Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-07-24
PETITIONS FILED FOR AND AGAINST Bridge Commission Dis plays Fairness at hi
 tial Meeting.
BIG CROWD PRESENT
President Hearn Makes Statement That Won Applause From Bridge
 Advocates and Opponents.

The Jefferson County Free Bridge Commission met yesterday morning at 10 o'clock as advertised. President
 w. D. Hearn presided and all the members of the commission. P. P.
 Byrd, F. B. Tomlinson, E. A. Howell,
 E. B. Bloom, A. w. Nunn and F. G. smart were present. All the petit ons Tor the Free Bridge and the protest petitions and petitions for the witE- drawal of signatures weer filed. Tie
 meeting was held in the Chamber of Commerce rooms and was attended
 by large number of local business men and members of the Taxpaye s Protective Association. Attorneys T.
 H. Carmichael and Asa C. Grace. of
 Little Rock, counsel fer the Free
 Bridge opponents, were there to ad- vise President T. J. Collier as to his procedure, and Attorneys Coleman and Can't and Danaher and Danahsr, of this city, acted as legal advisers, for the Fridge Commission.
 After all the petitions had been filed and prel minaries for their in- spection disposed of they were wrap ped In separate bundles and seal led at the suggestion of MT. Collier. The request was made by him that the petitions enclosed in that manns.. and to show it's fairness the Bridge Commission agreed to it. A rasoln- on was adopted however that the polls be closed and no further peti- tlons, for or against the Free Bridge, can be filed with the Commission.
 President Hearn stated that the Commission intended to deal fairly and squarely' with both sides. not withstand ng charges to the contrary. His remarks were applauded and at the pubic hearing, which is to be re- stunned this morning. a committee from the Taxpayers Protective As- soc alton will be given an opportunity to inspect every signature and pet tion to be reviewed.
 At conference held yesterday af- ternoon between the attorneys fcr the Taxpayers Protective Association and the Bridge Commission the man. ner of procedure was agreed to and the meeting developed more harmon lous feeling between the two factions than has been evidenced here far many weeks.
 At the meeting of the Commission yesterday morning. when the mem- bers made good the prediction that the falrest methods would be used in ascertaining as to majority fer CT against the Free Bridge, one prami- nent anti-Bridge man who has been active in oppos ng ii, declared that had he kown that the Commission was to display fairness in it's delibera- lions that he wouldhaye never op- posed the Free Bridge project.
 The Commission will today begin the review of the petitions on file before it. The petitions for the Free Bridge were stacked beside those of he Taxpayers against it yesterday and stood almost twice as high. President Collier is to be present at .he meeting of the Board and will file I protest in each case where a sigma $ questioned or where there is same 1oubt as to the right of man to sign Or the Bridge, making comparisons n cases where he claims to have signature against it.
 It is expected that the Commission WEI not complete it's work of review ng the petitions for several weeks. t will require at least a month to 70 over the petitions on file and then f there is majority for the Free Bridge the announcements will be made. If larger number prot ast against it the improvement district vill not be created.