The Green Forest tribune., 1911-09-15
NEW HIGHWAY SYSTEM
 IN ST. FRANCIS COUNTY
Spirit of Road Improvement Is Crow ing Stronger Among the Pco-
 pie of Arkansas.

Since the spirit of highway i'm provement is growing stronger among the people throughout the state, any measure which has for its purpose the making of better roads, is of in- terest to those who want to see Ark ansas go forward in the path of progress. The new system of build ing and maintaining highways in St.
 Francis county, under special act of the 3Sth general assembly, might be profitably pondered by citizens of other counties in the state.
 Briefly stated, the bill creates the office of superintendent of public roads. He, together with the several justices of the county, shall prepare an accurate list and description of the public roads in the county, making same by townships. The descriptions must state length and width of each road, together with complete notes upon the condition of each road. The number of road hands in each town
 ship must also be included in these reports, which are to be recorded in a book prepared for that purpose, and to be kept as a permanent record. The superintendent is to receive a salary of not less than $100 nor more than $50 a month and is required to
 execute good bond for the proper dis charge of his duties. He has general county and is charged with the duty
 of seeing that they are properly worked and kept in repair. The road tax, levied and collected under law | as now provided, shall be kept in one account to be known as the county | road fund. All persons are subject | to road duty the same as under the former law, and upon failure to work as required under the law, are not
 only subject to fine, but to civil ac- | tion for recovery by the county of one dollar a day for each day they shall | fail to work the road during any year l Any hand may commute his time for | April 10 of each year. All misde i meanor and felony convicts whose 1 terms do not exceed five years, may | be worked on the roads. The super | intendent has the right to appoint . ] deputy to serve in each township
 with the approval of the county court
 The county court may enter into con tracts for building and repairing roads
 in each township. Such contra ctor is
 authorized to work the road hands fol ] such time as they are liable to work { or collect cash from them in lieu there | of, the same to be applied on the con 1 tractors compensation. There shal
 be prepared specifications designating | the roads and the manner jn whict they shall be worked and kept during l the term of the contractor. The con
 tractor is required to give sufficient bond for faithful performance of his duties. The road superintendent is
 required to, oversee the work in eacf
 township and is given powers usu
 ally exercised by architects and en gineers, to see that such work is l done in accordance with the contract
 and specifications. The superintend
 ent is required to report to the county
 court every three months, the condi
 tion of the roads and progress of work
 thereon. Should the road superin
 tendent falsely certify as to any ma terial fact regarding the work under
 any contractor, he is liable to a fine
 of $500.