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(4) It does not appear that Virginia would benefit appreciably through industrial development claimed by proponents of this project through returned cargoes of grain, iron, ore, etc. Very truly yours,

WM. M. TUCK, Governor of Virginia.

Mr. LAWSON. I should also like to insert in the record a letter from Senator Harry Byrd to the Board of Army Engineers, dated November 9, 1945, where he, at that time, opposed the canal project. Mr. PETERSON of Georgia. Without objection, the letter will be included in the record.

(The letter referred to is as follows:)

UNITED STATES SENATE,
COMMITTEE ON RULES,
November 9, 1945.

THE UNITED STATES BOARD OF ENGINEERS
FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIRS: I wish to join with others in expressing my opposition to the proposed canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks. From information which has come to me, I can see no justification for such a project. I am informed that the railroads are rendering adequate service in this locality in the movement of coal, and that the proposed canalization would result in a great loss in revenue to the railroads and a dismissal of many employees of the railroads.

I certainly hope that a review of this project will justify your disapproval. Cordially yours,

HARRY BYRD.

Mr. LAWSON. Mr. Bland, from the First Congressional District of Virginia, although he did not personally appear before the Board of Engineers, he did give a written communication wherein he did express opposition to the canal.

At this time, I should like to file with the committee, a booklet containing pictures of the Tug Fork to Big Sandy, and particularly along the portion of the river where this canal is to be constructed. I should also like to file and pass to the committee a group of pictures taken on the Levisa Fork on the Big Sandy River.

I should like to call upon Mr. Richard C. Davis, at this time, executive secretary to the Honorable James A. Rhodes, mayor of Columbus, Ohio, who will file a resolution in opposition.

STATEMENT OF RICHARD C. DAVIS, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO JAMES A. RHODES, MAYOR OF COLUMBUS, OHIO

Mr. DAVIS. I would like to present this resolution passed by the Council of the City of Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. PETERSON of Georgia. Without objection, the resolution will be included in the record.

(The resolution referred to is as follows:)

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 estimated cost of $68,000,000 and an annual maintenance cost in excess of $600,000 (both of which would be paid by levying of taxes) as a free waterway to provide at public expense competition with the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railways, which are now adequately serving the tributary area and capable of handling all traffic that may be offered; and

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Whereas advocates of the canal claim that there will be moved over it annually 15,000,000 tons of coal (9,000,000 from the Levisa Forks, paralleled by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and 6,000,000 from the Tug Fork, paralleled by the Norfolk & Western Railway), and if this claim is correct it is anticipated that these amounts of coal will be diverted from the railroads and moved by water instead of by rail-involving an estimated cutting off of 1,875 loaded freight trains of 8,000 tons each, 750 on the Norfolk & Western and 1125 on the Chesapeake & Ohio; and

Whereas in the year 1944 the Norfolk & Western delivered to the other railroads in Columbus for transportation to joints beyond its lines 475,000 cars of coal and it is estimated that upon the basis of 1944 figures the diversion from it of 6,000,000 tons of coal will mean a decrease of 83,000 cars delivered by it to connecting roads in the city, and will further mean that about 300 railroad employees (of the Norfolk & Western and its connecting lines) residing in Columbus will lose their jobs and that the city of Columbus and the merchants residing therein will lose the benefit of their wages, estimated at $750,000 annually; and

Whereas said diversion of business from the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and its connections will also result in a further material reduction in railroad employment in the city of Columbus; and

Whereas the railroads serving the city of Columbus and their employees, aggregating several thousand persons, are an important factor in the prosperity and growth of the city, where said railroads have important shops and yards, and the diversion of business from them will adversely affect the city from the standpoint of both decrease in railroad employment and in taxes paid by the railroads for the support of government; and

Whereas the Federal Government now has an enormous public debt and the expenditure of the large sums of money that will be required to provide unnecessary duplication of transportation facilities is wholly unjustified; Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Council of the City of Columbus, That it is opposed to:

(a) The canalization of the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof, as uneconomical and as contrary to the interests of both the city and the State of Ohio;

(b) The use of public funds to construct and maintain transportation facilities in direct competition with adequate existing transportation agencies; and

(c) An unwarranted increase in the national debt by providing, at the taxpayers' expense, a duplication in said expenses; be it further

Resolved, That the opposition of this council 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 oppose the construction of this canal. Adopted November 5, 1945.

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I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the council of the city of Columbus, Ohio, November 5, 1945, as shown by the records now on file in this office.

[SEAL]

AGNES BROWN CAIN, City Clerk.

Mr. LAWSON. I will now present Mr. Ralph M. Mittindorf, city manager of the city of Ironton, Ohio, who will present a resolution in opposition.

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STATEMENT OF RALPH M. MITTINDORF, CITY MANAGER,
IRONTON, OHIO

Mr. MITTINDORF. I wish to present a resolution of the council of the city of Ironton, which was passed with a unanimous vote.

Mr. PETERSON of Georgia. Without objection, the resolution will be included in the record.

(The resolution referred to is as follows:)

RESOLUTION No. 3724-OBJECTING TO THE CANALIZATION OF BIG SANDY RIVER AND ITS TUG AND LEVISA FORKS

Whereas the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors that the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof be canalized at an initial cost in excess of $68,000,000 and an annual maintenance cost of more than $600,000, both of which would be paid by levying taxes upon the people; and

Whereas the Big Sandy Valley is now served adequately by the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Norfolk & Western Railways; and

Whereas the canal would be uneconomical and unnecessary; and Whereas the Federal Government now has an enormous public debt, the expenditure of the large sums of money required to provide this unnecessary duplication of transportation facilities is wholly unjustified; and

Whereas there are many employees of Chesapeake & Ohio and Norfolk & Western Railways who live in Ironton, and diversion of business from them will cause reduction in railway employment in Ironton, thereby producing unemployment and reducing purchasing power: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Council of the City of Ironton, State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That the Council of the City of Ironton, Ohio, is opposed to the canalization of the Big Sandy River and its Tug and Levisa Forks, as uneconomical and adverse to the interests of the citizens of Ironton, and that this opposition be made known to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors and to our representatives in the Congress of the United States.

SEC. 2. This resolution shall take effect and be in force, from and after the earliest period allowed by law. Adopted September 20, 1945.

Attest:

[SEAL]

CHESTER A. CLINE, Chairman, City Council.

DON HOPKINS, Clerk of Council.

I certify that resolution No. 3724 was published in the Ironton Tribune September 22, 1945, and in the Ironton News September 22, 1945.

DON HOPKINS, Clerk of City Council, Ironton, Ohio.

CERTIFICATE

I, Don Hopkins, clerk of the Council of the City of Ironton, Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of original resolution No. 3724 passed by the Council of the City of Ironton, Ohio, on September 20, 1945.

DON HOPKINS, Clerk of City Council.

Mr. LAWSON. I would like to present Mr. John M. Salladay, former mayor of Portsmouth, and now a member of the City Council, who will file a resolution of opposition.

STATEMENT OF JOHN M. SALLADAY, COUNCILMAN FOR THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO

Mr. SALLADAY. We wish to present this resolution in opposition to the canalization of the Big Sandy River and Levisa and Tug Forks. Mr. PETERSON of Georgia. Without objection, the resolution will be included in the record.

(The resolution referred to is as follows:)

RESOLUTION No. 27-OPPOSING THE CANALIZATION OF THE BIG SANDY RIVER AND ITS TUG AND LEVISA FORKS AS UNECONOMICAL AND ADVERSE TO THE INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO

Whereas the United States district and division engineers have recommended to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors that the Big Sandy River and the Tug and Levisa Forks thereof be canalized at an initial cost in excess of $68,000,000 and an annual maintenance cost of more than $600,000, both of which would be paid by levying taxes upon the people; and

Whereas the Big Sandy Valley is now served adequately by the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Norfolk & Western Railways; and

Whereas the canal would be uneconomical and unnecessary; and Whereas the Federal Government now has an enormous public debt, the expediture of the large sums of money required to provide this unnecessary duplication of transportation facilities is wholly unjustified; and

Whereas the Norfolk & Western Railway Co. and Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. have many thousands of employees in the State of Ohio, and the diversion of business from them will be reflected in reduction in their employment in that area, particularly in the city of Portsmouth where the Norfolk & Western Railway Co. maintains large shops and yards, and in substantial diminution in the taxes paid by them to the support of the Government: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio as follows: SECTION I. That the Council for the City of Portsmouth, Ohio is opposed to the canalization of the Big Sandy River and its Tug and Levisa Forks as uneconomical and adverse to the interests of the citizens of Portsmouth, Ohio.

SEC. II. That the clerk of this council be and she hereby is authorized and directed to certify a copy of this resolution to the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, to the Representatives of this State in the Congress of the United States and to the Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Cos.

SEC. III. This resolution, directing administrative action and relating to a proposed public improvement, as provided for in section 12 of the charter of the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, shall be in force and effect from and after its adoption.

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I, the undersigned, city clerk of the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, in whose custody the records of the city of Portsmouth, Ohio are kept, as provided by law, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of resolution No. 27, adopted on the third day of October 1945, in regular session, by unanimous vote, all of the six members being present as appears upon the records of the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, as of the date of October 3, 1945.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name officially and affixed the seal of city clerk of the city of Portsmouth, Ohio, this 13th day of October A. D. 1945. [SEAL]

EVANGELINE JUSTICE,

City Clerk of the City of Portsmouth, Ohio.

Mr. LAWSON. I would like to present to the committee, Mr. W. D. Johnson, vice president and national legislative representative, Order of Railway Conductors of America.

STATEMENT OF W. D. JOHNSON, VICE PRESIDENT AND NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, ORDER OF RAILWAY CONDUCTORS OF AMERICA

Mr. JOHNSON. My name is W. D. Johnson. I am a vice president and national legislative representative of the Order of Railway Conductors of America. I reside in Washington, D. C., and maintain an office at 10 Independence Avenue. The general headquarters of the Order of Railway Conductors is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As a representative of the Order of Railway Conductors and the Railway Labor Executives' Association, I am fully authorized to appear before your committee and file this statement in opposition to the construction of the Big Sandy canal project.

The Railway Labor Executives' Association is composed of the following 19 standard railway labor organizations:

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
Order of Railway Conductors of America.
Switchmen's Union of North America.
Order of Railroad Telegraphers.

American Train Dispatchers' Association.
International Association of Machinists.

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers of America.

International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers and Helpers.
Sheet Metal Workers International Association.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers;

Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of America;

International Brotherhood of Firemen & Oilers;

Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes;

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes;

Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen of America;

National Organization Masters, Mates & Pilots of America;

National Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association;

International Longshoremen's Association;

Hotel and Restaurant Workers International Alliance.

These 19 standard organizations represent approximately 1,200,000 railway employees, which is approximately 82 percent of the total number of railway employees on the class I railroads in the United States as reported by the Interstate Commerce Commission for the year 1945. All of these employees are taxpayers in some form.

We are not opposing the construction of the Big Sandy canal project merely from the standpoint of railroad employees, several thousand of whom, however, will be adversely affected in the event this water project is constructed. In addition to our interest as railroad employees, we are deeply concerned as taxpayers, both State and Federal. We are, therefore, at a loss to understand why the Federal Government should be called upon by a few individuals and a few companies to appropriate approximately $82,000,000 of Federal funds to be used to subsidize the construction of a water transportation system, with annual carrying charges aggregating approximately $4,000,000, that will be nonproductive from the standpoint of taxes either State or Federal and when completed will operate in direct competition with two well-established transportation systems; namely, Norfolk & Western and Chesapeake & Ohio Railroads, both of which are heavy taxpayers, State and Federal.

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