Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/552

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UNITED STATES : — ARKANSAS

In 1900 the population by birth and sex was : —

White

Negro

Asiatic

Indian

Male Female

Native.

480,959

449,435

Foreign. 8,911 5,275

185,342 181,514

58 4

62

42 24

Total

930,394

14,186

366,856

66

Of the foreign born 5,971 were German.

The population in 1910 was 1,574,449 (810,025 males and 764,424 females).

Little Rock (capital) had a poj)ulation at 45,941 in 1910; Fort Smith, 23,505; Pine Blutf, 13,038; Hot Springs, 11,157.

The most numerous religious bodies in the State are Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Disciples of Christ, and Presbyterian, in the order named.

The State has a full public school system under which separate schools are provided for white and black children. No child under 14 can be employed ui a manufacturing establishment unless he attends school 12 weeks each year and can read and write English.

In 1910 the public elementary schools had 9,522 teachers and 395,978 enrolled pupils ; 107 public high schools had 347 teachers and 7,700 pupils in 1910 ; 2 public normal schools had 18 teachers and 319 students. The University of Arkansas, founded in 1872, had in 1910 126 professors and 1,410 students. There are a large Baptist college with 30 professors and 320 students, a Presbyterian college with 7 professors and 138 students, and a Methodist Episcopal college with 8 professors and 677 students.

Charity. — Within the State are 27 benevolent institutions (hospitals, homes, &c,, but not almshouses) to which, in 1904, 3,766 inmates were admitted. Each county relieves its own poor. There are county courts of the poor which, on information given by constables and other officials, commit paupers to the poor-hotise, -where they remain till discharged by an order of the court. Poor-houses are let annually to the lowest responsible bidder under bond for faithful care of the inmates. On January 1, 1905, the poor-houses contained 645 paujiers (478 white, and 167 coloured).

Finance, Defence- — The state debt on October 1, 1907, amounted to 1,250,500 dollars, consisting of 3 per cent, interest-bearing bonds. The assessed value of real and personal property was 302,181,563 dollars.

The militia, or State Guard, with headquarters at Little Rock, con- sists of artillery and Infantry ; total strength, 129 officers and 1,327 enlisted men.

Production and Industry.— Arkansas is an agricidttiral State. In 1910 the total farm area was 14,891,356 acres, of which 7,698,343 was improved land. In the north maize (49,712,000 bushels in 1911), wheat (1,008,000 btishels), oats, potatoes, hay and forage crops are grown ; in the south, cotton and tobacco. For 1910 the cotton area was 3,471,000 acres, and the yield 776,789 bales. The cultivation of tobacco is decreasing in the State. In the north-west, fruits, especially apples and peaches, are grown. The cultivation of roses (for perfumes) is pursued locally. Live stock in 1910 comprised 290,000 horses, 215,000 mules, 361,000 milk cows, 600,000 other cattle, 233,000 sheep, and 978,000 swine. The wool clip in 1910 yielded 400,000 pounds of w^ool, valued at 96,000 dollars. The national forests in Arkansas in 1911 had an area of 2,225,290 acres.