The Dermott news., 1918-03-14
Contract Let for Arkansas
Louisiana Highway

AVuAOsuAu AA5h"uy
A meeting of the commissioners of
the Arkansas Louisiana Highway Dis
trict, presided over by President j A
Bennett of this place. was held at
McGehee last week After a session
of several days. the contract for the
big highway was finally let, at figures
which total approximately 81, 1873, 600
Eight bids We're received and instead
of letting the contract for all of the
highway to one firm. it was divided
into sections, county to each section,
and let to four contractors as follows:
Section /, Lincoln county. Healey
Construction Co. of Meridian, Miss.
S2l6. l30.
Section ,. Ashley county. Burke Con
struc ton Co Fort Smith; S276, 600.
Section 3. Desha county. Metropoli-
tan Paving Co, st. Joseph, Mo.
1898. 95s.
Section 1. Chicot county. Bryant
Construction Co.. Waterloo. Iowa;
Sl, !, tbi
Section 5, Drew county. Metropolitan
Paving Company; $l79, 800
There will be abont l56 miles of the
highway in this state In Lincoln
county the road will be constructed of
water bound macadam; in Drew. Desha
and Chicot counties. of asphalt on a
concrete base and in Ashley county of
the best river gravel.
Ii is estimated that the time required
for construction will be between one
and half and two years. Work Is to
begin as soon az the bonds have been
sold
The letting OF the contract for this
highway marks the beginning of new
era in the progress of Southeast Arkan-
sas Indeed. it is hailed with enthusi-
asm all over the state. and the results
of its construction will reach far be-
yond the bounds of the territory direct
ly affected.
Both the Arkansas Gazette and the
Arkansas Democrat comment editorial
ly on the letting of the contract From
these editorials the following para
graphs are copied:
The awarding of the contract for the
construction of the Arkansas division
of the Arkansas Louisiana highway is
one of the biggest and best pieces of
construction news which the public has
had in a long time. The work is to
cost 81. 7S3. .6l6, and is to begin as soon
as the necessary materials can be
shipped. There should be little delay
in securing transportation of the ma
terials. since the federal government
has approved the plan to build the
highway, "a a military necessity. The
Arkansas division of the highway will
go through Lincoln. Drew. Desha.
Chicot and Ashley counties, and will be
l56 miles long 1t will furnish de-
pendable auxiliary for the railroad
transportation system and will make
possible the continuous shipment of
foods and war supplies by truck If the
railways become too badly congested
to handle the traffic II Is big step
in the development of the State as well
"a the counties through which the
highway will pass Arkansas Demo
crat.
The whole state will wish for the
early completion of these great pro
jects The building of the Arkansas
Louisiana ana the Little Rock Bates
Vile highways will mean advancement
for the whole state. for they Will bring
increased taxable values. new home
makers, more motor car tourists and
the reduction in the cost of getting
farm products to market, together
with other benefits. And besides, ev-
cry great intercounty, trunk line high
way will inevitably tend to induce the
building of other such highways. Ar
kansas Gazette.