The Forrest City times., 1898-10-07
Quorum Court.

81 The Quorum OF Leyyinp court. COM
posed of the county judge and a ma
3ority of the magistrates of the county,
net in tie Coanty court room of the
Court house Monday, and continued
two days with the the following named
magistrates present:
e n. b. Nelson, p. I. Raiford, J. B..
Sanders, Madison township; j. T.
Lindsey, ". i. Mclaren, Johnson
1ownship; J. j. Ables, ii. G. Fogg,
Ielico township; J. j. Wood, Prairie
township; j. Il. Richards. J. l.. Scott,
franks township; W. ). Thomas, g.
~. Rattan, Griggs township.
& Absent--R. p. Mead, II. b. GANG
Dell, L'Anguiile township; Il. T.
Ehittea. J. W. Posey, Wheatley town
Dip; J. f. Dickert, c. Crisp, Goodwin
bwnship; G. C. War, Prairie town
Dip; Ii, =. Owen, Joshua Rawlison,
Blackfish township.
# Gen. Geo. z. Taylor. the newly
Elected county judge, WAS present dur
3ng the two days session, and watched
lie proceedings with interest.
al The following committees were ap-
pointed, to whom were referred the
farious reports of the officers, on all of
which they reported fayorably:
@ On sheriff and collector-Scott. Fogg
ond Thomas.
81 On treasurer-W Wood, Lindsey and
Raiford.
n The report of the county judge was
read and approved, and is as follows:
Gentlemen of the Quorum Court
IA In compliance with our statute laws we
have again assembled to take action re-
Harding important governmental affairs of
Your county. The statute also provides
And directs that certain officials annually
ht the meeting of the Quorum court pre-.
sent for your consideration and informa-
Zion statement or written report of such
matters relating to. and concerning the
public good and interest. In obedience
thereto | respectfully submit this my last
Rnnual report.
III The subject of roads and bridges is al.
ways one of the utmost Importance. IT'S
theme that possibly engages the atten-
zion and calls forth from our citizens more
discussion and criticism than any other
matter that we have to deal with In the
past several years the bridges of the county
1aye been increased more than 100 pei
GENT, or double, while our revenue has moi
torrespondngy increased In fact, until
the past year the revenue shows a de-
erease. Therefore with the limited rev.
ohues at our command, which is made.
Quate, ii has been impossible to comply
With many demands for bridge work and
y the same time to have a due regard fol
Che financial ability OF the county. To
naye let out contracts for all the demands
Jor bridge work would only have resulted
IN aooding the county with scrip and
would have caused further depression OF
our already deprecated county warrants,
Neither be a safe nor sound financial
policy, and would entail additional bur-
lens ON the taxpayers. When the road
eax amendment TO our constitution, re-
ENTITY voted upon, becomes operative,
then the county can get full dollars
worth of work FOR dollar in county war
rants, because then bridges can he let and
built OH strict cash basis, which will re-
sult in saving OF many thousands of dol
lars to the tax payers OF the county.
Recent reports Of the road overseers
show that the roads are in fairly good con-
dition though heavy rains of the past few
Gays doubtless has put The roads ia many
places in bad condition.
"a On account OF the low condition of our
finances the free ferry boat at the Cut on
N st. Francis river, was discontinued on
January of this year.
At three places long aud expensiv 0
bridges We're demanded, three small and
comparatively inexpensive boats were
placed. The bridges would have cost not
HISS than $500. The boats $3.50. In tie
main the bridges have been kept in safe
condition. Though much new work
should be done as soon as the finances OF
the county viii admit | would recon-.
mend liberal appropriation for this char
acter of work.