The log cabin Democrat., 1911-01-23
GOOD ROADS BILL
TO BE INTRODUCED
USE C0NyICTS ON ROAD
TOLER WOULD CREATE NEW
DEPARTMENT TO ABSOB
LAND OFFICE.


house a bill for the establishing and
maintaining for a period of 80 years
a new state department to be known
as the Arkansas Bureau of State
| Roads, Highways and Land Surveys"
! for the purpose of constructing state
ros&,. i7rdcr the provisions of the
bill the preset state land office will
be absorbed by the new department.
| The bureau is to be composed of
practical civil engineer appointed by
the governor, a secretary and such
| deputies as rSy be needed. Teh ap-
pointmcnt q the staff and secretary
is left to the head Of the bureau. The
| geGulrc,rCIts of the governors ap-
! nee 9-c, that he shall have a de
pres from college for education in
>iyil CT ~,neering and that his knowl-
| g. shall be such as will enable him
! to g." ,.ct macadam roads in con-
formity with the present system of
the government. His salary is fixed
at $4,000 per annum; that of the sec
retary at $500. The secretary must
be an expert accountant and the depu-
ties practical engineers.
The chief engineer is empowered to
evxercise general supervision over all
construction work on highways and
bridges; to direct and persecution
that may be necessary to make the
act effective; to require that all land
owners give him such information
concerning their levee and drainage
districts as may be necessary; and
to cause the attorney generol or pros
ecuting attorneys to bring action
against any who fail to comply with
the requirements of the act.
He is also given advisory supervis-
ion over county road overseers and
county surveyors who are made eX-
officio state engineers on the fees now
allowed in their respective counties.
The act provides for the construc-
ton, at first of eight state roads,
after which others will be surveyed
and constructed.
The roads provided for in the bill
No. from Little Rock north, via
Conway, Clinton, Marshall and Noun
tain Home, to the state line.
No 2 from Little Rock northeast,
via Searcy, Newport, Walnut Ridge
and Corning.
No. from Little Rock east, via
Lonoke, DeVall's Bluff, Brinkley and
Forrest City to West Memphis.
No. from Little Rock southeast
to Pine Bluff, Star City, Monticello
and Lake Village.
No. 5 from Little Rock south to
Sheridan, Fordyce, Hampton, Ell Do
RADIO and Scotland.
No. from Little Rock to Benton,
Malvern, Arkadelphia, Prescott, Hope
and TeXarkana.
No. 7 from Little Rock to Hot
Springs, Mt. Ida, Mena, Rocy and
thence to the state line.
No. s from Little Rock to Perry
vile, Russellville, Clarksville, Benton
vile, Sulphur Springs, and thence to
the state line.
The engineer is allowed the use of
400 or more convicts in constructing
the roads, and the further Leasing of
convicts is prohibited unless, after a
thorough trial. the state engineer
finds that the convicts are more prof
liable leased at 81 per day than when
employed upon the state farms. In
case of the former event the pro-
ceeds of the leasing will be used to
empoy free labor upon the roads.
Bids for the construction of bridges
and viaducts shall be advertised for
and an appropriation of 100000 is
made to carry on the work should the
bids fail to meet requirement sand the
penitentiary funds be found lnsuitl-
cient. Otherwise, the appropriation
is not to be used
Under provisions of the bill the of
fee of commissioner of state lands
becomes absorbed by the bureau on
the first day of November, 1914, but
until then the commissioners office
remains and the state engineer has
g cess to all maps, surveys, etc, now
contained in that department.
The bill is in direct accordance with