Pine Bluff Weekly News, Arkansas Co, AR

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Submitted by: Mary L Brown <marybrownrn@alltel.net>
        Date: 8 Mar 2004
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Excerpts from the
PINE BLUFF WEEKLY PRESS
Volume 1, No. 6
Thursday, February 25, 1869

Devoted to Politics, Agriculture, Literature And News
Wyatt C. Thomas, Editor


      A soldier by the name of Brown and a citizen was drowned on last Friday
evening in the Harding Lake, near the city.

     J. B. P. Alexander, an old citizen of the county, we learn, died on
Monday last.

MUNICIPAL:
     The Attorney Gen. Of the State, Jno. R. Montgomery, Eqsr. has declared
the recent municipal election in our city illegal and void-"in this that those
only were permitted to vote who registered at at registration made without
warrant of law, and in direct violation of the act of the General Assembly,
approved Dec. 21st, 1868"-Stuff!
     He therefore decided that the officers of last year hold over &c.
     We learn that at the last meeting of the "old-new" Council, Captains W.
F. Owen and Samuel Butler were elected Aldermen, to supply the two vacancies
existing.  A good selection.
     We are in favor of all proper and judicious enterprises, but in view of
the impoverished condition of the country, just at the present, we would
suggest to the Council, what the L. R. Republican said to the Gazette "go
slow."


OBITUARY

     Died on the 11th February A. D. 1869, Mrs. Melanie Mary Carroll, consort
of our esteemed fellow citizen Hon. D. W. Carroll, aged 47 years.  She was in
apparent vigor of health a day or two previous to her illness, and her sudden
demise surprised and shocked a large circle of friends.  The truthful
scriptural aphorism, "in the midst of life we are in death", occurs to us only
when its solemn and mournful truth comes directly home to us.  The deceased
was born at the Post of Arkansas at that day the capital of Arkansas and the
seat of great refinement and the most distinguished society.  A stranger to
the history of Arkansas would imagine that few educational advantages were
afforded in her early history-generally, this was so, but such was not the
case at the Post.  To look, at its crumbled edifices, and desolation, like
"Niobe, voiceless and crownless, in its woe" at the present day, it would be
difficult to conceive that it was once the abode of refinement, opulence and
gaiety.  In such scenes in her earlier days, the deceased moved.  She was
descended from an honorable French family, who were the early pioneers of
Arkansas-a people of very great gallantry, not merely in the sense of heroism,
but boundless generosity, open hospitality, and all the "small sweet
courtesies of life," which the poet loved to hail and the unknown and
friendless stranger to receive.  That noble generation of people, who gave
law, liberty, virtue, and good morals to Arkansas, are rapidly passing away.
May their descendants emulate their virtues.  We indulge in no idle panegyric
when we say the deceased was worthy of such ancestry-that the whole tenor of
her life was an unwavering observance of duty-duty in her relations to her God
and her Church-duty in all the relations of society, as a most affectionate
wife, indulgent parent, dutiful daughter, and loving sister.  She died as she
lived, an exalted Christian. Most aching is the void left in a large and
interesting family, and they must console themselves with the comforting
reflection with which she went to rest.
    "I am the resurrection and the lite; he that believeth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live again, and whomsoever, liveth and believeth in
me, shall never die."

R. F.


RIVER NEWS
(Reported Weekly by J. Alex Woodson, of Wilkins & Woodson)
Weather, River, Business
     The river is slowly receding at this point.  The weather during the week
has been very cold and disagreeable.  Business consequently has been somewhat
checked.
Arrivals:
    Ozark, Bermuda, W. A. Caldwell-Memphis, Importer, Cora S., Clarksville and
Leni Leoti-Little Rock.
Departures:
    Ozark, Bermuda, W. A. Caldwell-Memphis, Importer, Clarksville-New Orleans,
Cora S. -Cincinnati.

    The Ozark, Capt. Harrison Blasdell on the roof, got in from Memphis with a
heavy trip.
    The Thos. H. Allen having broken her wheel last trip was forced to lay up.
Capt. Pritchard has chartered the Bermuda in her place until she is repaired-
She will soon again be out.
    The Caldwell in command of Capt. R. Hains with "Jolly Jack" in the office
came in loaded down with freight and passengers.
    The Importer as usual passed down with a good trip.
    The Clarksville had a small trip to New Orleans.
    The Cora S. went out with a good trip to Cincinnati.
    We learn that our friend, Mr. Theo. Shupan, has retired from the
Commissions and Steamboat Agency business, and has embarked in the Mercantile
business.  We wish you success, Theo.
    The Leni Leoti is due from below the a.m.  The Guidon is also due, from
below tomorrow evening.