of Bentonville is due to its immigration from other States.
Bentonville was incorporated by the county court at its
January adjourned term in 1873. At the present writing (1888) its
officers are Hon. W. D. Mauck, mayor; Henry Cowan, recorder; W. S.
Black, treasurer; councilmen, Dr. John Smartt, Dr. J. M. Thompson, N.
S. Henry, Robert Brashear, George P. Jackson; W. T. Woolsey, marshal.
The town contains several large brick business blocks, besides many
frame business houses, and many beautiful residences. The latter are
mostly surrounded with large lawns well filled with shade and fruit
trees. Though the oldest town in the county, it is yet a young town,
having been nearly all built since the close of the late war, and
mostly within the last ten years. Its population is between 2,500 and
3,000.
Bentonville
Directory. -- Banks,
Benton County Bank, The Peoples Bank; dry goods, W. A. Terry &
Co., Craig & Sons, Woods & Claypool, George Jackson;
auction
store, W. E. Goodwin; groceries, J. C. Knott, Morris & Co., J.
H.
& J. P. Burns, Wagner & Jefferson, G. M. Bates
& Co., P. S.
Powell, drugs, Dr. C. D. Taliaferro, E. H. Looney, W. S. Black;
confectioneries, Inson & Larick, W. R. Hoffman, M. M. Harkins,
P.
McBride; furniture, T. C. Barney, J. L. Pluck; hardware, Hobbs
&
Co., Maxwell & Hickman; harness and saddles, H. A. Rogers,
Stahl
& Crough; clothing, Lincoln & Arthur; boots and shoes,
Laughlin
& Brashear; watchmakers and jewelers, R. J. Laughlin, M. M.
Hawkins; undertakers, J. Huffman & Son; marble works, McWhirter
& Robbins; bakery, J. K. Putman; candy factory, H. C. Turner;
agricultural implements, C. W. Clapp, F. C. Hawkins; millinery,
Wakefield & Deming, J. A. Sanderson & Co., Miss Julia
Loomis;
boot and shoemakers Roberts & Thomas, D. R. Thompson; produce
dealers, McHenry & Bryan, R. Y. Nance; blacksmiths, W. H.
Ferguson,
W. A. Smith, A. Marcum; feed store, Corley & Son; meatmarkets,
S.
N. Price, J. H. Houston; livery, Smartt & Brown, Faircloe
&
Brim; brickyards, J. Haney, Z. Mitchell, M. T. Carroll; contractors, J.
Haney, C. A. Blanck, A. W. Duffie, J. Cook, Carney & Dodson,
Robert
Carley; Eagle Mills, H. W. Schrader, proprietor; Bentonville Mills,
John Curtis, proprietor; tobacco manufactory, Arkansas Tobacco Company;
canneries and evaporators, Bentonville Canning and Evaporating Company;
wagon factory, McGruder, McAdams & Co., proprietors; lumber
yard,
Hall, Guthrie & Co.; cooperage, Dungie & Hunter;
hotels, Rogers
House, Western Hotel, Eagle Hotel, Eclipse Hotel; physicians, T. W.
Hurley, J. M. Thompson, John Smartt, C. D. Taliaferro, B. F. Smith, J.
R. Lucas, W. R. Davis, J. M. Hobbs, J. A. Gill, N. B. Cotton; dentists,
D. A. Watson, S. H. Petit, M. B. Vaughter; collector and convenancer,
F. M. Bates; insurance, C. E. Bruce, Cotton & Craig; attorneys,
see
"Benton County Bar."
Churches. -- Cumberland
Presbyterian, Rev. F. T. Chaston, J. D. Ritchie, temporarily in charge;
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Rev. T. J. Reynolds; Presbyterian,
Rev. D. C. Boggs; Baptist Missionary, Rev. J. M. McGuire; Christian
Church, J. R. Lucas, M.D.; Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. W. M. Brock.
Sales
Transactions in 1887. -- Four
dry-goods, notions, etc., $122,000; five groceries, $90,000; one
clothing and gents' furnishing, $21,000; one boots and shoes, $10,000;
two furniture, $20,500; one undertaker, $1,500; two saddlery and
harness, $11,000; two hardware, $37,000; two agricultural implements,
etc., $61,000; two drugs, $17,000; one watch-maker, $4,000; two
millinery and ladies' furnishing, $5,000; four hotels, $10,000; two
butchers, $11,000; one bakery, $2,600; one tobacco, $15,000; one
lumber, $25,000; two produce and fruit, $81,000; one evaporating plant,
$25,000; grain and grain products, $116,000; live stock, $41,000;
railroad ties, $16,500; railroad earnings, $12,953; miscellaneous,
$100,000. Total exclusive of banking and loans, $896,000.
Bentonville
Railroad Company. -- Length
of railroad in miles, 5-1/4; cost of construction, $42,000. Passengers
carried west, 5,077; passengers carried east, 4,182; total tickets sold
in 1887, 9,259. Tons of freight received, 2,833; tons of freight
forwarded, 5,477; total tons of freight handled in 1887, 8,310. Tons
agricultural products handled 661; tons animal or live stock, 260;
vegetable foods and products, tons, 738; manufactured articles, tons,
168; merchandise, tons, 2,838; products of forest, tons, 3,450; eggs,
195. Total tons handled, 8,310.
Officers
Bentonville Railroad. -- President,
John Smartt; vice-president, J. H. McClinton; general manager, N. S.
Henry; traffic manager, D. H. Woods; conductor, C. M. Robinson.
The Benton
County Bank was
organized in May, 1885, by John Black, president; J. A. Rice,
vice-president; S. F. Stahl, cashier; Jesse Motter, assistant cashier,
and J. G. McAndrews, with a paid-up capital of $20,000. In May, 1887,
the bank was reorganized, and the capital stock was increased to
$50,000, all paid up. The present officers are W. A. Terry, president;
A. J. Bates, vice-president; S. F. Stahl, cashier; N. B. Cotton,
assistant cashier; J. A. Rice, attorney. Other stockholders aside from
the officers named are J. W. Langford, John Black and J. G. McAndrews.
The bank is located in the Terry Block, opposite the People's Bank, at
the southwest corner of the public square. This fine brick block is
three stories high, and is the most attractive and imposing structure
in the city. The lower story contains the banking room on the corner
and a large store-room, with one front on the north side of the bank
facing eastward, and another front west of the bank facing southward.
The People's
Bank was
organized and began business in June, 1888, with a capital stock of
$50,000. Its first and present officers are John Smartt, president; I.
B. Gilmore, vice-president; F. E. Gilmore, cashier; A. W.
Dinsmore, assistant cashier. Board of directors: John Smartt, J. A. C.
Blackburn, I. B. Gilmore, A. W. Dinsmore, W. R. Davis, I. R. Hall, W.
H. Fry. Stockholders: John Smartt, J. A. C. Blackburn, A. W. Dinsmore,
D. H. Woods, I. B. Gilmore, George T. Lincoln, E. S. McDaniel, C. A.
Blanck, W. R. Davis, James Haney, F. E. Gilmore, J. B. Mayo, W. H. Fry,
Leonard West, G. Ambrose, T. A. Woods, I. R. Hall, F. M. Bates, B. F.
Dunn, A. W. Taylor, G. H. Moore.
Bentonville
Mercantile Company. -- This
is a joint stock company, with a paid-up capital of $30,000, the
stockholders being W. A. Terry, R. E. Brashear, Alex. Hall, B. F. Burks
and J. W. and Asa E. Langford. This company keeps a wholesale and
retail general store in the Terry Block, occupying all the stories and
all the space in the entire building, aside from the banking room, with
their goods.
The Eagle Mills
were
erected in 1881, and have since been equipped with the roller process
apparatus. The capacity is sixty barrels per day. The business is so
pressing that the mills are being run both day and night.
The Bentonville
Canning and Evaporating Company is
of recent origin, and its officers are I. B. Gilmore, president; W. B.
Lyon, secretary, and F. E. Gilmore, treasurer. The capital stock of the
company is $20,000; cost of plant, $10,000, of which $5,000 was for
machinery. Their main building is 30x80 feet, and three stories high.
It was built in February, 1888, by Plummer & Son, of
Leavenworth,
Kas., and is equipped with the Plummer process for evaporating fruit.
Its capacity is 800 bushels of apples per day, and from fifty to sixty
hands are employed. The contemplated canning factory is not yet
erected. W. L. Plummer & Son have received for their process of
evaporating fruit the medals from five world's fairs: Centennial, in
1876; Paris, in 1878; New Orleans; Melbourne, Australia, and Chili,
South America.
The Arkansas
Tobacco Company, dating
from October, 1887, is a succession of Trotter & Wilkes. The
secretary and general manager of the company is J. W. Trotter, of the
former firm. The president is W. B. Deming, original proprietor of
"Deming's Additions" to Bentonville, former of Kansas. They manufacture
several brands of plug and smoking tobacco, and do an extensive
business.
The Bentonville
Mills, located
on the spring branch below town were erected in 1869 by T. K. Blake and
J. Claypool. John Curtis has been proprietor since April, 1884. It is
supplied with two run of buhr stones, with a capacity of 100 bushels of
wheat and 200 bushels of corn per day. A carding machine is run in
connection with the mills.
Societies. -- Bentonville
Lodge No. 56, A.F.&A.M., was chartered November 4, 1852, with
J. D.
Dickson, W. M.; J. H. Hobbs, S. W., and James M. Rogers, J. W. The
present membership of this lodge is about sixty-five, and the present
officers are R. J. Laughlin, W.M.; T. T. Blake, S.W.; C. W. Clapp,
J.W.; C. R. Bruce, Secretary; S. F. Stahl, Treasurer; Josephus Huffman,
Tyler. This lodge is in a good financial condition, and dispenses all
its surplus for charitable purposes.
The Benton Chapter,
R.A.M., was chartered October 23, 1874, on petition of R. S. Armstrong,
John Black, W. B. Roper, S. H. Kelton, Josephus Huffman, Thomas J.
Webster, H. W. Glover and others. It was reorganized under its first
charter in June, 1887. The present officers are R. J. Laughlin, H.P.;
J. M. Thompson, King; J. H. Burns, Scribe; R. N. Corley, C.H.; T. J.
Reynolds, P>S.; P.Botcher, R.A.C.; G. T. Lincoln, T. T. Blake
and
Isaac Cook, G.M.S.; J. P. Burns, Treasurer; J. W. Taliaferro,
Secretary; Josephus Huffman, Tyler. The chapter has twenty-seven
members and applications for several more. Its financial condition is
good, and it dispenses charity with a liberal hand.
Bentonville
Lodge No. 37, K. OF P., was organized in June, 1887, with sixteen
members. Its present officers are F. E. Gilmore, P.C.; E. H. Looney,
C.C.; J. W. Taliaferro, V.C.; C. C. Huffman, Prelate; S. H. Claypool,
K. of R.S.; T. T. Blake, M.F.; W. B. Deming, M.E.; J. D. Bryan, M.A.;
present membership about thirty.
Benton Lodge No. 33,
I.O.O.F., was organized under a warrant or dispensation dated November
25, 1870, granted to H. S. Coleman, T. K. Blake, Leonard West, J. O.
Alexander and J. W. Simmons. The present officers are R. B. Lawson,
N.G.; G. W. Hurley, V.G.; Lewis M. Dailey, Secretary; George M. Bates,
Treasurer. The membership of the lodge is about fifty, and its
financial condition is good, having money at interest. Nearly
three-fourths of its membership have been acquired within the last year.
Burnside
Post No. 4, G.A.F., was organized in June, 1887. B. F. Hobbs was the
first Post Commander, and still holds that office. The other officers
are M. Starbuck, S.V.; A. H. Gingrich, J.V.; George Bill, Adjutant.
This post has about thirty-five members now in good standing.
The
Masonic Hall and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a large
two-story brick building erected in 1869, was built conjointly by the
church and the Masons, the church occupying the first and the Masons
the second story. The building cost $3,000. All of the above mentioned
societies except the G.A.R. meet in the Masonic hall.
The Bentonville
Press. -- The Advance,
a
Democratic newspaper, was established early in the seventies, and was
published for a number of years, frequently changing hands, and was
finally sold to the founder of the Bentonian,
and consolidated therewith.
The Bentonian,
also
a Democratic paper, was established in the fall of 1881 by S. D.
McReynolds, with S. M. Wamack as editor. McReynolds continued its
publication until October, 1885, when he sold it to J. B. Thompson. The
latter then changed the name of the paper to the Benton County Journal. Soon
thereafter W. M. Bumbarger bought a half interest, and in the fall of
1886 became sole proprietor of the paper, and in July, 1887, he sold it
to S. M. Dailey, who still continues its publication. The Journal is an
eight-column folio, well printed and ably edited in the interest of
Benton County. In politics it is stanchly Democratic.
The Benton County Democrat
was
established in January, 1885, by John W. Corley, who continued its
publication about one year, and then sold it to J. B. Thompson, who
published it about the same length of time, and then sold it to H. A.
Cook. The latter published it a few months, and until July, 1888, when
he sold it Hurley & Stevenson, two young and energetic men, who
are
now publishing it. It is located in the new Peoples Bank building, and
has one of the most convenient and commodious offices in the State. It
is also neatly printed and well edited, and is Democratic in politics.
Both of the Bentonville papers have a large circulation, and both do a
good business.
Bloomfield
The village of Bloomfield lies on Round Prairie, six miles north of Siloam Springs. It was surveyed and platted by David Chandler for G. W. Mitchell, its original proprietor. It contains a large public square surrounded with lots. Dr. J. H. Neagle built the first house in the village. It stands at the northeast corner of the public square. R. B. Mitchell opened the first store, and has continued in business ever since. The post-office was established the next year after the town was laid out, and R. B. Wilson was made postmaster, and still holds the office. Following Wilson, several parties opened stores, but soon left. Following is the present business of the village: General stores, R. B. Wilson, W. I. Richardson; drugs and groceries, Mitchell & Bro.; hotel, David Chandler; blacksmith, J. Johnson; woodwork, J. E. Stewart; physician, J. R. Floyd. The Masonic hall building was put up in 1871 by the Masons. The lodge hall is in the second story, and the lower room is used by all religious demoninations that choose to have it. The Rogers Academy is a fine two-story brick building, with seating capacity for 150 pupiles. Prof. A. B. Marbury is principal of this school. He teaches all branches ordinarily taught in high-schools, and also the public school in connection with his school.
Bloomfield Lodge No. 243, A.F. & A.M., was chartered in 1871, and William Kellum was the first W.M. The present membership of the lodge is from forty-five to fifty, and the officers are Z. T. Mitchell, W. M.; William Parker, S. W.; James Peek, J. W. This has always been a prosperous lodge. It is out of debt and has money on hand.
The Bloomfield Steam Roller Mills are located three-fourths of a mile south of the village. These mills have just undergone repairs, have had the roller process apparatus put in, and are thus prepared to make the best of flour.
Eldorado
This town was extensively laid out early in the eighties, occupying nearly all of the southeast quarter of Section 31, Town 20 north, Range 33 west, being seventeen miles west of Bentonville on a straight line. There being good springs there, it was established for a watering place or summer resort, and for a short time it had a business boom, but now it contains only one small country store.
Cherokee City
The
village of Cherokee City is situated in Section 26, Town 19, Range 34,
about three-fourths of a mile from the Indian Territory line. It was
surveyed by David Chandler in 1880, for himself, James Ingle and M. D.
Cunningham, the original proprietors. Before the war there was a place
kept on the opposite side of the branch at Cherokee City, called "Hog
Eye," where whisky was kept to sell to the Indians. Cherokee City was
built up in 1881 and 1882 by a "boom" it acquired as a summer resort.
Like several other places, it has some excellent springs of good water.
It was built in a great hurry, to accommodate its guests who resorted
there in 1881 and 1882, consequently the houses are small and of a
temporary character. W. D. Cunningham opened the first general store in
the place. The directory of business at present is as follows: General
stores, J. M. Tucker, Crawford Bros; drugs, J. M. Norris, Eurial
Farmin; furniture, Mr. Baxter; blacksmiths, A. E. Fund, ----- Cook;
hotel, Cherokee House, by Samuel Haag; physician, Dr. O. M. Dodson;
churches, Baptist, Christian, Methodist Episcopal, South,
Congregational. The population of the place is about 200. T. A. Fleener
has an orchard of 2,200 apple trees and many other kinds of fruit,
adjoining the village.
City of Rogers
The original
town of Rogers was surveyed and laid out in March, 1881, by John P.
Hely, a land surveyor and civil engineer, for Benjamin F. Sikes, the
original proprietor. It comprises parts of the southeast quarter of the
northeast quarter of Section 12, Town 19, Range 30, and the west half
of the west half of Section 7, Town 19, Range 29. The bearings and
courses of the town were surveyed on a magnetic variation of seven
degrees east. The plat contains fifteen blocks, with twelve lots each,
one tier of blocks being east of the railroad, and two west thereof.
The lots are fifty feet north and south, by 140 feet east and west, and
all streets are eighty feet wide except Arkansas and Douglas, which are
fifty feet each. The town is situated on the St. Louis & San
Francisco Railroad, at the junction of the Bentonville Railway. The
first addition to Rogers was laid out the same year by the original
proprietor, and it comprises tracts of land adjoining the first plat on
every side thereof. This addition contains in all nineteen blocks,
subdivided into lots. It was surveyed by D. W. German.
J. Wade Sikes;
Park Addition to Rogers, embracing
the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 12, Town 19,
Range 30, was surveyed and laid out the same year. It lies southwest of
the original plat, and contains sixteen blocks, sub-divided into large
residence lots, some being 150x238 feet, some 150 feet square, and some
150x245 feet. It contains the most desirable residence lots.
Reuben
Wallace's Addition to Rogers was
laid out in 1882. It lies northeast of the old plat, and contains seven
blocks of twelve lots each, and two blocks of six lots each, all lots
being 50x140 feet in size.
The Electric
Springs Plat, adjoining
Wallace's Addition on the northeast, was laid out in September, 1881.
It contains forty-five blocks surrounding the springs, all being laid
out in the most ornamental style, for residence lots.
Rogers'
Cemetery, containing five acres, was laid out in
November, 1882.
Enough land at Rogers has been surveyed into town lots to make
a large city.
Rogers
was incorporated on the 28th day of May, 1881, and in June following an
election was held for town officials." In evidence of the fact that the
people have always been fortunate in the selection of their officers,
Rogers is entirely out of debt, and its paper is at par and has been
from the first year. But few young towns can say as much.
When
the site of Rogers was chosen, in 1881, it contained nothing but a
dilapidated pole cabin. When the St. Louis & San Francisco
Railway
was making its way through the county, a number of farmers, with a view
to their future interests, secured the amount demanded by the company's
right of way agent, some $600, and secured the location of the depot
where it now stands. The parties who contributed this amount may truly
be called the founders of Rogers. Their names are H. B. Horsley, George
E. Wilson, Clark Brixey, Ben T. Oakley, N. S. Horsley, J. R. Swafford,
Maj. S. S. Horsley, W. B. Horsley and, possibly, others. B. F. Sikes
donated to the railroad company one-half of sixty acres in the original
town, and the depot grounds and the right of way. He lived on the land
first platted, and was therefore the first resident of the town. The
first house built after the town was projected was put up by John Cox,
and a saloon was opened therein. The next house was erected by Lowry
and Scroggins, and a grocery and the post-office were located therein.
Then followed the "Rogers House," and a number of business houses and
dwellings too numerous to mention in detail. The town was named in
honor of Capt. C. W. Rogers, who was at that time general manager of
the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, and a good
friend of
the town. The natural advantages of the place attracted the attention
of the enterprising men, and before the trains actually got to running
there were several business houses in successful operation.
The
following is a directory of the first business of Rogers, as it existed
a short time after the town was established: C. C. Davis, clothing;
George Raupp, furniture; J. L. Merritt, restaurant; W. A. Miller, dry
goods; Huffman & Wade, hotel; H. L. & S. T. Stokes,
livery
stable; Pratt & Gibbs and J. H. Rackerby, hardware; John Cox,
A.
Greenstreet, Capt. Blue, saloons; Scroggins & Lowry, Stokes and
Bowman, groceries; Van Winkle & Blackburn, wholesale lumber
merchants; Huffman & Williams, McCubbins & Peck,
produce and
commission merchants; J. W. Brite, Berryhill & Durham, Mitchell
& Dunagin, J. Beasley, general merchandise.
The
following, pertaining to the period before the railroad was completed
to Rogers, but after it was decided that a depot would be erected
there, is an extract from the pen of Maj. A. J. Allen, who wrote a
history of the town when it was a year old: "The months of March and
April were extremely cold and stormy, as the winter months preceding
them had been. We had no railroad and no telegraph line. The wagon
roads, most of the time, were entirely impassable. It was impossible to
get lumber, and all building operations were delayed in consequence of
bad roads. But few people were here then, and they took hotel lodgings
in the forest during the night and kept themselves busy during the day
by foraging for subsistence and building huge fires by which to keep
warm.
"One man, who had waited patiently and long for good
weather and lumber, opened up a business house in the top of an oak
tree. The huge oak had been felled to the ground, and he took his wagon
body off the wheels, and placed it lengthwise on the trunk of the tree.
He then, like a good Southern man with Yankee principles, stuck up a
sign with six letters, and spread out his goods for sale; and, judging
from the number of people who daily gathered about his place of
business, we conclude that he did a good thriving business. He said he
would open the first business house in Rogers, and he kept his word."
During
the seven years of the existence of Rogers it has grown to be a
thriving and prosperous little city of from 1,500 to 1,800 inhabitants.
The following is its present business directory, to wit: Bank of
Rogers, W. R. Felker, banker; dry goods, clothing and notions, Finch
Brothers, C. A. Nelson, W. A. Miller, H. L. Stroud; groceries, Caywood
& Son, J. A. Smith, W. L. Watkins, W. R. Cady, Nance &
Oakley,
C. Livesay, Williams & Saunders, Osborn & Garnett, Z.
H.
McCubbins, Kimble Bros.; hardware, C. L. Gibbs, Dyer Brothers; drugs,
I. V. Davis, C. L. Alexander, J. E. Applegate, Dr. R. D. Cogswell;
restaurants, L. J. Merritt, William Story, W. W. Reynolds;
confectioner, A. Bucklin; furniture, George Raupp, W. H. Dwyer;
millinery, Miss Alice M. Roberts, Mrs. L. Horsley, Mrs. C. A. Wickes;
harness and saddles, Morgan & Stewart; general second-hand
store,
Joseph Milligan; livery, James M. Vandover, Oakley & McSpadden;
bakery, B. F. Woodruff; butchers, C. Juhne, S. Fleek; barbers, K. T.
Heflin, W. A. Patterson; hotels, Brown House Rogers Hotel; boot and
shoe maker, F. Duval; watchmakers and jewelers, W. H. Dwyer, J. E.
Applegate; painters, James Neal, Charles Clark; blacksmiths and
wheel-wrights, Jeffreys & Duff, Robertson & Duff; steam
roller
mills, Robers Milling Company; fruit evaporator, D. Wing &
Brother;
canning and packing factory, Rogers Canning and Packing Company;
Arkansas Lime Works, C. A. Wickes; cider and jelly plant.
Lumber yards, J. A. C. Blackburn, W. H. Fowle; mineral waters,
ginger ale, etc., King & Co.; water supply works, Rogers Lime
& Water Works Company; contractors and builders, W. H. Fowler,
R. C. Copp, H. Nelson, J. B. Mills; attorneys, E. R. Morgan, Ed. Finch;
insurance agents, Duckworth & Bixler, J. W. Price, Z. H.
McCubbin; real estate agents, Duckworth & Bixler, J. W. Price;
physicians, H. Weems, R. D. Cogswell, P. C. Pennington, J. C. Freeland,
E. N. Stearns; dentists, ----- Reynolds, R. F. Stringer; churches,
Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, South,
Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian, Christian; Rogers Academy, principal,
J. W. Scroggs; Miss Mary G. Webb, J. R. Williams, Elta Scroggs, Hettie
C. Tryon, assistants. This was the faculty for the school
year closed. Societies, Rogers Lodge No. 460, A.F. & A.M.,
Rogers Lodge No. 89 I.O.O.F., Rogers Encampment No. 14, George H.
Thomas Post No. 29, G.A.R.
The manufacuring industries of Rogers deserve especial
mention. It is claimed that the Rogers Flouring Mills are the best and
most extensive in the State of Arkansas, and that they are doing an
extensive business, running both day and night. D. Wing &
Bros.'s evaporating plant was the first one established in the State.
Their lead in the industry dates from 1882. The capacity is 450 bushels
of apples, or 250 bushels of peaches, per day. The evaporator used by
them is the Alden patent, and their parer the Wizard machine. During
the working months they employ an average of sixty hands, many of whom
are women. The canning and packing company was organized with a capital
stock of $12,000, and next to the milling company its business is
probably the most valuable single enterprise in Rogers. It has
extensive buildings, and has the advantage of a long season for
operations, as it cans all kinds of fruits (small fruits included) as
well as vegetables. It employs a great many hands.
Business
Transactions in 1887. -- Four dry goods, clothing and
notions, $60,000; seven groceriers, $46,000; two hardware and
implements, $23,000; three drugs and medicine, $15,000; one harness and
saddlery, $2,000; one newspaper and job printing, $4,100; two butchers,
$3,400; one variety store, $3,000; three millinery and ladies
furnishing, $4,000; one furniture and undertaking, $5,000; two hotels,
$5,500; one barber, $1,500; one lumber, sash, doors, etc., $16,000;
contracting and building, $28,000; produce, hides and furs, $45,000;
grain and grain products, $123,300; live stock $44,500; 374 carloads
ties, $18,000; 11,125 barrels apples shipped, $22,500; 15,000 bushels
potatoes shipped, $6,000' evaporated fruit transactions, $60,000;
miscellaneous, $20,000 -- total, $565,600. Bank transactions and loans,
$663.872. Grand total, $1,239,472.
Carload
Shipments. -- Total carloads forwarded, 737, divided as
follows: flour, 123; wheat, 13; potatoes, 15; apples, 51; dried fruit,
13; eggs, 10; live stock, 89; ties, 374; miscellaneous, 49.
The Rogers Republican,
a five column quarto, was established in April, 1888, the
first number being published on the 26th day of that month, by its
present proprietors, Warner & Honeywell. It is also a neatly
printed paper and well edited. In politics it is Republican, and has
done much to organize the Republican party in Benton County.
The Rogers papers are both well patronized by local
advertisers, which speaks well for the town.