Resolved, That this court is opposed to the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks as uneconomical and as adverse to the interests of the citizens of Mingo County; that this opposition be made known to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors; and that our representatives in the Congress of the United States be requested to use their efforts to prevent such construction. I, Elmer Ferrell, clerk of the Mingo County Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of an order as made and entered of record by the county court of Mingo County, Wa. Va., the 4th day of September 1945. Given under my hand and official seal of office this the 4th day of September 1945. [SEAL] ELMER FERRELL, Clerk of Mingo County Court. BOARD OF EDUCATION, Martin County, Ky.: RESOLUTION Whereas it has been brought to our attention that the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors the canalization of the Big Sandy River, including the Tug and Levisa Forks, at an initial cost of $65,000,000 per year, and an estimated cost of $600,000 per year for maintenance, all of which is to be paid for out of the funds of the United States Government, said funds being paid by the taxpayers of this Nation, including the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Cos., with which the proposed waterway would be in direct competition; and Whereas this proposed canal would pay no revenue to local, State, or Federal Governments by way of taxation, but would be a direct or indirect burden upon them, and at the same time divert business from the railroads, which have for many years yielded a vast amount of revenue for tax purposes to the State and local governments of this valley, a great portion of which might be lost due to the decline of the value of their properties, if forced to compete with a transportation system maintained at public expense; and Whereas the entire Big Sandy Valley, including both of its main tributaries, and many of its minor ones, has a very adequate transportation system, and one that will serve for years to come, there is no necessity for the outlay of this vast amount of money for the purpose of building a transportation system, at public expense, that is not needed to carry the freight that must be carried in and out of this valley; and Whereas the public-school system of Martin County is dependent upon the revenue it collects to carry on; and Whereas Martin County has a vast amount of virgin coal lands that cannot be served by this proposed waterway, but is dependent upon the encouragement of the expansion of railway transportation for its development: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the board of education of Martin County, Ky., declares itself opposed to the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof as contrary to public interest and more particularly to the interests of Martin County; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and to the Senators and Representatives of the State of Kentucky, and that our Senators and Representatives be urged to oppose this project. Witness our hands this 1st day of September, 1945. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF WILLIAMSON, MINGO COUNTY, W. VA. OCTOBER 1, 1945, OPPOSING THE CANALIZATION OF THE BIG SANDY RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES THERETO Whereas the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof (initial cost in excess of $65,000,000 and annual maintenance cost in excess of $600,000, both of which would be paid by the levying of taxes upon the people) as a free waterway to provide, at public expense, competition with the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways at present serving the tributary area and capable of handling all traffic that may be offered; and Whereas said canal, being Government owned and tax free, will yield no revenues to the State or Federal Governments; the barge lines which would use same free of charge in competition with the railroads will yield little, if any, taxes to the State or Federal Governments; the effect of the canal will be to divert business from the taxpaying railroads and coal-producing areas not accessible thereto; the use of the taxpayers' funds to favor one competitor while injuring another is indefensible; and it is believed that the traffice developed on the canal will be insufficient to justify it, from whatever standpoint viewed; and Whereas the United States now owes an enormous public debt, its annual expenses greatly exceed its revenues notwithstanding existing high taxes, and expenditures for duplication at public expense of unnecessary transportation facilities should be avoided; and Whereas the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways have many thousands of employees in West Virginia and Kentucky and diversion of business from said railways will be reflected in reduction in employment (particularly in the city of Williamson where the Norfolk & Western maintains extensive yards and shops) and in substantial reduction in taxes paid by them to the support of government: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Williamson, W. Va., is opposed to: (a) The canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof, as uneconomical and adverse to the interests of Kentucky and West Virginia, and an unjustified expenditure of the public funds; (b) The principle of employing public funds to injure any industry in order to aid a competitor; and (c) An increase in the national debt by provision, at the taxpayers' expense, of unnecessary transportation facilities; and be it further Resolved, That the opposition of this board be made known to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and that our Representatives in the Congress of the United States be requested to use their untiring efforts to prevent the construction of said canal. Attest: H. M. PUSMYN, President. ETHEL O'NEIL, Secretary. I, Ethel O'Neil, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Williamson, W. Va., do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Williamson, W. Va., on October 1, 1945. Given under my hand this 9th day of October 1945. ETHEL O'NEIL, Secretary, Williamson Chamber of Commerce. ROANOKE (VA.) CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF ROANOKE, VA., AUGUST 16, 1946, OPPOSING THE CANALIZATION OF THE BIG SANDY RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES THERETO Whereas the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof (initial cost in excess of $65,000,000 and annual maintenance cost in excess of $600,000, both of which would be paid by the levying of taxes upon the people) as a free waterway to provide, at public expense, competition with the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways at present serving the tributary area and capable of handling all traffic that may be offered; and Whereas said canal, being Government owned and tax free, will yield no revenues to the State or Federal Governments; the barge lines which would use same free of charge in competition with the railroads will yield little, if any, taxes to the State or Federal Governments; the effect of the canal will be to divert business from the taxpaying railroads and coal-producing areas not accessible thereto; the use of the taxpayers' funds to favor one competitor while injuring another is indefensible; and it is believed that the traffic developed on the canal will be insufficient to justify it, from whatever standpoint viewed; and Whereas the United States now owes an enormous public debt, its annual expenses greatly exceed its revenues notwithstanding existing high taxes, and expenditures for duplication at public expense of unnecessary transportation facilities should be avoided; and Whereas the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways have many thousands of employees in Virginia and diversion of business from them will be reflected in reduction in their employment in Virginia (particularly in the city of Roanoke where the headquarters, principal shops, and main yards of the Norfolk & Western are located), and in substantial diminution in the taxes paid by them to the support of government: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Roanoke, Va., is opposed to: (a) The canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof, as uneconomical and adverse to the interests of the city and the State of Virginia, and an unjustified expenditure of the public funds; (b) The principle of employing public funds to injure any industry in order to aid a competitor; and (c) An increase in the national debt by provision, at the taxpayers' expense, of unnecessary transportation facilities; And be it resolved further, That the opposition of this board be made known to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and that our representatives in the Congress of the United States be requested to use their untiring efforts to prevent the construction of said canal. Attest: B. F. MOOMAW, Secretary. HUNTINGTON (W. Va.) CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Whereas the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors the canalization of the Big Sandy River, including its Tug and Levisa Forks, at an initial cost of $65,000,000, and an annual maintenance cost in excess of $600,000, all of which would be paid from the public funds derived from the taxpayers, including the Chesapeake & Ohio and Norfolk & Western Railway Co., with which the waterway thus created at public expense would directly compete, to be used as a free waterway for the handling of coal and other commodities which are now being adequately handled by the railway companies above mentioned; and Whereas this canal will yield nothing to the local, State, or Federal Governments by way of taxation, and would divert business from the taxpaying railroads now serving the territory proposed to be served by this canal and would result in the use of public funds to establish direct competition with these railroads which have for more than three-quarters of a century contributed a large part in the development of southern West Virginia and its business; and Whereas in view of the staggering public debt of the United States, the expenditure of the sums of money required to be expended to provide these facilities is entirely unjustified, particularly when the cost of the annual maintenance of this canal will greatly exceed any revenue which could possibly accrue to the United States therefrom; and 1 Whereas the operation of the canal in direct competition with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co., which has a line on the west side of the Big Sandy River and the Norfolk & Western Railway Co., which has a line on the east side of the Big Sandy River, both of which parallel the river and adequately serve the territory east and west thereof, will result in a diversion of business from these carriers, a reduction of revenue and employment to both of them, particularly to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co., which has many thousands of employees between Huntington, W. Va., and Russell, Ky., where its largest yards and repair shops are maintained, is obviously contrary to the public interests and particularly contrary to the interests of the above-named rail carriers and their employees: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Huntington, Cabell County, W. Va., declare themselves unqualifiedly opposed: (1) To the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof as contrary to the public interests, and particularly to the interests of this community; (2) to employ public funds to construct and maintain the public transportation facility in direct competition with existing and adequate transportation facilities; (3) an unjustified increase in the national debt and public expenditures for the creation and maintenance of additional and unnecessary competitive transportation facilities; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and to the West Virginia Senators and Representatives and that the West Virginia Senators and Representatives be asked to oppose this project. Certified copy of resolution passed by the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntington on Monday, September 10, 1945. W. A. BUCHANAN, BUCHANAN COUNTY, VA., CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE BUCHANAN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT ITS REGULAR MEETING HELD AT GRUNDY, VA., OCTOBER 11, 1945, OPPOSING THE CANALIZATION OF THE BIG SANDY RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES THERETO Whereas the United States District and Division Engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors the canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof (initial cost in excess of $65,000,000 and annual maintenance cost in excess of $600,000, both of which would be paid by the levying of taxes upon the people) as free waterway to provide, at public expense, competition with the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways at present serving the tributary area and capable of handling all traffic that may be offered; and 87050-46-13 Whereas said canal, being Government-owned and tax free, will yield no revenues to the State or Federal governments; the barge lines which would use same free of charge in competition with the railroads will yield little, if any, taxes to the State or Federal governments; the effect of the canal will be to divert business from the tax-paying railroads and coal-producing areas not accessible thereto; the use of the taxpayers' funds to favor one competitor while injuring another is indefensible; and it is believed that the traffic developed on the canal will be insufficient to justify it, from whatever standpoint viewed; and Whereas the United States now owes an enormous public debt, its annual expenses greatly exceed its revenues notwithstanding existing high taxes, and expenditures for duplication at public expense of unnecessary transportation facilities should be avoided; and Whereas the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railroads have many thousands of employees in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky and diversion of business from said railways will be reflected in reduction in employment (particularly in the county of Buchanan where the Norfolk & Western maintains extensive yards and shops) and in substantial reduction in taxes paid by them to support the Government; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce of Buchanan County, Virginia, by unanimous vote, is opposed to (a) The canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof, as uneconomical and adverse to the interests of Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia, and an unjustified expenditure of the public funds; (b) The principle of employing public funds to injure any industry in order to aid a competitor; and (c) An increase in the national debt by provision, at the taxpayers' expense, of unnecessary transportation facilities; And be it resolved further, That the opposition of this organization be made known to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and that our Representatives in the Congress of the United States be requested to use their untiring efforts to prevent the construction of said canal. Attest: C. F. NEEL, Secretary. FRANK E. SIMMERMAN, President. I, C. F. Neel, secretary of the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce, Grundy, Va., do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of resolutions adopted by the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce of Grundy, Va., on October 11, 1945. Given under my hand this 11th day of October 1945. C. F. NEEL, Secretary Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce. Subscribed and sworn to by C. F. Neel, before me this 29th day of April 1946. [SEAL] WM. G. COMBS, Notary Public, Buchanan County. My commission expires April 7, 1949. PAID MEMBERSHIPS BUCHANAN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Mr. E. G. Arrington, Grundy, Va. Mr. Carl Cartwright, Grundy, Va. |