The log cabin Democrat., 1921-12-17
|SFLFCT DAMASCUS
 l ROAD AS PRIMARY
UNIT IN STATE SYSTEM
To Tap Important North Arkansas TerritOry-May Mean Increase
 in Federal Aid.

Rock into north Arkansas was decided upon at meeting of the state high way commission Thursday at Little Rock. Apportionment of state and federal aid, it is said, was made at the same meeting, but will not be definitely announced until January l. Primary highways designated by the commission cover the state and will be hanked by a net work of lesser roads. State and federal aid at the disposal of the commission totals $1 ,541 PAP.
 As was generally conceded, the Con- way and Palarm road is also unit in the system of primary highways. This was expected, but it was not so certain that the commission would select the Damascus road for the trunk line northward, instead of the road from Morrilton. The directness of the Damascus road and it's better type of construction, however, have made it's selection almost certain
 Selection of system of state and interstate highways is required by the federal act under which aid is given. Little Rock is the focal point of the system as now mapped out.
 Under the first plan considered by the commission, the main road from Little Rock north would have been via Morrilton over the route of it's District No. i. Federal aid totaling about S60,000, payable monthly, has been given this district and some work done. However, little construc- tion has been accomplished for some time, and the change to the Damas- GUS road has been expected, the more so as the route is the most di- rect one from central Arkansas north. To bring the Damascus road up to specifications on primary, no changes of importance will be re- quired in the road plans. Its route and type of construction have ire quently been observed at first hand by officials of the state and federal road bureaus, and it's commissioners practically assured it would be made unit in the system of primary high ways, with more federal aid. Additional federal aid to the Dam- ascus road, when granted, is expected to be sufficient to make possible highway 14 feet wide its entire length, instead of a roadway of IA feet from Conway to Wooster and from Wooster to Damascus only nine feet in width. This is the present plan of the road, but would be altered in case the extra funds are granted.
 As given in Little Rock dispatches, the primary highways, which will be completed before the secondary roads are put through, are the following:
 Little Rock to Eudora, via Pine Bluff; Little Rock to Memphis, via Hazen, with branch leading to Helena.
 Pine Bluff to Hazen, via Stuttgart, giving that section of the state access to both Memphis and Helena over primary roads.
 Little Rock to Junction City via Sheridan and Fordyce. This road also gives the southern part of the state access to Little Rock, Memphis and Helena and into Missouri over primary roads.
 Little Rock to Texarkana, via Ben ton, Malvern, Prescott, Philadelphia and Hope.
 Texarkana to Fl Dorado via Lewis vile and Waldo.
 Texarkana to the Missouri state line in Benton county, via Mena, Wal dron and Fort Smith.
 Benton to Scott county, via Conway, Russellville and Ozark. Russellville to Harrison.
 Conway to Mammoth Spring via Choctaw, Clinton, Ruddells and Calico Rock.
 Little Rock to Corning via Jackson vile, Cabot, Searcy, Newport, Wal nut Ridge and Pocahontas.
 Searcy to Missouri state line in Benton county, connecting with the road from Texarkana and Fort Smith, via Heber Springs, Choctaw, Marshal, Harrison and Berryville, serving the territory formerly served by the Mis- souri and North Arkansas railroad.
 Memphis to Newport, via Harris burg and Memphis to Blytheville via Marion and Osceola.
 Base and top courses of rock are being placed on sections of the Vilo- mia and Palarm highways this week. and base course is being laid along the Damascus road. On the Palarm road, the gap at Stone Dam has been closed and made ready for the top ping, Small fills are being finished in the grading on both sides of Gold Creek. All bridges are up on this highway.
 Approximately five miles of finish ed highway will soon be ready on the Vilonia road, where there is gap of Onn fact hatuaap tho txuO