The Mena weekly star., 1919-04-03
WHAT FOLKS THINK
 WHO HAVE ROADS
W. l.. Nichols of Hatfield Sought the Truth First Hand and Then Advises Polk County People to "Build
 the Highway"

W. L. Nichols, one of the best known and most popular men of Hat field, reached his 50th milestone in life's journey last Sunday, and, good deal in keeping with his life, he spent the day in ascertaining facts he deemed would be of much interest and value to his town, his county and the citizens of both, and that is, what the people of adjoining counties who all ready have built, are using and pay ing for good roads--hard surfaced highways-think of them. With this in view, with an early start, accom- panied by his family (exeept his two oldest boys, both in the service of their country), he motored south to- ward and into Sevier county, where begins a portion of the Arkansas scenic route of the great Jefferson Highway, and which now has been builded for two years. The party stopped at Neal Springs for dinner, then drove on ocross Sevier county into Little River county
 Along the way number of mer- chants and bankers were consulted, but most attention was given to finding the real sentiments of the farmers and other property owners who lived along the highway in the two counties. Of these many mar veled, Mr. Nichols found, at the ques- tion as to whether the road was de- sired. Such a question seemed obvi- ously foolish to those who had it and were enjoying it. It was ascertained that anyone along the road could sell to advantage, but none were found who would sell on account of the road being there or the taxes that came with it. Some stated that the cost of the good road was nothing compared to what the former bad roads had cost them each year. At one place it was even offered to send farmer of the district with facts and figures to con- vince any doubters that the cost was not out of proportion to the benefits derived.
 And now, Mir. Nichols advice to his Polk county friends is to build the highway and then more roads, and suggests the thought that neither man nor mule makes progress while kicking"
 And, while on the subject of pro- gress, it may be added that Mir. Mich ols breaches, practices and lives pro- gress. Born near here fifty years ago, he has seen this county change from a wilderness to one of prosperous homes and happy people. And he has seen the one community of Hatfield give more money to recent war fund than all the wealth in the county amounted to in days he can remember, and he was booster for this fund He has seen little shacks of school houses give way to $10,000 temples of learning, and gave his time and effort to bring about the improvement. as he always does for his church. He has seen the time when the back of a horse or OK sleds were the only means of travel in Polk county, and he voted for tax to improve the roads and the conditions. And, too, he was the first here to boost and give money for a dipping vat to free our cattle from the blood-sucking ticks.
 And it is such citizen as this, a citizen whose life has been one of ac- complishment, who takes it upon him. self to investigate, and then advises his neighbors to build the Jefferson Highway, and then build more roads.
 Hattie