Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/573

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 513 The population is 5,50-4 and the assessable wealth is $1,523,380. The population is largely American, there being but few ne- groes or foreign immigrants. There are 32 school districts in the county employing 37 teachers. Perhaps the scenery in Carter county is equal to or superior to that in any other of the counties of Southeast Missouri. The county is divided by Current river, one of the most beautiful streams in the state. There is much unused water power on this stream that will doubtless be developed soon. There are two railroads in the county, the St. Louis, Memphis & Southeastern and the Current River branch of the 'Frisco. The largest town in the county ig Grandin. which is principally a saw mill town and o^Tied by the mill company; Van Buren, the county seat, is situated on Current river and is surrounded by hills. Dunklin county ha.s an area of 500 square miles, not more than one-half of the area be- ing under cultivation. At one time the county was almost entirely covered with a dense growth of timber, consisting of oak, maple, sycamore, poplar, cypress, gum, ash, walnut and pecan. Large quantities of timber still exist, though much of it has been cut. With the exception of a strip about two miles wide and ten miles long, extending across the northwest corner, being a part of Crowley's ridge, the land is level. The soil is alluvial and part of it comprising the great ridge running south from Dexter, is sandy loam immensely productive. The soil of Little river bottoms and St. Francois river bottoms is a heavier soil, also productive. Much of this land was made usable only by drainage: many miles of ditches have been dug and much land reclaimed in this way. Vol. 1—33 The principal productions are those of the farm. It is the great cotton growug county of the state and in fact is the greatest cot- ton prodvicing eoimty in the United States. Besides cotton, large quantities of corn, wheat and melons are grown. The factories are wood working plants, cotton oil mills, and brick yards. Hour mills, ice plants and other similar plants. In 1910 the manufactured products of the county amounted to nearlj- $2,000,000. The most important item was cotton, valued at $510,897, followed by lum- ber, cooperage and oils in almost equal amovmts. The county has the St. Louis & Southwest- ern Railroad, the 'Frisco, and St. Louis, Ken- uet & Southeastern. The largest town in the county is the county seat, Kennett, and other principal towns are Maiden, Campbell, Clarkton, Holcomb, Cardwell, Hornersville and Senath. The population of the coimty is 30,228, and the total taxable wealth is $5,876,187. The principal part of the population is Amer- ican born, seventy-five per cent of whom own their own homes. There are many churches in the county and a good system of public schools. There are 74 school districts employ- ing 134 teachers, and each of the larger toTis maintains a high school. There are 550 square miles in Iron county, much of it being in the Ozark mountains. The best land is found in the valleys where the soil is alluvial, but there is also some good farming land on the hills. In the south- west part of the county the laud is very broken and rocky ; at the present time only a small percentage is under cultivation. The princi- pal productions of the county are its farm products and the products of the quarries. There are lead mines in the county, though not of very great importance, but there are a