Semi=weekly graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1895-1902, 1896-02-19

| me estimated cost OF bad roads ii
the United States, he declared, il
$9 per capita, which includes break
age, wear and tare, horses etc. A
machine weighing 10000 pound,
could be drawn by four mules -four
miles on macadamized roads In an
hour and one-half OF cost OF 9C
cents. On dirt roads to haul the
same 1000 feet required ten mules,
seven men and nine hours at cost
OF $3.50. The difference between
level and hard roads and the regular
dirt road, he said, was 20 to /
At this time, the speaker went on
to say, people from ali parts of the
country are looking to Arkansas
for desirable homes. Wherever he
had been, in Chicago and other
parts OF the country, he had an
swered many inquiries about this
State, but when these people come
here aud are driven over the bad
roads, they become discouraged and
many Of them never return.
He then explained in an interest
ing way the different kinds OF roads
aud said that the consensus OF opin-
ion is that the macadam road liz the
best. Practical experts had shown
that maeadamized roadscan be built
at cost OF $1,000 per mile, and in
some cases as low as 500 per mile
for road bed nine or ten feet wide.
II the reads could be built in New
York at that price they could be
built here for the same or less.
Prot. Millar then explained the
different methods of constructing
roads as to roadbeds, material,
grading, drainage, etc.
lie then come to the practical
part of his discourse as to what
could be done in Arkansas under ex-
isting laws in the way OF road
building. He urged that @ two mill
tax be levied, IN accordance with
one OF Gov. Fishbaek 3 messages,
and the same he used In surveying
and laying out roads, etc, and
in working eonvicts ON the same
He also urged the creation OF road
Improvement districts ami II State
Board OF Road Commissioners
One of the causes of our poor roads,
he thought, was due to lack OF
system, which would be overcome
by the appointment OF State and
County Boards of Commissioners.
These boards would supervise the
work etc., and the result would be
much better roads. lie would about
as soon have dozen old hens to
scratch the roads as the ordinary
gang OF road hands under the ex-
isting system.
The Good Book had declared "six
days shalt thou labor" but with
bad roads the farmer lost much Of
his valuable time and could not
work the required number OF days
each week.
In conclusion the speaker urged
the people to agitate The subject of
Good Roads, and commend the
work along thatIine Of the editors OF
the Srate and also the work being
done by the Good Roads Department
of the Agricultural Bureau at
He requested his
hearers to write to Gen. Roy Stone,
of the Road Inquiry Bureau OF the Ag-
ricultural Department at Washing
ton, d. c., and get such information
on roads as was IN its possession.
He urged npon the Jefferson
County delegates to the Good Roads
to he held in Little
Rock on the 25th the Importance OF
and expressed the hope
that the Convention would outline
some definite plan to be followed by
the next General Assembly of the
SCate.
After the conclusion Of his dis
course Prof Millar invited and am
swered questions proponnded from
the audience, and an informal dis
cussion OF the peculiar condition OF
Jefferson County in the matter OF
roads then ensued, after which the
meeting adjourned.
TWENTY DOLLARS OUT.