Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-08-17

w lCH US DfOWH dSpndlCeQ Surface stretching through thousands of acres of white-topped cotton fields, the Arkansas-Louisiana highway, the fruit of the greatest improvement district ever oganized in this coun- try is rapidly nearing completion. Entering Arkansas where a large monument marks the stateline this road passes directly through one county, skirts four others and places in connection the improved roads of middle Arkansas and those of Louisi- ana. The connecting link of 17S miles opens up the gulf with the Bankhead highway.
 Perhaps because of the isolated To- cation of the road, and perhaps be- cause no big cities mark it's passage through the rich lands of this section, the road has almost come into com pletion before it's importance is grasped, save by the United States government, which had designated it as "war measure" that it's construc- tion might not be hindered even dur ing the war period, which came just after it's inception.
 The highway has it's southern ex- tremity resting at the Arkansas-L Lou isiana border. It stretches north ward through Chicot county, the home of it's founder, Judge E. P. Toney, and then the road extends northwest through Drew, Desha and Lincoln counties, and has one im- portant connecting branch in Ashley county.
 In construction this highway, which is IA feet wide, is of concrete and asphalt. Most of it extends through the cotton fields of south eastern Arkansas, where instead of it being bordered by princely homes, it is broken in relief more by the pres ence of the typical negro plantation tenant house. However, there are about thirty prosperous little towns along it's course, and each of these is given well paved main street by the presence of the highway.
 Old South Typified.
 Aside from the practical advantage of this great achievement in highway construction, it will attract many tourists because of the picturesque surroundings. The "old south" is we'll typified in this section. And at least three famous lakes are skirted by the highway, these being Lake
 Already the fruit of the highway is being garnered by the landowners of southeast Arkansas. Farm lands that have always been fertile enough but which isolation had kept retarded in value, are being bid in for more than 100 per cent. of what they could have been sold for three years ago.
 Toney's Work.
 To Judge E. P. Toney, resident of Lake Village and one of the most active good road advocates of the en- tire south, goes the credit for this great step in highway improvement and country development. "
 Governments High Recognition.
 The 1917 session of the Arkansas legislature enacted a law authorizing the creation of the district. The fol- lowing commissioners for the re- spective counties were selected:
 Lincoln county, Judge w. w. Le- gon, Jules Helums, Bob Rice; Desha county, Judge G. B. Ewing, Dr. Price, Mike Sherland, D. T. Terry; Drew county, Judge w. A. Coker, H. P. Gregory: Ashley county; Judge As lin, w. T. Cone. Sam Wilson: Chicot county, Judge E. P. Toney, Herman Carlton, J. A. Bennett.
 Route of Highway.
 The Arkansas-Louisiana Highway Improvement District association was next organized. Its officers are: J. A. Bennett, president; Herman