We are really suffering down there. We are not trying to gouge the Government or trying to get something for nothing. If these breaks are not fixed immediately the damage to the crops. in addition to the damage for 1935, which I have already referred to, will be $1,500,000 more, because crops will not be planted. These Green County levees would have all gone out or been overflower if the levees above and below had broken. These pools in the flooded districts, or the districts subject to overflow, due to these breaks, may not be able to be financed, as the banks here are financing the farmers, but do not want to take the hazard of financing those districts overflowed or subject to overflow on account of these breaks. We have a bad situation there and we have tried to get money from the farm-loan banks and they cannot loan it to us. They say it is an unprotected area and they cannot make loans. It is pitiful down there, and it is an every year occurrence. If you can do something for us, we will appreciate it very much. Regarding reservoirs, anything the Government engineers recommend will be O. K. with our people. We want some help; we want some pretty quick relief, if we can get it. We have been wanting it for the last 5 years, and in anything the Government wants to do we will cooperate and furnish rights-ofway. Mr. MCCLELLAN. Mr. Alexander, the concrete highway that connects with the Missouri highway is Highway No. 25? Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes; that has been under water four or five times in recent years. Mr. MCCLELLAN. Is not that a Federal-aid highway? Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes, sir. Mr. MCCLELLAN. Is not your highway of the same type? Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes, sir. Mr. MCCLELLAN. So the Federal Government does have an interest in these 2 highways, 1 in Arkansas and 1 in Missouri connecting Green County and Dunklin County? Mr. ALEXANDER. Yes, sir. Mr. DRIVER. Now, Mr. Chairman, I would like to have the committee hear Mr. E. W. Tschudy, of Weona, Poinsett County, Ark. STATEMENT OF E. W. TSCHUDY, WEONA, POINSETT COUNTY, ARK. Mr. TSCHUDY. Mr. Chairman, I live in Poinsett County, Ark. Gentlemen, I have not a great deal to say, after all these other gentlemen have been saying last night and this morning. I believe I know every man from Arkansas who has testified here quite well. I also know the gentleman from Missouri quite well. I think they have made true statements. We are lumber manufacturers and farmers. We have been farmers mostly in the last 4 or 5 years. We have farmed about 2,500 acres of land in that country. In 1913 we went in and had that year an overflow from the Missis sippi River. Since then we have had it from the St. Francis water mostly, and it has gotten higher and higher until now some of the levees built in the last 2 years, by Drainage District No. 7, as we thought, and the engineers thought, were being built high enough, and they are well built, but this last water that Mr. Armstrong told you about has gone 2 feet more over the top. We are right in the middle of this territory, with Mr. Armstrong's territory north of us, and the territory south to the Cross County line, and all this water goes in there. We started out there to sell our cut-over land. In 1926 we did sell 6,600 acres of that land to men who wanted to buy it, but could not pay cash for it. We sold it on time, sometimes with a small cash payment and sometimes with no cash payment. În 1927 two-thirds of the people were driven out by the flood. In 1928 it was not quite as bad and quite a number of people came back. A few paid for the land, but the majority said they could not pay for it. They said, "We want to rent it." We cleared out a great deal of the land ourselves, but conditions are as these men have told you. I live right there, and I have lived there all the time since we purchased this property. I went all over our property in 1913 in a small boat, and since that in 1927. We feel, and I know personally the Government engineers have been in our territory, we feel that the engineers we have had have done the best they could, and we feel that whatever the Government engineers recommend to this committee, they will mean what they We are willing to take their word for it. If they can give us reservoirs at the head of the St. Francis River that will slow the water down and help us and our neighbors to the south of us to have some land they can cultivate, we will be very happy to have that come about. If they feel that that is not the thing to do, that they must give us levees, we feel that they are doing what is right and the best thing for us. Mr. DRIVER. Now, Mr. Chairman, I want to present to the comImittee Mr. Charles R. Coleman, of Osceola, Ark. Mr. Coleman is from the Little River, a tributary of the St. Francis, and one of the very important branches, with a wonderful development. He is a man of very large interests, and also a director of the St. Francis Levee District, which has charge of the levees on the main river. I would like to have Mr. Coleman make a statement to the committee at this time. STATEMENT OF CHARLES R. COLEMAN, OSCEOLA, ARK. Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am particularly interested in our Big Lake. That is a Federal bird sanctuary that starts at the Missouri line and extends south into the Mississippi Valley. The local drainage interests made a reservoir at the Big Lake to take care of the water that is drained into our county out of the Missouri. They had some hope of reclaiming a lot of that territory and a levee was built on the east side in the middle of the old lake. We think that levee should be set back, and I think that is part of the plan. to move that levee into Big Lake. They have not any foundations there, and we are threatened with the levee blowing out. Immediately south of Big Lake is a tract or colony of 20,000 acres that the Government has put into the rehabilitation program. Adjoining that colony are 9,000 acreas that the county rehabilitation service has rented for 5 years on which to have placed 300 families that are making a crop there today. If the Big Lake levee is protected, thus the Government interests will be protected, and if Big Lake remains like it is, they are placed in jeopardy every day by water held by insufficient levees. I want to make a plea, if this plan can be carried out. that Big Lake be given strengthened protection. Mr. DRIVER. There is also present today, Mr. Chairman, the chairman of the State highway commission of my State, who is very much interested in this matter, with a particular interest in the twilight zone. I would like the committee to hear a statement from Mr. Dave Block, of Wynne, Ark. STATEMENT OF DAVE BLOCK, WYNNE, ARK., CHAIRMAN STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION OF ARKANSAS Mr. BLOCK. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I represent a section of Cross County that is bordering on the north end of the so-called "backwater area." The territory we are interested in might be designated as a semibackwater area. We have never been submerged in this particular section only as the result of the breaks in the main-line levees in 1912, 1913, and 1927. At the present time, due to the diversion of the St. Francis River through the southern end of Poinsett County, the height of our county at the northern extremity, coming down to the St. Francis Bay, is the highest stage we have ever had, except in the years I mentioned. Portions of that area are now submerged, but a very large proportion of the farm lands are not at this particular time. My thought is that any form of improvement that will impound the waters from above and retard their progress will be a material benefit to practically 40,000 acres that I represent in Cross County. As stated before, we have never had any water there except these flood waters that came from the Mississippi River. Our unfortunate brothers below us have been inundated to the extent of the loss of their crops many times, in the backwater area, when we have not been affected. As chairman of the highway commission, I have this information that may be of some value to the area to the north. I have a report from our chief engineer, who stated that a very conservative estimate of the damage resulting from the loss of drainage structures, the damage to shoulders, and the cuts across the gravel surface would be approximately $350,000 as the result of the present flood. Mr. DRIVER. I would like to have you make that a little more definite. How many of the Federal-aid reads traverse this territory, beginning at the mouth of the St. Francis and extending to the Missouri and to Arkansas? Mr. BLOCK. I cannot give you the exact mileage, Judge, but there are approximately 10 or 12 highways in that section that are in the Federal-aid system. Mr. DRIVER. How many of them are such roads as we designate as trunk roads, that is, transcontinental links? Mr. BLOCK. There is highway 64 and highway 61-you mean north of the mouth of the St. Francis? Mr. DRIVER. No; I mean within the whole area, the mouth of the St. Francis to the Missouri line, that is the flooded area. Mr. BLOCK. There is United States Highway 79 and United States Highway 70, which is the most important trunk line in the State of Arkansas, the east-west road from Memphis through the State. Federal Highway No. 64 and Federal Highway No. 61, Federal Highway 25 and Federal Highway No. 18, are all that I can recall at present that are considered as trunk lines. Mr. DRIVER. How many roads of the State system are in the area? I want especially to have you locate for the record Highway No. 3. Mr. BLOCK. Highway No. 3, that is, that portion of it in the flooded area, comes through Lee County, St. Francis County, and Crittenden County. Mr. DRIVER. Does that go through a highly developed area? Mr. DRIVER. And it is one of the roads that carries heavy traffic? Mr. BLOCK. Yes, sir; that has recently been designated as United States Highway 79. Mr. DRIVER. I understand it has, but you formerly knew it as Highway No. 3. Mr. BLOCK. Yes, sir. Mr. DRIVER. What is the condition of the roadbed with respect to the height of the water? Mr. BLOCK. A very large percentage of it is under water. Mr. DRIVER. That is of the connecting link? Mr. BLOCK. Yes, sir. That road was built to stand a stage of 37 feet on the Memphis gage. I understand a portion of it is under water now, and at the present stage it is under 36 feet. Mr. DRIVER. In estimating the amount of damage inflicted on the highway system in the State and in the flooded areas, do you include the backwater areas? Mr. BLOCK. I did not in the figures I gave. Mr. DRIVER. Those figures are confined entirely to what is known as the "flood area "? Mr. BLOCK. That is true. Mr. DRIVER. That has been overflowed from flood waters? Mr. BLOCK. That is true. Mr. DRIVER. Mr. Chairman, that concludes the presentation of the matter of the witnesses who are here. But I would like for the record to note the attendance of Mr. Joseph Bertig, of Paragould, who informs me that any statement he might make would be repetition only. Mr. Pierson, of Craighead County, who is very much interested in the discussion by Judge Gregg and Mr. Armstrong, is also in attendance; also Mr. T. G. Bergance, of Marked Tree, Ark., engineer for one of the other drainage districts within this affected area, is also present. I have also to request now, Mr. Chairman, that at a period that is convenient for the committee I be allowed to make a definite statement at some length. The CHAIRMAN. That will be perfectly agreeable. Mr. DRIVER. I failed to notice the presence, also, Mr. Chairman, of Mr. John B. Hancock, of Craighead County. At this time, Mr. Chairman, I would like to have permission to insert in the record a statement made by Hon. Langdon R. Jones, president of the St. Francis Valley Flood Associations, composed of interests in both Arkansas and Missouri, in the flooded area of the river. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, that permission is granted. (The statement referred to is as follows:) STATEMENT OF HON. LANGDON R. JONES, PRESIDENT OF THE ST. FRANCIS FLOOD ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS To the Committee on Flood Control, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C., Hon. Riley J. Wilson, Chairman: Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee on Food Control, my name is Langdon R. Jones and I live at Kennett, in Dunklin County, Mo., and have lived there all my life. I deeply regret my inability at this time to personally appear before you and wish to thank you for your courtesy in permitting me to submit my statement to your committee. This statement is made by me as president of the St. Francis River Flood Control Association, of which organization I have had the honor to be president since its organization in the year 1927. The St. Francis River Flood Control Association is a voluntary organization composed of men living in the areas flooded by the ravages of the St. Francis River and its tributaries (lying north of the backwater area), who, in the year 1927, saw the inevitable destruction of the values that had been created in that territory by the application of the labor and capital of the people living within it and set about the composition of data and information relative to presenting a picture that would disclose that condition, insofar as our abilities and finances would permit. That data and information, as well, as truthfully, and as faithfully as we have been able to gather it, considering our limited finances, has been prepared and heretofore presented to you insofar as the floods of 1927, 1928, and 1929 are concerned. It is my opinion that the files of your committee will contain this information, but for fear that it has been misplaced I attach to this statement exhibits A and B showing the flood damages for this period, as well as a financial statement of each county, which discloses the financial condition of the counties, the efforts of the local people to secure protection from these floods, and for the development of the area, the cost incident thereto, etc. The counties located in the State of Missouri and affected by overflow from the St. Francis River and its tributaries are the counties of Butler, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne. The counties in Arkansas affected and lying north of the backwater area are the counties of Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Mississippi, and Poinsett. The counties of Cross and Crittenden also suffer from damage caused by backwater of the Mississippi River. Due to the limited finances of our organization, we have not been able to prepare a statement of the flood losses in this area due to the St. Francis River and its tributaries by the floods of 1930, 1933, and 1935. I feel sure, however, that the records of this committee will disclose the disastrous flood of the St. Francis in January 1930, when so much suffering and hardship was caused. In the year 1933 our system of levees failed in points in Missouri and Arkansas, and our recent disastrous flood of 1935 I feel sure is still fresh in the minds of all of you. The system of levees along the St. Francis River and its tributaries and lying north of the backwater area have failed in 6 out of the last 9 years. The years that these levees were crevassed are 1927, 1928. 1929, 1930, 1933, and 1935. The records and files of your committee will contain the hearings |