The Spectator., 1915-01-29
APPROVED PLAN
 FOR GOOD ROADS
ALEXANDER BILL ENDORSED BY GOOD ROADS ADVOCATES AND
 COUNTY JUDGES ASSOCIATION.
BY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS
Thfrty-Year Bonds May Be Issued For An Amount Not Exceeding 30
 Per Cent of Values.
Little Rock

Little Rock Good roads built by improvement districts are assured in a bill designed to eradicate defects in Act No. BOP, has been drawn by Representative Alexander of Mississippi county. Leg islative committees from the Arkansas Good Roads and Drainage Association and the County Judges Association of Arkansas, and w. B. Owen, state high way commissioner, and Hugh R. Car ter, state highway engineer, after four hours study, approved it.
 The measure provides that ma 1ority ill land values, in acreage, or in numbers of landowners within a pro- posed district may petition the County Court for it's creation. Any number of petitions may be circulated asking for the same district, provided they do not conflict as to boundaries. The County Court or 10 petitioners are em- powered to ask the cooperation of the state highway engineer free of charge at any time, and the County Court al
  on the petition and to determine whether the betterments proposed are real. After the petitioners have filed a bond to protect the county if court costs arise and have submitted a plat showing the boundaries of the district and the roads proposed, the County Court is empowered to declare the dis trict legal. This decision is a judg- ment. Each petitioner is given the right of appeal within 30 days. How ever, the appeal only can affect the property of the complainant, and it is provided that an appeal cannot delay the formation or work of the district
 It is provided that board of three commissioners named by the County Court will have charge of the districts business. Each will be paid not more than S5 per day for the actual time the board is in session.
 The county judge is empowered to name board of three assessors.
 Any landowner in the county In which the district is situated, is eligi- ble. The assessment of benefits, in cluding interest, cannot exceed 30 per cent of real property values assessed on the county tax books The board is empowered to assess damages to property in the line of right of way and the County Court is empowered to determine all assessments and has power to equalize them.
 I, ho Sl rc, exclusive of interest, not to exceed 30 per cent of the assessed real property values on the county tax books The time limit for the bonds is 30 years They may be made payable in yearly sums with interest, or at maturity, the interest having been paid yearly. The rate of interest is fixed at 6 per cent It is provided that the three-mill tax fund collected from lands within the district may be used by the county judge to supplement the funds of the district.
 The bill provides that sealed bids must be received by the commissioners for all work exceeding a cost of S1 900.
 It is provided that contractors must file a bond which not only protects the district, but also protects laborers, material companies, subcontractors. etc. It also provides that the com missioners cannot at any time pay contractor for more than S5 per cent of the work completed. The money for the remaining Is per cent of the work is payable when the contractors have satisfied the commissioners that all subcoItractors, all laborers, all ma terial men, etc, are fully paid, as agreed. It also is provided that any of the laborers, etc, may be paid by the commission from the funds due the contractor for the unpaid 15 per cent of the work.