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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,

WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS,

WARREN COUNTY, Vicksburg, Miss., March 18, 1946.

City Board of Aldermen, Vicksburg, Miss. GENTLEMEN: In regard to the proposed levee project now being considered by you with the possibility of recommending to Congress that this project be carried out, I wish to state to you that this plan would greatly aid the school transportation program of Warren County.

One school bus operates over approximately 12 miles of road that is in the overflowed area. Under existing conditions, this bus service to 25 to 30 school children must be discontinued during flood periods, making it necessary for them to be absent from school for extended periods of time.

As a project of mutual interest to both city and county, I, as a representative of Warren County schools, endorse the proposed plan and offer any assistance I might give to aid in promoting same.

Very truly yours,

J. NOEL NUTT.

THE AMERICAN LEGION,

ALLEIN POST No. 3, INC.,

Vicksburg, Miss., March 22, 1946.

Mr. ALBERT TUCKER,

President, Warren County Board of Supervisors, Vicksburg, Miss. Mayor E. W. HAINING,

Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR SIR: As commander of Allein Post, American Legion, Vicksburg, Miss., I wish to convey to you the fact that the proposed Vicksburg-Yazoo project receives unanimous endorsement of our organization.

We are familiar with the intense scarcity of commercial and industrial properties in this area and it is our view that the project which you are considering represents a practical solution in relieving this condition.

We have no practical airport site within close proximity to our city and we believe that this is another important factor to recommend the quick consummation of this project.

We want to put at your disposal all of our facilities and to promise you a familiar brand of cooperation, if at any time you feel the services of Allein Post, American Legion, can be utilized.

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List of industries which have been established in Mississippi during the last 2 years or which will be established in Missisippi during 1946

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1 Manufacturer is committed to put plant at this location and construction will be completed during 1946.

In addition to the above towns which have taken action under the BAWI law, certificates of public convenience and necessity have been issued to the following towns under this law for the type of plant shown, and in most instances negotiations are going forward at this time with manufacturers: Walnut, garment; Oxford, glove; Mendenhall, woodworking; Greenwood, garment; Lucedale, garment; Collins, garment; Nettleton, garment; Lexington, garment.

Industries in these towns will account for $1,800,000 additional annual pay

roll.

87116-46- -38

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Industries established in Mississippi other than under the BAWI law of which the agricultural and industrial board has record

Kosciusko.-Milner Concrete Products Co., $40,000 plant to manufacture steam-cured concrete blocks and brick, to employ 20 men.

Gulfport.-Parks Sea Food Co. now packaging and shipping raw headless, frozen shrimp; A quick-freeze plant; Modern Builders, Inc.; Phillips Milk of Magnesia Co.; General Baking Co., Southern Naval Stores Co.; Williams Pecan Co., Ziodine Manufacturing Co.

Amory.-Wilson Manufacturing Co. building started, backed by local stockholders, to make dress and work pants, and to employ about 200.

Laurel.-Masonite Corp. plans $1,000,000 expansion program; Stanford & Gibson, and Illinois Machine Shop which specializes in work for oil industry, locates in Laurel.

Columbus.-Cottonseed Chemical Delinting Co., to employ about 200 persons; a furniture-manufacturing plant at Columbus has been announced. According to the announcement, the plant to be constructed is to be one of the largest industrial plants to be established in Mississippi as far as square foot space is concerned.

Centreville.-Centreville Manufacturing Co., garment, will employ between 100 to 150 persons with an annual pay roll of between $100,000 to $150,000. Biloxi.-A tentative agreement has been reached with a garment manufacturer and this will probably be handled under the BAWI law.

Pontotoc. Pontotoc Manufacturing Co. building completed and equipment being installed for early operation in making semidress pants.

Clarksdale.-$200,000 grain elevator for Quaker Oats Co. to be finished for spring harvest. Additional elevators will definitely be established by this company at Drew, Cleveland, and Greenville; discussion under way regarding building of brick manufacturing plant; Dismuke Tire & Rubber Co., which plans a plant to make tires and tubes, the city is getting a new firm which makes brooms and mops.

Canton.-Pearl River Industries to manufacture beds and furniture. Natchez.-Expansion for the Armstrong Tire & Rubber Co. started; and California Oil Co. has announced plans for a $5,000,000 recycling plant for this area. Quitman.-Permit granted for $120,000 factory building which plans to employ around 300 persons.

Waynesboro. Same concern plans $96,000 building in Waynesboro.

Grenada.-$75,000 local bond issue approved for enlargement of city-owned industrial building occupied by Grenada Industries.

Meridian.-Owens Bros. Meat Packing Co. is locating in Meridian.
Vicksburg. The LeTourneau Co

Hattiesburg.-A new furniture plant to employ between 60 and 100 persons will begin operation within the next 30 days.

Holly Springs.-A concrete-block plant, equipped with $15,000 worth of new machinery, has already started operation.

Poplarville. There has been a packing plant established at Poplarville which packs vegetables during the vegetable season and sea food during the sea-food

season.

Morton.-Egg-dehydrating plant-Johnny Rogers.

Jackson-Knox Glass Bottle Co. plans 15 percent capacity expansion; Mississippi Products, Inc. (Sears, Roebuck & Co. subsidiary), erecting $2,500,000 building in which 1,500 persons to be employed; Armstrong Cork Co. to employ 100 persons in first unit; F. W. Fitch Co. to build $300,000 plant and employ 150 persons; Great Southern Box Co. plans $150,000 expansion program; Tri-State Brick & Tile Co., Inc., a Mississippi corporation, building plant with production capacity of 650,000 brick per month, to employ 20 persons.

Tupelo.-Seeking $30,000 through public subscription, plans program looking toward industrial and economic development for that locality. Chamber of commerce authorized to secure full time industrial engineer to carry out program to attract new industries.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

Mr. ALBERT TUCKER,

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

VICKSBURG, MISS., March 22, 1946.

President, Board of Supervisors,

Warren County, Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR MR. TUCKER: In conformity with your request, I submit to you, below, some data and comment relative to agriculture in the area locally described as the Vicksburg-Yazoo project, bounded by the Yazoo Canal, the Yazoo River, Chickasaw Bayou, and the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad.

Based on a rough calculation from aerial photographs and maps, there are about 10,000 acres in the area, of which approximately 3,800 acres are in cultivation. A soils map, issued by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1914, indicates about 25 percent of the soil in the area is Sharkey very fine sandy loam, 45 percent Sharkey silty clay loam, and 30 percent Sharkey silt loam. All of these are good agricultural soils, provided there is proper surface drainage.

Latest accurate figures available in our office, assembled in 1942, indicate there were 266 farm operators in the area. More than 75 percent of the farms were operated by cash, or fixed rent, tenants who cultivate 10 to 15 acres each. The entire area is flooded periodically by water from the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. Part of the area is flooded almost annually and practically all of it is flooded when the water level is 2 feet above flood stage on the Vicksburg River gage.

Financial returns from farming in the area are extremely variable. During years when floodwater doesn't come, crop yields of cotton, corn, and hay are high. A few years ago I saw 9 bales of cotton produced on 3 acres of land in the area. A yield of 2 bales per acre is not uncommon during good crop years, but the good years are few due to the flood hazard. Profits made during good years are dissipated when floods come and destroy crops, cause losses of livestock and damage or destruction to buildings, fences, etc.

With protection from floodwater and proper surface drainage, practically all of the land within the Vicksburg-Yazoo project area would be very valuable farm land. Under such conditions production would be greatly increased, the people who farm in the area would enjoy a much higher standard of living, a feeling of security, and would be better citizens, due to a more stable income. Sincerely yours,

Mr. M. L. MILES,

Secretary-Manager,

W. R. LOMINICK, County Agent.

DELTA AIR CORP., Atlanta, Ga., December 11, 1945.

Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce, Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR MR. MILES: I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 7 with attached file and am glad to note the steps that Vicksburg is taking toward securing a class 3 airport with paved runways and that you are interested in air service for Vicksburg.

In reply, we have always expressed a willingness and a desire to render air service to the cities along our route and for many years rendered service to all such cities as the Civil Aeronautics Board designated as stops along the route. Upon completion of your airport and upon approval of it by the Civil Aeronautics Administration we will be glad to request authority of the Civil Aeronautics Board to render service to your good city.

It would be my suggestion that the city make a similar request of the Civil Aeronautics Board and be prepared to furnish exhibits showing the need for such service at the time the Board takes the matter under advisement.

I regret the delay in conveying this information to you but can only state that we have been extremely occupied during the past several months inaugurating our new service between Chicago and Miami which has necessitated our absence from this office a great deal of the time.

With best wishes, I am,

Very truly yours,

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Mr. JACK MILES,

LETOURNEAU CO. OF GEORGIA, Vicksburg, Miss., January 25, 1946.

Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce, Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR JACK: As per our recent conversation I am furnishing the pay-roll figures of the LeTourneau Co. of Georgia, Mississippi branch, by years through December 31, 1945:

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As I previously mentioned, I thought these figures might be of some value to you in future references.

Very truly yours,

FRANK BIGLEY.

MARCH 25, 1946.

Hon. ALBERT E. TUCKER,

President, Board of Supervisors, Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR SIR: In regard to the Vicksburg-Yazoo project, I am taking this means of expressing my wholehearted support and cooperation.

I am one of the many property owners in which this project includes. For the last 3 years I have received no income from this property due to the high water, but I have paid taxes on this land each year.

If this project goes through as planned the valuation of my property will be greatly increased for agriculture or industrial purposes. Wishing you every success, I remain

Yours truly,

JENNIE MEACHAM.

APRIL 3, 1946.

Re proposed protection levee northwest of Vicksburg.
Mr. E. W. HAINING,

Mayor of Vicksburg, Vicksburg, Miss.

DEAR MR. HAINING: In accordance with your request I am submitting herewith a report of the effect of the Yazoo River on my farming operations of that land lying between the city of Vicksburg and the Yazoo River, for the years 1943 to 1945, inclusive.

My property for the year 1944 and 1945 was rented to Mr. Irby Charping, and in the year 1945 this property was twice inundated with the result that farming operations were seriously curtailed. Taking this fact into consideration, Mr. Charping and I agreed upon a 50-percent reduction in the rent which he was to pay for that year.

In the year 1944 I made no reduction in the rent which was agreed upon between Mr. Charping and myself, but I do know that the land was inundated for a considerable period of the year and that Mr. Charping's farming activities were handicapped.

I farmed this property myself during the year 1943, and due to high water on the Yazoo I was very late in getting my crops planted and consequently did not receive as good production as I could ordinarily expect from this type of land.

Due to the fact that all of this land is subject to almost annual overflow by backwater, I have to make special arrangements with my tenants whereby they can be housed away from this property during high water and I have to move them back and forth during such periods.

The presence of the water has a severe deteriorating effect upon my tenant houses and outbuildings.

Very truly yours,

Mrs. S. W. JOHNSTON.

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