The log cabin Democrat., 1907-06-27
Cash Bonus of $5l, ,753.W and 20 to 80 Acres of Land
 Offered.
FIVE TOWNS CONTESTANTS
Normal Board Visits Contestine
 Points This Week.

Conway Confident That States Great In
 stitution will be Lo-
 cated Here.
 Having offered the largest cash bonus, the choice of several splen- did sites for buildings and campus and the very best little city in the south as its home, the citizens of Conway as these words are written are confidently expecting that the Arkansas state normal school will be located here by the board hav- ing the matter in charge.
 Conway was in the lead, both from a standpoint of the cash bid and the number of citizens in at- tendance to present her claims, at the meeting of the state normal board, which was held in the su- preme court rooms at Little Rock Monday. Four other towns, Ben- ton, Fort Smith, Russellville and Ouitman were also bidders for the states great prize at this meeting.
 The board is composed of Super intendent of Public Instruction J. I. Doyne, chairman; Superintend- ent B. w. Torreyson of Little Rock, secretary; Senator Otis T. Wingo of DeQueen, vice-president; State Treasurer James L. Yates, State Auditor Avery E. Moore, Judge J. c. Ross of Arkansas City and Hon. Harry l.. Ponder oi Walnut Ridge.
 Proceedings of the Board.
 We clip from Tuesdays Little Rock Gazette the following ac- count of the proceedings of the board, which is accurate with the exception that it fails to mention an important alternative proposi- ton from Conway that is, to super wise the erection ot buildings ac- cording to the plans and specified tions of the board, to the value oi the amount of the cash bid, $5I,- { 753.oo.
 . Superintendent J. J. Doyne echairman of the board, in calling the meeting to order stated that ii was not a personal matter with the board as to where the school should be located. The board wanted to act in the best interests of the state. He requested that each town present its proposition and announced that after the hear ing the members of the board would visit the various towns bid ding for the school, examine the sites and consider the propositions. Each town, he said, would have the right to amend its offers. In some instances, he said, the land might not be satisfactory or the donation might not be acceptable. In either case any town would be agiven the privilege of resubmittine its proposition. Towns that had \ no offer to present at :he meeting (Hould be given an opportunity later on to make bid tor the school. There would be no haste in making the selection. Chairman Doyne requested the representa- lives of the towns hand in their bids to the secretary and the fol lowing were presented:
 Bids for the School.
 N Benton offered to donate $5o,o , in cash and three sites, consisting of 40, 60 and 80 acres, respect ively.
 Conway had one of severa tracts consisting of 20 to So acre' and $5I,753 in cash.
 Fort Smith offered $50, 900 anc 20 acres to be selected from three { sites.
 ' Ouitman presented a warrant. deed to the Quitman College and { fraction over 20 acres.
 Russellville made bid ot S3o, ]. GOO and a site to be selected iron five tracts of land within and with out the limits of the city, rangin \ in size from 50 to 100 acres. A representative of each tow was given twenty minutes to pre- 4 sent the claims of his locality, bu none spoke over ten minutes. The first speaker was Rev. A. ! Millar, who advocated the claim ( Benton. He said that he had don all he conld to establish two CO