The courier-index., 1919-01-24
highway PROJECT Is
FORMALLY LAUNCHED
MASS MEETING WEDNESDAY
nIcHT LAND OWNERS VOTE
To CREATE IMPROVEMENT DIS
re,cT FOR ROAD AND BRIDGE.

TPICT FOR ROAD AND BRlDGE
nefinite plans for creating an i'm
rovement district, by special act of
no legislature, to construct a hard
nrface road from Mariana to the
Il Francis county line at Bledsoe,
lateral road to run from the main
h;obway to the Mississippi river at
l. near Peters, and for the erection
II free bridge across the st. Fran
eis at or near Cody, were made at
largely attended mass meeting of
land owners at the Elks home on
"wednesday night of this week. The
discussion incident to whipping this
big project into tangible form was
vide and varied and consumed three
hours of time. 1t was. the general
and practically the unanimous opin-
Ion of those present that II the pro-
<iect is undertaken at all road of
some high class and permanent ma
[terial should be constructed and that
1.-The matter of builuding the bridge
=oyer the st. Francis river should be
in the district and both
improvements made under one COM
Emission
Hugh r. Carter, state highway en-
*gineer, was present and made a
most interesting and helpful talk on
Eroad and bridge construction. For
an hour he replied to numerous
|auestions put to him by members of
THE audience. He made many prac-
|tical suggestions touching the details
|of the proposed organization and
STATED the highway department would
cooperate to the fullest extent in
assisting the commissioners and the
engineers and in getting the type of
road best suited to the conditions
existing in the bottoms. lie felt con
fident state and federal aid to the
extent of approximately fifteen per
cent of the total cost of the improve
ment could be secured.
The result of the discussion was
that c. E. Daggett, who acted as
chairman, was instructed to appoint
committee of five to retire and
draft resolution for submission to
the meeting. DR. o. l.. Williamson.
Lem Banks, Hugh Nixon. Max d.
Miller and Geo. S. Kausler were
named on the committee. With the
assistance of Mr. Carter the commit
tee drafted the following resolution,
which was subsequently presented
to and unanimously adopted by the
citizens:
Resolved by this meeting of
citizens and tax payers of Lee coun-
ty. that road and bridge improve
ment district be formed of the ter
ritory east of the L'Anguiile river
north of township one, including the
city of Mariana. that said district
be divided into four equitable taxing
zones for the purpose of building
a hard surfaced road from Mariana
enthusiastically to the st. Francis
county south line, with a road from
some point east of the st. Francis
river to the levee, and build bridge
across the st. Francis river near
Cody in Lee county on the line of
said road
That special act be passed at
this SESSION of the legislature to this
end. That the bonds to be issued shall
not exceed thirty per cent, exclusive
OF interest, of the present assessed
value of the real estate in said dis
trict. That five commissioners. be
named in said act. That said act be
drafted by Daggett and Daggett, and
they are hereby authorized to consult
with Rose, Hemingway Cantrell,
Loughborough & Rose as to said act
and the bond issue authorized there
under, and that same must be sub
mitted to and approved by a commit
Tee OF five property owners to be
named by the chairman and to the
State Highway Department"
Mr.. Daggett. acting chairman of
tne meeting, has not yet named the
liVe men who will serve on this spec
ial committee. but says he will do so
tomorrow. The bill will be prepared
al once, submitted to the Little Rock
attorneys, to the Highway Depart
ment and to the special committee.
AFTER which it will be placed in the
hands of legislators for passage.
n