Newport Fire Department.
thirteen lawyers, thirteen doctors, two
dentists and six contractors. In the col
ored section there are numerous small
stores, barber shops, restaurants, etc.,
and there are also two colored doctors
practicing among their race.
Newport is a city of the second class,
divided into two wards. The officials
are: J. W. Grubbs, Mayor; J. R. May
han, Recorder; T. S. Stephens, Marshal;
S. Brasch, W. R. Thompson, C. H. Wil
mans and A. D. Bailey, Councilmen.
The Fire Department is composed of
J. R. Mayhan, Chief; W. A. Carouthers,
Walter Baird, Ed Davenport, Ralph
Richardson, Culver Knoles, Will Whit
taker, Alfred Mortensen, Ed Sheiss.
The members of the Board of Health
are Dr. O. E. Jones, President; C. E.
Crook, Secretary; Dr. G. K. Stephens..
H. Bernstein and P. H. Van Dyke.
become an adage of this section, that he
who once drinks of its purity, no mat
ter how far he may roam, will return to
again indulge the longing sense of taste.
The water plant is owned by Mr. A. K.
Lanyon, of Pittsburg, Kan., and J. Fos
ter Rhodes, of Chicago, and well man
aged by Colonel Lancelot Minor, of this
city. The mains have been extended
almost entirely over the city and the
homes of renters as well as household
ers are supplied with this water.
The Fire Company.—The Fire De
partment is composed of energetic young
men of this city, who are paid a stipu
lated salary by the city. The chief of the
organization is Mr. J. R. Mayhan, and
he has made a very praiseworthy record
in securing the latest improvements for
the equipment and in bettering the
service. A salaried man in the person
of J. A. Baird is always at the hose
house, prepared to answer fire calls at a
minute’s notice, and the city owns a fine
team of bays that insure prompt re
sponses. There are hydrants in every
block and with the pressure of the res
ervoir, together with a direct pressure
from the jumping engines arranged for
times of fire, the city has seldom wit
nessed the destruction of serious fires.
IN her public utilities, Newport ranks
as a city of the first class, lacking
none of those services which con
tribute so materially and essentially to
the conveniences and luxuries of metro
politan life. And while the service of two
of these systems, the water and electric
lights, have been perfectly satisfactory,
their franchises expire within the next
few years, and plans are already dis
cussed for the public ownership of these
two named utilities.
The Water Works.—White River,
until within 30 miles of Newport, is a
mountain stream, celebrated for the clear
ness of its sparkling waters, and passes
our city with a strong, swift-running
current. From such a source is our
water supply pumped into a reservoir
150 feet high and with a capacity of
72,000 gallons and distributed through
the city by 34 miles of mains and lat
erals. It has been said of White River
water so- often that the expression has
The Electric Light Company.—The
electric light system of our city in point
of equipment and good service, is hardly
surpassed by that of any city of equal
population. With a capacity of 4,000
incandescent lights, the needs of the city
are fully met and the use of this means
of lighting has become general through
out the business and residence district.
The plant and franchise are owned by
the Pond & Decker Manufacturing Com
pany, having been inaugurated in 1897.
In the summer season, to provide power
for electric fans, a day as well as night
service is afforded the public. The pres
ent efficient superintendent of the system
is J. W. McCarty.
Steam Laundry.—In this line, New
port has recently been forced to send
her work to foreign cities, which is in
deed remarkable from the fact that we
not only have a finely equipped plant
■■ 1 ■■■■— ■ — ■■ 111 ' ■ ■■■■■'.. MI »
Photo by Bowen.
Front Street, Looking Westward from Hazel Street.
Photo by Bowen.
Newport Public School Building.
with the latest improved machinery,
made by Nelson Kreuter, of Chicago,
with a capacity of $150 to $200 worth of
work per week; but, moreover, the work
of the city alone is sufficient to support
a first-class laundry, and Newport is ad
mirably located for outside business in
this line. The local plant is owned by
the Pond & Decker Manufacturing Com
pany, of this city, and will be sold on
easy terms to a reliable party.
Telephones.—There are three tele
phone companies entering Newport—the
Southwestern Telephone & Telegraph
Company, the Farmers’ Telephone Com
pany and the Jackson County Telephone
Company, though only the first named
has a local exchange. The Southwest
ern, or Bell line, connects Newport with
the whole country; the Farmers’ line
with points in Independence Coui and
northern part of Jackson County, and
the Jackson County Company extends
southward along the Rock Island branch
to Augusta. The Bell Company have,
during the past year, established cables
for their service on the main streets,
spending vast sums upon this and other
improvements. The other two com
panies are owned by home capital, and
all have been successfully managed.
WITH half of this country ignorant
of the other half, a few figures
to show what and where we are
will not prove amiss in a magazine that
is to present our claims to recognition as
a city of promise and wonderful oppor
tunities. Here the capitalist may find a
new outlet for his energies, in new
farms, new factories, to give employ
ment to shifting millions who seek a liv
ing from their labor.
In population, Newport is the tenth city
in the state; in point of business for her
size, none lead her; in point of refine
ment and hospitality, her reputation can
well answer with pride.
For the year ending March 31, 1905,
the receipts of the Newport postoffice,
not including money order commissions,
were $10,408.11, entitling us to a free
delivery of the mails. Steps have been
taken to secure this privilege and as soon
as some of the walks of the city have
been improved an inspection will be
asked for and the service doubtless in
stituted.
Newport ranks next to Little Rock
as the best station on the main line of
the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & South
ern Railway Company outside of St.
Louis, and fourth on the system—Little
Rock, Fort Smith, Pine Bluff and New
port, in the order named. The Iron
Mountain handled $180,000 in-freight,
$300,000 out-freight, which with $48,000
ticket receipts, made a total business for
Newport of $528,000.
The Rock Island branch hauled away
from Newport 3,100 cars and brought in
2,350 cars of freight, or in dollars and
cents, including ticket sales of $5,500, a
total business of $125,000.
In wholesale business, Newport ex
ceeds the million mark several hundred
thousand dollars. Our two exclusive
wholesale grocer houses do an aggregate '
business of $1,100,000, and with other
large stores, which do a jobbing busi
ness, this amount is increased. The
sales of the Newport Grocer Company
are $600,000 for the year, employing ten
Newport Ice & Cold Storage Com=
pany.—Incorporated under the laws of
Arkansas in 1897, this company, with a
paid-up capital stock of $31,500, has not
only supplied the home market with that
summer necessity, but invaded the terri
tory of outside factories and secured a
large volume of business from nearby
towns. The building occupied by this
company is constructed of brick and oc
cupies a lot 50 by 150 feet. Their water
supply is from an inexhaustible well,
the capacity of the plant is 20 tons, and
their machinery of the latest improve
ments. The officers of the company are:
Adolphus Busch, of St. Louis, president;
Louis Lemp, of St. Louis, vice-presi
dent; B. W. Stainback, secretary-treas
urer and local manager. Too much
credit can hardly be given Mr. Stain
back for his business management of
the institution, now reaping the profits
of his successful administration.
Newport Grocer Company.