Page 14 - Pine Bluff and Jefferson County, Arkansas {1893}

JKFFERSON COUNTY, ARK.
large plant in western suburbs of town, with a weekly
capacity of 75,000 staves of oak, cypress and heading.
New machinery, increasing the capacity, is being con-
stantly added. They find the timber here to be the
best of the many plants in the Southwest.
Emma Oil Mill, which ships immense quantities of
cottonseed oil, meal, cake, hulls and potash.
Dilley's Foundry, of which an engraving and notice
appears on another page.
Ice factory and two large cotton compresses.
Public steam cotton gin, with all modern improve-
ments, and a capacity of 50 bales of cotton per day.
There are several other smaller plants-cigar, broom, age session of four months; in Pine Bluff they are kept
carriage, wagon, etc.
MINERALS.
An inexhaustible quantity of marl is found on the
Arkansas River in the northern part of the county,
which has never been developed. The beds are on the
river bank and it could readily be transported to market State tax each school district may by vote levy a tax not
in barges. The vein or bed of the marl runs in a south-
westerly direction and crops out on the surface in many
places. The L. R.. M. R. & T. Railway crosses one
part of the vein. Coal and other minerals in small
quantities have been found here and there, but no
special notice has been taken cf them
EDUCATION.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
This county, as all in the State, is fairly provided for
in the way of schools, both free and paid. White and
colored pupils are, in accordance with law, taught in
separate schools. Both white and colored free schools
have a normal department, the former at the State
University, Washington County; the latter in Pine Bluff
There are 35 school districts in the county, having from
three to ten free schools each during the year. In Pine
Bluff there are graded public schools employing 21
teachers. In the county the free schools have an aver-
open nine months. Provision is made in the constitu-
tion of the State for the support of the public schools,
requiring an annual ta.v of 20 cents upon each Siooof
taxable property, in addition to a per capita or poll tax
of Si upon each adult male citizen. In addition to the
to exceed 50 cents upon the Si 00 for school purposes.
In 1S92 the revenue of Jefferson County for school pur-
poses was $50,000. of which Si6,ooo was expended in
the Pine Bluff district. There are 150 public school
teachers in the county, receiving an average salary, in
Pine Bluff, of S750. in the county of S190, about the