Jones, Howard, member Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, Jones, Hon. Langdon R., president of the St. Francis Flood Associa- Kell, A. E., president board of commissioners Fifth Louisiana Levee 504 Klorer, John, chief engineer State of Louisiana, New Orleans, La_-_234,299 Knowlton, S. D., member Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, Markham, Maj. Gen. Edward M., Chief of Army Engineers - .-2,23,639 Martin, Wade O., Chairman of the Louisiana Flood Control Com- Meyer, J. W. Blytheville, Ark. 576 Milliken, Miss Marie, Lake Providence, La.. Montgomer, M. B., chancellor eleventh Chancellor District, Yazoo Mitchell, E. F., chief engineer of the Texas & Pacific Railroad Co., 326 332 Mounger, H. P., president of the police jury of Pointe Coupee Parish, 236 Negus, W. H., member board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, 218 Offenhiser, N. E., chief engineer, Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee 219 Oliver, Maj. L. E., United States Corps of Army Engineers, district 117,154 Pfeiffer, Paul, member of the board, St. Francis Drainage District, 493 Pharr, H. N., chief engineer of the St. Francis Levee District of 456 Poe, Dewitt, McGehee, Ark....... 247 Powers, T. H., president, Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, Shields, Leo, delegate at large from the fifth Louisiana Levee District, 309 Williamson, Lamar, attorney at law, Monticello, Ark. 592 Williamson, Dr. O. L., Marianna, Ark__-. 474 Womble, Dr. H. B., representing the police jury of Franklin Parish, 291 Young, Ben F., member of the board of commissioners of the Fifth 388,405 Resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Humphreys County, Miss., dated February 16, 1935- Resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Warren County, Resolution adopted by representatives from Quitman, Holmes, Sun- flower, Yazoo, Coahoma, Grenada, Tate, Tallahatchie, Panola, Tunica, Yalobusha, Humphreys, DeSoto, Leflore, Carroll, Wash- ington, Marshall, Warren, Lafayette, and Benton Counties, Miss., Resolution adopted by the Chamber of Commerce of Greenwood, Miss., the Junior Chamber of Commerce, American Legion Post, No. 49, of Greenwood, and the Greenwood Kiwanis Club, Green- wood, Miss., February 11, 1935. Resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Humphreys County; the Belzoni Rotary Club; the Humphreys County Cham- ber of Commerce; the Belzoni Business and Professional Women's Club; the American Legion of Belzoni, Miss., February 15, 1935. Resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors of DeSoto County, Tunica County, Marshall County, Tate County, Panola County, Quitman County, Tallahatchie County, Sunflower County, Leflore County, Humphreys County, and Yazoo County, Miss., February 6, 1935 Resolution adopted by the Board of Levee Commissioners for the 228 Resolution adopted by the police jury of Richland Parish, La., March 367 Resolution adopted by the Town Council of Rayville, La., April 1, 359 Resolution adopted by a citizens' mass meeting at Delhi, La., March 361 Resolution adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of Mang- 362 Resolution adopted March 28, 1935, by the Chamber of Commerce of 742,743 Resolution adopted March 29, 1935, by the Mayor and Board of 742 Resolution adopted March 25, 1935, by the Police Jury and School 746 Miscellaneous: Page 227 Letters received by Mr. Langdon R. Jones, of Kennett, Mo., as fol- Statement showing development of St. Francis River Basin and result- ing liens to lands therein, also loss and damage resulting from floods of 1927 and 1928 (St. Francis River and tributaries in Arkansas and Supplement to statement showing development of St. Francis River Basin and resulting liens to lands therein, also loss and damage re- sulting from the floods of 1927 and 1928 (St. Francis River and tributaries in Arkansas and Missouri). Letter submitted by Mr. Harry Peyton, of Lake Providence, La.. A preliminary study of the growth and yield of second-growth Tupelo gum in the Atchafalaya Basin of southern Louisiana taken from the Lumber Trade Journal, New Orleans, La., issue of November 15, 1926, and submitted by Mr. J. P. Kemper, of Fordoche, La......... Telegram of April 11, 1935, signed by W. W. Zoss, chief engineer of State highway commission, Little Rock, Ark. - __ Copy of a letter written to Senators Pat Harrison and Theodore G. Bilbo on April 12, 1935, by W. A. Percy, a citizen of the State of Letter from Oscar Ameringer, Oklahoma City, Okla.. 760 Letter from Frank Voelker, attorney at law, Lake Providence, La. 758 757 756 Letter from Hon. Ashley W. Warlick, superintendent East Carroll 756 Telegram from Hon. F. X. Ransdell, judge Sixth Judicial District of 755 Letter from Hon. Jeff B. Snyder, district attorney, Sixth Judicial 754 Letter from Hon. N. C. Williamson, member of the board of directors 752 Letter from Mr. W. D. Brown, president of the First National Bank 750 FLOOD CONTROL IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1935 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Riley J. Wilson (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen of the committee, this hearing is called to consider H. R. 6833, a bill to modify and extend the project for flood control and improvement of the Mississippi River authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1928. (The bill referred to is as follows:) [H. R. 6833, 74th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To modify and extend the project for the flood control and improvement of the Mississippi River authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1928 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first section of the Act entitled "An Act for the control of floods on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and for other purposes ", approved May 15, 1928, as amended, is amended by adding at the end thereof a new paragraph to read as follows: The project adopted and authorized by this section to be prosecuted in accordance with the plan printed in House Document Numbered 90 is hereby modified and extended so as to carry out and comply with recommendations made by the Chief of Engineers, War Department, in his report of February 12, 1935, on flood-control works in the alluvial valley of the Mississippi River, printed in the Flood Control Committee Document Numbered 1, Seventy-fourth Congress. Hereafter such project shall be prosecuted subject to the conditions set forth and in accordance with the plans recommended by the Chief of Engineers in such Committee Document Numbered 1, but shall include the completion of the unfinished portions of such project as originally authorized by this section and not modified by this paragraph. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the prosecution of such project as herein modified and extended the sum of $265,000,000, in addition to the sums heretofore authorized by this section." The CHAIRMAN. The flood-control project, as we all know, for the alluvial valley of the Mississippi River, from Cape Girardeau to the Gulf, was adopted in the Flood Control Act of May 15, 1928, which adopted for the prosecution of the work at that time the engineering plan set forth in House Document No. 90, of the Seventieth Congress. Under that act provision was made, because of the controversial features, that reviews of those projects be made in the final execution of the project, which was under the direction of the Secretary of War and the Chief of Engineers of the Army. As the work progressed, being now more than 80 percent complete on the undisputed portions, there were certain features in controversy at that time, and that were continuously in controversy. Surveys were made after the flood of 1927 and later. In order to 1 adjust those differences, if possible, this committee passed a resolution asking the then Chief of Engineers to make a complete review of the entire project, with recommendations for such modifications that might be made therein, leading to its final completion. The main disputed features were floodways, as to whether the flood waters should be, if necessary, regulated at the outlet, and controlled there; whether compensation should be paid for lands taken and used, if they were found to be absolutely essential. Under that resolution the Chief of Engineers of the Army, at that time General Brown, appointed a special committee of which Gen. Harley B. Ferguson was chairman. General Ferguson is now president of the Mississippi River Commission. Later the work passed to General Markham, the present Chief of Engineers, and following a request of the Congress and of this committee practically 3 years have been spent in a study and making experiments at the experimental station at Vicksburg. Every request made by the citizens of the valley and in connection with the action taken by this committee and the Congress has been complied with in studying and experimenting, and recommendations have finally been made, contained in committee document no. 1, Seventyfourth Congress, first session, which contains the report of the Chief of Engineers, with a report of the Mississippi River Commission appended thereto. These hearings are called to discuss these recommendations prior to the completion of this, the greatest engineering project ever undertaken in this or any other nation. Of course, I appreciate the interest of those concerned in the Mississippi Valley, and their presence here today. We will arrange these hearings so that the Chief of Engineers may direct them insofar as his assistants are concerned. I now introduce General Markham, the Chief of Engineers of the Army, and I suggest that he make a general statement to the committee in reference to this matter, without interruption, and then questions will be asked by members of the committe, beginning at the head of the table. That will be the limit on the procedure of the present time. General Markham, the committee will be glad to hear you now. STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. EDWARD M. MARKHAM, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY General MARKHAM. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have been carrying the ball for about 15 months or thereabouts, and sometimes I feel like the Negro in France who did not know the name of the village because he had not been there but a week. I am sure I do not know many things that pertain to the lower Mississippi Valley. On the other hand, I have given it such time and attention, rather continuously for 15 months, as to find myself in substantial disagreement with matters suggested, interdepartmentally, last year, leading to my disinclination to make any report last year, as you will recall. This matter of study and attempted understanding has been continuous since that time, and has resulted finally in the report about which you all know. |