The Mena weekly star., 1920-06-10
LIGHT AND SHADOW
IN ROAD MATTERS
Actual CONSTRUCTION May Begin Next
Week on Jefferson Highway-Two
Commissioners on District May
Decentralization Committee.

That the highway situation In Polk
county is a combination of sunshine.
and shadow is evident from the devei-
ments which came to public notice
Wednesday.
Advocates of good roads found n
ray of sunshine in the announcement
that Early a. Jones, contractors for the
Jefferson Highway. were to start ac-
tual construction work and would
likely begin operations next Monday.
While this announcement was not
pleasing to those who are opposing
highway building, the antis found sun
shine In the possibility that work on
the Mena-Big Fork highway was stop
ped for the time being.
Two Commissioners May Quit.
Following the session at the court
house Tuesday morning Commission
ers ]. b. Lilies and Sam I.ooney OF
District No. 2, announced their inten-
tion of resigning their places and let
some one else bear the attack being
made by the opponents OF the propos-
ed road. Commissioners G. w Petty did
not agree with his colleagues that right
now was good time to quit the fight
and expressed a determination TO stay
In at least long enough to wind up
the affairs of the district.
An agreement is said TO have been
reached whereby Messers Lilies and
Looney viii be In Mena Thursday and
make final decision whether 10 re-
sign and let others be appointed to
take their places, or wind up the af-
fairs OF the district and let the buisd-
ing Of the road rest for awhile.
Bond Market Is shaky.
From expressions OF those who Fro
fess to be posted as to the condition OF
the bond market IL begins to look like
road construction In Polk county win
be halted regardless of the actions of
local land owners. Predictions have
been freely made that no money win
be forthcoming from the bond buyers
for any road work in Polk county this
year. -
Contractor Not Alarmed
Notwithstanding the direful prophe-
cies Of the alleged financial experts
). n. early of the firm OF Early &
Jones, who reached Mena Tuesday af-
ternoon, stated Wednesday morning
that be expected to start real work
right away and hoped to got busy by
the first Of the coming week. He ex-
poets TO get men at work clearing the
right OF way and moving fences and
as fast as the engineers get stakes
set, follow them with the work of
grading the route Of the highway
Mr.. Early expressed confidence the
money needed for the work will be
forthcoming from the bond people
within the next 20 days.
Turned Contractors Mules Out
Some unidentified person opened a
gate at the pasture where Early q
Jones keep their mules near Golden
Rule farm Tuesday evening and let
the animals out, so It Is said. Twenty
head managed to get away before the
open gate was discovered. The animals
were later found near Acorn. A farm
er named Stevenson, seeing the mules
In the road and realizing they were
wandering away, thoughtfully turned
them into his pasture and held them
until the owners came after them
Wednesday morning.
Injunction Committee Named.
w. y. Mcmillan, chairman Of the
farmers meeting at the court house
Tuesday, has announced the personnel
OF the committee which Is to start the
legal fight to halt the Mena-Big Fork
road. He has named L. Q. Cooper, j.
n. Perry and A. r. Wear and the CON-
mittee Will endeavor to secure an at
torney and begin the proceedings for
Injunction right away.
Another meeting to hear Of the pro-
gress OF the committee will be called
later, Chairman Mcmillan stated