The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-11-13
TINE NEEDED TO
BUILD HIGHWAYS
Federal and State Governments Exer-
else Careful Supervision Over All
Details OF Construction in Inn
proved Roads Engineers Work

lBy Southwestern Engineering Co..
Every day some one asks Of Road
Commissioner, Engineer, Assessor, or
some County Official: What has be-
come Of our Highway? Why aren't
they moving dirt? Has the district
gone dead and fallen thru"
Another person win offer the re-
mark. Its just as / expected the
Engineers got theirs and the Politi-
clans got the rest, and all we will get
out Of it win be next year the County
viii send a grader over the rough
places in the same old road and call
it fine highway"
The QUESTION is nothing more
than could be expected in a locality
whore no Highway has been built
The REMARK is one so common in
all localities whether or not a High
way or any other public improvements
have been made that it is ignored by
all broad-mined and thinking people.
1t is in answer to the QUESTION"
that this article is written, that those
readers who are not thoroly acquaint
ed with the subject may know what
it takes to plan and construct High
way.
Almost every one is familiar with
the forming of a Highway district,
therefore we will not take up time to
explain that part Of the procedure.
The Highways as planned by, and
constructed under the supervision of
our Federal government, are intended
10 be permanent Highways; Highways
not to last just few years, and then
to be built all over again, but High
WAYS to last forever. Just like the !!
roads built by the Romans many CEN
turtles ago, and which are in good con-
dition today.
The reason why the Federal and
State Governments are planning and !,
supervising these Highways is be-
cause these governments are appro-
priating a part of the money for all
such construction.
Not only do these governments de-
mand certain class of construction,
but they demand that only Engineers
as approved by these governments can
have charge of such work, and at any
time they find an engineer not doing
right that engineer is not allowed to
do work on any highway project
where either of these governments
donate even one dollar.
After highway district is formed,
the road commissioners, as appointed,
select their engineer and their at
torney.
The Road Commissioners work is
not all sugar and cream, but is a
thankless job from beginning to end;
is composed of nothing but kicks and
hard work. If the road does not go
just to suit some people the road
commissioners catch it and lay it onto
the engineers, and when the engin-
GERS are approached they say go see
the commissioners" then the commits
sioners have it all over again. If they
change the road to suit one kicker then
the other one comes back again.
The engineer under the Arkansas
State law must operate under con-
tract, make bond and receive stated
compensation as established by that
law, and approved by the State High
way Department.
All engineers approved by the state
are on the same basis, and are held
accountable alike, the only difference
being that some engineers have had
more experience, are better acquaint-
ed with the requirements, procedure,
etc, are better equipped and better
prepared to carry on the work out
lined than others.
AS soon as the engineer is appoint
ed and his bond and contract is APP
proved by the State Highway Depart
ment, with the commissioners, he goes
over the district and in a general way
outlines the probable location of the
road. He then makes the survey of
the road.
The Survey of the Road means the
location of the road in the best place
for the construction of a permanent
road and also in the best place to ac-
commodate the most number of peo-