RESOLUTION OF BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF TALLULAH, LA.

Be it resolved by the mayor and board of aldermen of village of Tallulah in special session convened, That this board views with alarm the prospect of the construction of the floodway or spillway known as the Tensas-Bayou Macon spillway," running through Madison Parish for a width of approximately 10 miles and practically destroying more than 40 percent of the area of Madison Parish; be it further

Resolved, That this board opposes the construction of said spillway because it will destroy, take out of commerce, and out of taxing capacity, more than 40 percent of the area of Madison Parish; because it will destroy all improvements now existing in said area, which is rapidly settling up with the better class of farmers; because it will put out of existence the schools and the churches now functioning in said area; because it will seriously impair the drainage of the whole parish; because it will destroy all, save a few, of the very necessary public roads traversing this section east and west; because it will drive out of Madison Parish hundreds of its good citizens now located in said area; because it will place for many years to come a largely increased burden of taxation on those residing out of said floodway area to make up for the deficiency caused by the loss of taxes from lands in said area; because it would place Madison Parish between two dangers, the Mississippi River at flood on one side and the floodway at flood on the other, thereby practically subjecting the whole parish to damage from seepage water; because, if said floodway originally proposed to be constructed west of the Macon Ridge was unanimously considered by the people of the Tensas Basin a destructive menace and abandoned by the United States Engineers, in our opinion the shifting of said floodway from the west to the east side of the Macon Ridge does not decrease in any manner said destructive menace, but simply transfers its destruction from the Tensas Basin to the Fifth Louisiana Levee District; be it further

Resolved, That we go on record as opposing the passage of any legislation by Congress authorizing the construction of said floodway and that a copy of this resolution be sent to Congressman Riley J. Wilson, chairman of the Flood Control Committee of Congress, and a copy be sent to the Vicksburg Herald, the Monroe News-Star, the Board of Commissioners for the Fifth Louisiana Levee District, and the Madison Journal.

Adopted March 7, 1935, by unanimous vote of the board.
Attest:

A. L. SEVIER,

Clerk, Village of Tallulah, La.

RESOLUTION OF BUSINESS MEN'S CLUB OF TALLULAH, LA.

At a regular meeting of the Business Men's Luncheon Club of Tallulah, La., held at its regular meeting place in Tallulah on Wednesday, the 6th day of March 1935, at which meeting the following members were present and voting: J. L. Anderson, Abe Bloom, M. M. Bloom, R. K. Boney, Zack Chambless, Dr. G. W. Gaines, W. A. Gilpin, R. C. Gaines, J. A. Gilbert, C. E. Hester, J. R. Linton, Dr. J. Roy Medlin, L. Z. Naylor, Dr. A. T. Palmer, W. L. Rountree, A. J. Sevier, Henry C. Sevier, W. P. Sevier, Jr., R. R. Spiegener, W. C. Starrett, C. A. Sparling, W. S. Weaver, R. N. Ware, Jr., M. A. Wroten, Maxwell Yerger, Rev. C. K. Smith, and J. B. Snyder, the following resolution was offered by Dr. G. W. Gaines and seconded by Mertie M. Bloom, to wit:

"Be it resolved by the Business Men's Luncheon Club of Tallulah, La., That this club go on record as being unalterably opposed to the construction of the floodway or spillway known as the Tensas-Bayou Macon spillway', running through Madison Parish for a width of approximately 10 miles, and destroying approximately 47 percent of the area of Madison Parish; be it further

"Resolved, That this club go on record as opposing the construction of said spillway because it will destroy, and cause to be destroyed, or abandoned, thereby taking the same out of commerce and practically taking said land off of the tax rolls practically 47 percent of the area of Madison Parish, in which is included some of the most fertile alluvial land in the State of Louisiana, on which a great amount of money has been expended in improvements by the various owners, and through which areas the parish of Madison has con

structed several lateral gravel roads and spent considerable money in the construction and maintenance of several bridges, dirt roads, school buildings, and which settlements are rapidly being settled up with reputable citizens and the best class of farmers; that the construction of said spillway will mean the ultimate abandonment of this large fertile area of Madison Parish; that in so constructing the same it will leave only about 53 percent of said parish to meet the obligations which have been incurred by the entire parish, which includes road-bond issues, school-bond issues, drainage-bond issues, to say nothing of the expenses incidental and necessary in the maintenance of the parish government; that the area lying in between the east levee of the spillway and the main Mississippi River levee will not be completely protected by overflow as shown by Maj. Gen. E. M. Markham's recommendations to the Honorable Riley J. Wilson; that said areas will, therefore, be in a most hazardous position in the event of a break of either the main stem levee of the Mississippi River or the spillway levee, in that there will be no outlet for the same; that the increased burden of taxation on this so-called "protected area" will add an unbearable burden thereon, and in the opinion of this club the construction of this spillway means ultimately the complete destruction of the entire parish of Madison; be it further

"Resolved, That this club go on record as opposing the passage of any legislation by Congress authorizing the construction of said floodway and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Honorable Riley J. Wilson, Chairman of the Flood Control Committee of Congress, and that a copy be sent to the board of commissioners for the Fifth Louisiana Levee District and the Madison Journal."

Adopted on the 6th day of March 1935 by unanimous vote of all members present.

(A true copy.) Attest:

W. L. ROUNTREE, Secretary Business Men's Luncheon Club of Tallulah, La.

RESOLUTION OF TALLULAH STATE BANK & TRUST Co.

At a regular meeting of the board of directors of the Tallulah State Bank & Trust Co., held at its office in Tallulah on the 13th day of March 1935, at which meeting a quorum were present and voting, the following resolution was offered by Director Walter M. Scott, president of this bank, and seconded by J. E. Neill, to wit:

"Be it resolved by the board of directors of Tallulah State Bank & Trust Co., That this board go on record as being opposed to the construction of the spillway known as the "Tensas-Bayou Macon spillway ", and that the members of the board of commissions for the Fifth Louisiana Levee District, particularly those from Madison Parish, be earnestly requested to oppose the construction of said spillway, and that the Honorable Riley J. Wilson, Chairman of the Flood Control Committee of Congress, be requested to use his influence to prevent any legislation of Congress authorizing the construction of said floodway, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the said Hon. Riley J. Wilson, that a copy be sent to the board of commissions for the Fifth Louisiana Levee District, and that a copy be sent to the Madison Journal."

I hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution passed by the board of directors of the Tallulah State Bank & Trust Co. by unanimous vote of all members present at a regular meeting held on the 13th day of March 1935.

Witness my hand and the seal of said corporation at Tallulah, La., on this 14th day of March 1935.

W. P. SEVIER, Jr., Secretary Tallulah State Bank & Trust Co.

RESOLUTIONS OF POLICE JURY AND SCHOOL BOARD OF TENSAS PARISH ON EUDORA FLOODWAY

Whereas the Chief of Engineers of the United States Army did, on February 21, 1935, transmit a report to Hon. Riley J. Wilson, chairman Committee on Flood Control of the House of Representatives, recommending certain changes in the Flood Control Act of May 15, 1928; and

Whereas, according to said report, it is proposed to construct what is to be known as the "Eudora Floodway" instead of the "Boeuf Floodway", the Eudora Floodway to begin at a point in the main trunk-line levee along the Mississippi River near Eudora, Ark., and run through the parishes of East Carrol, Madison, Tensas, and Concordia, the east line levee of said floodway to be about 3 miles west of Lake Providence, 8 miles west of Tallulah, 6 miles west of Newellton, 8 miles west of St. Joseph, 6 miles west of Waterproof, and 5 miles west of Ferriday, putting in the proposed floodway approximately 144,000 acres of East Carroll Parish out of 209,000; 152,000 acres in Madison Parish out of an area of 350,000; 120,000 acres of Tensas Parish out of an area of 315,000; 82,000 acres of Concordia Parish out of an area of 400,000; thus putting in the proposed floodway practically 500,000 acres of land in the fifth levee district; and

Whereas it is proposed to pay for the flowage rights over these lands, for the lands alone, nothing for improvements, not more than one and one-half times the assessed value of the lands as shown by the assessment roll of 1934; and

Whereas the assessed value of a great quantity of these lands is very low, owing to the fact that it was until lately "cut-over lands" assessed at a nominal sum of about $5 per acre, and although very much more than that has been spent putting said lands in cultivation; the assessment under the State law remains the same for a period of 10 years; and

Whereas the building of this proposed floodway would destroy the sale value and the loan value of all the lands in said floodway, by advertising to the world that they are subject to annual overflow; and

Whereas it is proposed to build a drainage canal along the east side of the east line levee to furnish drainage for the lands between the floodway and the trunk-line levee along the Mississippi River, thus cutting the lands in the floodway off from communication by team with the main portion of the parish, unless bridges are built across said drainage canal; and

Whereas the Government only proposes to build one bridge across said canal and that on the main highway between Delta Point and Shreveport; and Whereas the building of such bridges, by the parishes, would entail a prohibitive expense; and

Whereas the assessment of the 500,000 acres of land placed in the floodway would be reduced to a nominal sum, thus greatly reducing the assessment of the parishes as a parish, that it would be necessary to greatly increase the assessment of the lands on the outside of the floodway so as to raise sufficient funds for the parishes to operate as parochial governments and would make it necessary to greatly increase the tax rate so as to take care of the interest and maturing serials of our bonded debt for roads and schools, and to pay off the interest and maturing serials of levee bonds; and

Whereas all the lands in the parish of Concordia and nearly all of the lands in the parish of Tensas which will be located in the floodway are in what is known as the "backwater area ", and, according to the report and recommendations made by General Markham, Chief of Engineers, will not be paid for, and General Ferguson has stated that he is uncertain whether or not flowage rights over any of the lands in Tensas or Concordia will be paid for; and

Whereas it is the opinion of the members of the police jury and of the school board that the construction of the said floodway would mean ruin, not only to the lands in the floodway but would also mean equal ruin of the sale value and the loan value of the lands between the floodway and the main trunk-line levee, thus practically destroying the value of one of the most fertile sections of this or any other country: Therefore, be it

Resolved by the police jury and the school board of the parish of Tensas in joint meeting assembled, That we can see no benefit to be derived by this parish from the construction of the Eudora floodway; that the construction of said floodway will mean practical ruin to one of the most fertile sections of the Cotton Belt; that we earnestly request the members of the Fifth Louisiana Levee Board to oppose the construction of said floodway; and that we earnestly request Hon. Riley J. Wilson, Chairman of the Flood Control Committee of the House of Representatives, to use his influence to prevent any legislation providing for the construction of said floodway; be it further

Resolved, That certified copies of these resolutions be forwarded to Hon, Riley J. Wilson, to the Fifth District Levee Board, and to the Tensas Gazette.

131791-3548

We hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution unanimously adopted by the police jury and school board of Tensas Parish at a joint meeting held in St. Joseph on Monday, March 25, 1935, at which meeting all members were present.

Witness our hands and duly authenticated by the seal of said policy jury and school board on this the 25th day of March 1935.

G. H. CLINTON,

Secretary Tensas Parish Police Jury.
V. C. RIVES,

Secretary Tensas Parish School Board.

SPILLWAY OPPOSED AT MEETING AT TALLULAH, LA., MARCH 21

TALLULAH, La., March 21, 1935. Pursuant to call instituted by public bodies opposed to the construction of the Eudora floodway through the northeast Louisiana parishes of East Carroll, Madison, and Tensas, met at Tallulah, La., this day and effected a permanent organization to be known as the "Northeast Protective Association ", with former United States Senator Joseph E. Ransdell, of Lake Providence, as president, and the following vice presidents:

From West Carroll Parish: Judge John R. McIntosh, for many years judge of the Seventh Judicial District of Louisiana, and a large property owner in the proposed floodway; James D. Herring, sheriff for many years of West Carroll Parish; John E. Holt, a large property owner; and Randall Vining.

For East Carroll Parish: Judge F. X. Ransdell, judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Louisiana; W. D. Brown, president of the First National Bank of Lake Providence; F. H. Schneider, former president of the Fifth Louisiana Levee Board; W. T. Mitchener, president of the East Carroll police jury; and J. M. Hamley, tax assessor for East Carroll Parish.

For Madison Parish: D. H. Allen, mayor of Tallulah; W. M. Murphy, presiIdent of Madison Parish School Board; W. H. Hewes, president of Madison Parish police jury; W. M. Scott, president of Tallulah State Bank & Trust Co.; and Jeff B. Snyder, district attorney of the Sixth Judicial District of Louisiana. For Tensas Parish: Joseph T. Curry, member Louisiana Legislature; C. C. Brooks, former State senator; John Hughes, sheriff of Tensas Parish; Harry Goldman, member police jury of Tensas Parish; L. H. Cook, member school board, all large property owners; and P. O. Benjamin and E. F. Newell, secretaries.

After talks from some 25 or more of the 300 interested parties present, the following committee on resolutions was appointed: Joseph T. Curry, chairman; S. T. Shaw, H. C. Miller, John Hughes, E. D. Coleman, from Tensas Parish; J. D. Herring, Randall Vining, from West Carroll Parish; W. H. Hewes, W. M. Scott, D. H. Allen, W. M. Murphy, George S. Yerger, from Madison Parish; James H. Gilfoil, Jr., F. X. Ransdell, F. H. Schneider, J. M. Hamley, Frank Voelker, from East Carroll Parish; and said committee on resolutions reported the following, which were adopted by acclamation:

1. The Eudora floodway would extend from Red Fork of Cypress Creek, Ark., to a point opposite Jonesville, on Black River, in Louisiana; it would consist of leveeing the gaps in the Macon Ridge and the construction of a levee from Red Fork south, which would run about 100 miles in length in Louisiana; that part of the floodway in Arkansas would chiefly be used to let in Arkansas River water from entering the Mississippi River; that part of the floodway in Louisi ana would receive from the Mississippi River about the Louisiana State linethus getting water from both rivers. The floodway would be, where possible, 10 miles wide; the height of the east side levee would be 25 feet providing for a flooding of 20 feet in depth and a free board of 3 feet.

2. This floodway would be about 3 miles west of Lake Providence, 8 miles west of Tallulah, 6 miles west of Newellton, 8 miles west of St. Joseph, 6 miles west of Waterproof, 5 miles west of Ferriday.

3. It would take an area of approximately 144,000 acres in East Carroll parish out of the parish area of 209,000 acres; 152,000 acres in Madison parish out of a parish area of 350,000 acres; 120,000 acres in Tensas parish out of a parish area of 350,000 acres; 82,600 acres in Concordia parish out of a parish area of 400,000 acres; a total of 498,600 acres in this levee district. Flowage rights over this land, and the land alone are to be paid for at a price not to exceed

one and one-half times the assessed value as of January 1, 1935. No payment is to be made for timber, nor for buildings or improvements or personal property of any kind, nor for damage to roads and bridges, nor for damage to crops by reason of letting water in on floodway lands, nor for crop or any other damage from seepage water from the floodway levee to land outside the floodway.

4. The payments for flowage rights would be made by Government to the State or levee board in a lump sum, who would settle with landowners. We observe that nearly all this money would go to mortgage creditors after deducting both Federal and State income taxes, and that the landowner would be left with his land, still in debt, with no possible prospect of selling it, and with no possibility of borrowing money on a land mortgage or to make a crop. The land in the floodway would be absolutely out of commerce. There would be a gap left open at the end of the spillway. It is barely possible that a small levee about the height of the L. and A. embankment would be built from the end of the floodway levee to the Mississippi River levee.

5. All the land in the floodway area in Concordia Parish, and nearly all the land in the floodway area in Tensas Parish, are also in the back-water area. General Markham's report recommends that no land subject to overflow from back water should be paid for. General Ferguson told us he was uncertain whether or not flowage rights over any of said lands in Tensas and Concordia Parishes would be paid for.

6. It is proposed to dig a drainage canal near the base of the east-side levee to replace destroyed drainage. The Government will not build any bridges

over the canal.

7. It is proposed to construct only one bridge in the entire floodway in Louisiana; that would be a bridge across the floodway from Quebec to Delhi on the Dixie-Overland Highway, which would cost about $6,000,000. If the parish desires bridges at intervals across the drainage canal, the parish must build them, and even if built the problem is presented of how to get over the levee.

8. We find that the effect of the construction of this floodway would be to utterly destroy the area within its limits so far as the possibility of cultivating it is concerned; to destroy the farm houses and homes of many of our industries, useful citizens, and to start them and their families named to begin life again; to destroy their schools and their churches; to destroy valuable manufacturing plants, their outfit, the railroads, and bridges; to wipe out of existence such towns as Monticello, Millikin, Gassoway, Tendal, Waverly, and other smaller hamlets, none of which damage would be compensated, and to make the area in the floodway fit for habitation by alligators, water moccasins, bullfrogs, and the beasts and varments of the jungle.

9. We further find that by the practical elimination of this vast area from taxation, that in order to maintain our schools, our roads, and our levee board, our bridges, and our parish government, the tax burden on the property owners in these four parishes would be so largely increased as to be an insupportable burden.

10. We find that much increased taxation would also be necessary of those property owners outside the spillway to pay bond interest and provide sinking funds on outstanding indebtedness of each of the parishes of this district and on your levee board, to take the place of such taxes proportion of which has heretofore been borne by property within said floodway. The assessed value of the four parishes in this levee district is around $30,000,000. Why not pay all property three times the assessed value of all property, land timber, and personal, which would amount to 90,000,000 as against $150,000,000 estimated cost of the Eudora floodway, make the whole area from the Mississippi River levee to the Macon Ridge a big floodway and let all of us take the payments we get and move out on the Ridge? The Government could start right now with an already made floodway, not have to wait 6 years or more to complete the Eudora plan, and save $60,000,000. We cannot escape the conclusion that if this work is a national necessity the Nation should compensate all who suffer loss or damage.

11. General Ferguson is of the opinion that with the lowering of the flood height in the Mississippi River by the Atchafalaya flood way, now building, and the cutting across points in the Mississippi River, now nearly completed, that the Eudora flood way would very seldom, if ever, be used.

12. That being so, we advise that flood-way legislation by Congress in line with General Markham's recommendations, insofar as the Eudora flood way is