The Mena weekly star., 1913-10-09
With Exception of Banks and Sa- looms, but One Business House
 Will Be Open Thursday.
Committee Greatly Pleased With Spirit shown by Mercantile In
 terests of City.
BIC START WEDNESDAY
Large Force Scattered Over Route Clearing Off Brush and Filling Bad Spots so That Wagons
 and Graders Can Be Used.

The canvass of Mena by Good Roads committee of five leading citizens was completed early Tues day afternoon and definitely settled the question as to whether the city would cease business for a day while the people turned out to do Good Roads work.
 And the question was answered in the affirmative, and that almost unanimously.
 With the exception of the banks, which felt they could not properly close their doors except on legal holidays; the saloons, and one mo- tion store, every business establish ment will be closed on Thursday while employers and employees take up such work on the roads as is assigned them, that is, so it is for Road Improvement.
 Actual road work began on Wednesday, but it was not thought practical to close the business houses but one day, and the second was chosen for this.
 Under direction of w. E. Wat kins, who was chosen as leader by Good Roads meeting held at the court house, the work was pushed with vim from early morning throughout the day. Two graders were in service, several slips and teams hauling rocks, while gangs of men were kept busy filling bad spots so the graders and wagons could pass over, and in clearing off the briars and brush along the right of way. MT. Watkins also had con- structed an elevated dump on the bank of Prairie creek, from which he says he can load gravel wagons at the rate of one each four min utes. The city is being secured for teams and wagons with dump boards, as many as fifty being needed to haul the gravel for top ping the road.
 The Railroad Dump Secured. The old railroad right-of-way and dump running for distance of five miles east of Mena has been se- cured and set aside by County Judge Martin as a public road. It probably will be widened to i6 feet, two feet more than at present.
 Five Miles With No Hills.
 When this piece of road is ready for use it will be a novelty among Polk county roads, being five miles of road with grade such as any railroad could use. It will begin at the point where the right-of-way crosses Dallas avenue, right at the Oaklawn fruit farm, and goes in a southeasterly direction to the Ben lhOuipoOh ldlAi' o Shcit uiStoiSC this side of Nunley. It is this road that will eventually become a part of a direct highway from Mena to Hot Springs
 The committee that has worked so hard in solociting the CO., operation of the Mena business and professional men is composed of w. B. Barton, I. NJ. Davis, w. E. Wat kins, w. w. Rowton and George Duganne This committee tried to see every one, but especially re- quests that should any have been overlooked they will understand it was not intentional and trusts they will join in the good work. Those who agreed to close up for Thursday and give their time to the work are as follows:
 Grand Leader
 Dennis, Kelly & Stratton
 J. G. Hilton. M. D.
 Pole Mcphetrige
 A. l.. Kirby
 McNerney's Pharmacy
 S. M. Riding The Printery
 J. H. Hamilton
 I. E. Lindsay
 H. Riding
 Watkins Hardware Co.,
 M. A. Coppeak U. c Frazier
 c. w. Copelin
 Dr. Vandiver
 Dr. c. Cochran H.. H. Young
 lP. R. Watkins U. A. Chambers II. w. Stevenson Is. H. Smith