The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1900-10-05
The Quorum Court.

The court house was scene Of bustling
Interest and much activity Monday. when
that august body-tiie Quorum Court
.net Tor the purpose Of levyiug taxes for
various purposes.
:. The Quorum Court Is composed OF the
county Judge. who presites, and n major
ity OF the magistrates of the county, there
being two in each township.
On this occasion those present were
Geo. T.. Taylor, judge. presiding, L. Z.
Merwin, deputy clerk at the desk, and
'Squires Walter German. =. r. Raiford.
j b. Sanders, W. b. McLaren. X. w.
Peevey, j. J. Ables, II. G. Fogg, W. s.
Nugtp,, j. J. Wood, j. w. Pace, j. l.
Scott, w. ID. Richards, W. Il. Heartsill,
Geo. NJ. Rattan aud w. s. Thomas.
When the court had been called to or
DIR, aud the rolI-call finished, Judge Tay.
lor read his annual message. II was a
thorough review Of the affairs under his
supervision aud evidenced his ability to
handle the business Of the county, and
his sincere and personal interest In its
welfare. The Message was as follows
To the Honorable Quorum Court of ST
Francis County, Arkansas. October
1870.
Gentlemen:--In compliance with See.
4 1910, Sandeli aud Hills Digest, submit
the following report:
The roads ahti bridges of our county
h..ts .l.s..s Al.
GEAR ago. having built a number OF new
bridges, aud having repaired great
many. Still there number Of new
bridges needed. aud almost any road in
the county needs more work and better
work than II seems possible 10 have done
with our present system of road working
The Taxpayers have generously voted
road tax, aud have voted the second
tune that way, thus emphasizing in their
Judgment the necessity for a larger levy
tot road purposes. | therefore recon-.
mend to your honorable body the placing
in full effect OF the new road law approved
May s, 1899, which divides our county
into road districts. and suggest that to
save time and expense, snclias laying off
aud surveying we have / road districts.
being one for each township as now es-
tab!ished viz: Madison township to be
known rs road district No. l.. Franks
township No. S, Johnson township No. :,
T-lieo No. 3. L'Anguille No 4, Prairie
No. Z, Wheatley No. 5, Griggs No. IL.
Goodwin No. @, Blackfish No. /, as No
0, and Blackhsh No. . as No. 10, Each
township,ito have one overseer whose SER
wires as liked 10y law she'll be 81 so per
uay for each day ct actual service rem.
dered, and whose duties are fully defined
by statute, and in order to put this law
IN force etfectuaiiy, l recommend a levy
of2i. mills. While this seems large
set We will only have this high tax for
one year, Tor we are now levying three
mill tax to pay of our court house debt
and in July 1901 We will have paid of in
full said debt, when we can drop thai,
levy altogether, or practically so. as We
will only need to levy sum sufficient TO
pay the interest ON our bonded indebted
ness. Also hope TO be able In one more
year to recommend reduction on ac.
count OF County General Fund, but whether
We can or not, we know no necessity can
exist for levying larger sum than is
necessary to pay interest ON County
bonds and to meet county expenses. and
hope To lind some way. at no distant day ,
when we can begin paving oil those bonds
iHotCNt VI oSSuhuidliue u large sum oil
money TO remain in our Bank idle for a
period Of 20 years, for which the county
receives no interest.
To be brief and to the point recon-
mend that the following levy for al. pur-
poses be made
State General Tax, ~. mills
State School Tax. -. , mills
State Sinking Fund. j mill
State Pension Tax 1. mill
County General Tax. 5 mills
County Interest on bonds. 8 mills
County Sinking Fund. !. mill
County Road and Bridge Tax az mills
County District School Tax. IS mills, or
as voted.
City Tax 8 mills
The financial condition of the county is
gradually improving our debts are rap
idly being discharged, and the value OF
county warrants has doubled since my
term of Office began. The present as
sessed valuation of our real estate is 81.
a96, $50. The present assessment OF per
sona property is 1887 $40. making to-
tai of - 1854, $50. Polls-3 ,sTl.
CANCELLED SCRIP AND BURNED.
The Auditing committee and myself
cancelled and burned 81 s ia Is in county