Hon. JOHN OVERTON, PIKEVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Washington, D. C.: Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee, Earnestly urge approval and passage of Big Sandy canalization project. From a young man's viewpoint, there is no project with greater economic justification. This section of the United States stands in dire need of this project. PIKEVILLE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12 1946. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Urge you do all you can to reinstate Big Sandy canalization project. This affects future welfare for half million. H. B. RICE & Co. PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.: We urge you to favor and work for the canalization of the Big Sandy River. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, CITY COUNCIL, PRESTONSBURG, KY., June 12, 1946. Senate Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.: People in Big Sandy behind and want canalization. railroad-coerced people. No one against it except E. P. ARNOLD, Mayor. PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: Big Sandy Canal project not only vital to Kentucky and profitable Government investment standpoint but vital to Nation's industry and economy. GENERAL INSURANCE AGENCY, Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Chairman, Commerce Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: I am in favor of the Big Sandy-Tug River project. STONE, KY., June 12, 1946. F. P. KERR. PIKEVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN OVERTON, Member of Senate, Washington, D. C.: We strongly urge your support favor of Big Sandy Canal project. Your efforts will be highly appreciated. FRANK SCOTT, Commander, Pikeville Post 83, American Legion. Senator JOHN OVERTON, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: STONE, KY., June 12, 1946. W. H. LESTER. STONE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Chairman, Commerce Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: I am in favor of the Big Sandy-Tug River project. G. V. BROWN. Would appreciate your support of the Big Sandy canalization project, as it would benefit the people of the Big Sandy area and other parts of our country. DREW JUSTICE, Merchant. Hon. Senator JOHN OVERTON, ASHLAND, KY., June 12, 1946. United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: Citizens of Catlettsburg urge you to support bill for canalization of Big Sandy River project. Senator JOHN OVERTON, ROTARY CLUB, CABLE CRAMER, Secretary. STONE KY., June 12, 1946. Chairman, Commerce Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: One hundred and twenty-five members of the United Mine Workers, Local 5731, Hardy, Ky., are in favor of Big Sandy-Tug River project. Senator JOHN OVERTON, Chairman, Commerce Committee, ED LIBBE, President. STONE KY., June 12, 1946. United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: I am in favor of the Big Sandy-Tug River project. J. N. KITE, STONE KY., June 12, 1946. United States Senate, Washington, D. C.: Senator JOHN OVERTON, Chairman, Commerce Committee, Five hundred thirty member of United Mine Workers, Local 5729, McVeigh, Ky., are in favor of Big Sandy-Tug River project. DELMON LOCKHART, President. 88555-46-17 Chairman of Senate Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.: We are vitally interested in the industrial development of the Big Sandy Valley. This project for canalization should be approved, as this is possibly the last chance we will have within the next several years for development. your influence for approval. Please use WILLIAMS GROCERY CO., President, Wholesale Grocers, Paintsville, Ky. PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN H. OVERTON, Chairman of Senate Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.: Your support for reinstatement of the project of canalization on the Big Sandy River requested. SANDY VALLEY GROCERY CO., PIKEVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Senator JOHN OVERTON, Chairman of Senate Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.: We need the Big Sandy canalized. There is no honest argument against this national improvement. Your support will be appreciated. Senator JOHN OVERTON, WILLIAM P. CALL. PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Chairman of Senate Commerce Committee, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: We, the Paintsville Chamber of Commerce, ask your support in helping reinstate the Big Sandy lock and dam project. Our mountain people need this help. J. HOWARD FRAIL, President. PAINTSVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Hon. JOHN OVERTON, Chairman, United States Senate Commerce Committee, Senate Office Building: The Big Sandy River section of Kentucky was the No. 1 relief problem in the United States during the depression. We urge that you help us void this situation in the future by giving your support to the reinstatement of the Big Sandy project to the river and harbors bill. It will give the veterans work and provide economic security for the future to us people who live here. Freight rates have our future strangled. We who fought for our country need you to fight for us I speak the earnest desires of 641 members of our Legion post. JOHNSON COUNTY POST 117, AMERICAN LEGION, W. E. AKIN, Commander. now. Senator JOHN OVERTON, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee, PIKEVILLE, KY., June 12, 1946. Washington, D. C.: The Pikesville Retail Merchants Association wholeheartedly endorses the canalization of the Big Sandy River. We have the natural resources and if proper transportation can be provided we cannot only prosper in normal times but can help keep the wheels of industry turning in other parts of the country. By helping us develop our resources you help the rest of the world. The people of the Big Sandy are behind canalization project. To Whom It May Concern: PIKEVILLE RETAIL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, ALLEN CITY CORP., Allen, Ky., June 11, 1946. I, Geo. W. Snodgrass, being duly sworn, hereby state that I have been city clerk of Allen City Corp., Floyd County, Ky., for the entire calendar years of 1944 and 1945, and have servel for the first half of 1946, having been duly appointed by the board of trustees at a regular meeting, that I am thoroughly familiar with the doings of the said board of trustees, and with the records of all meetings, during the past 30 months, and that I have no record or knowledge of any action by the said board of trustees regarding the canalization of Big Sandy River or the Levisa Fork thereof, prior to the meeting held on May 15, 1946. (Signed) GEO. W. SNODGRASS, STATE OF KENTUCKY, County of Floyd, ss: City Clerk. Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public in and for the State and county above written, by Geo. W. Snodgrass, who is well and duly known to me to be the person who signed the above statement. [SEAL] EUGENE ALLEN, Notary Public, Floyd County, Ky. My commission expires June 20, 1948. ALLEN CITY CORPORATION, ALLEN, KY. BOARD OF TRUSTEES, TOWN OF ALLEN, FLOYD COUNTY, KY. A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ENDORSING CANALIZATION OF BIG SANDY RIVER AND THE LEVISA FORK THEREOF Be it resolved by the board of trustees of the town of Allen, Floyd County, Ky., That the board of trustees heartily approves and endorses the canalization of Big Sandy River and the Levisa Fork thereof, as included with like canalization of the Tug Fork, in the recommendation of the Rivers and Harbors Committee to the House of Representatives of the Congress. The town of Allen is situated substantially 100 miles, by river, from the Ohio River, and the greater majority of our people depend, either directly or indirectly, upon the coal industry. When the mines prosper, we prosper; and when the mines suffer, we suffer. The people of our town, and all the surrounding section, are almost unanimous in their conviction that the canalization of the river will be of great, lasting benefit to our entire section. We concur in this conviction, and we want to urge that construction be started at the earliest possible date. Approved : Attest: WILLIAM A. MALONE, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. GEO. W. SNODGRASS, City Clerk. The above resolution was adopted at a special meeting of the board of trustees, held on May 15, 1946. The following trustees voted in the affirmative on this motion: W. A. Malone, Bennie Lafferty, G. B. Auxier, and Felix Crisp. A true copy attest: MAY 15, 1946. GEO. W. SNODGRASS, City Clerk. We will proceed to the Cumberland River and tributaries, Tennessee and Kentucky. This is in the House bill. We will hear from the opposition first on that. CUMBERLAND RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE Who is the spokesman for the opposition on the Cumberland River project? Mr. HANES. I am, Mr. Chairman. STATEMENT OF H. L. HANES, REPRESENTING THE NASHVILLE, CHATTANOOGA & ST. LOUIS RAILWAY AND OTHER RAILROADS Senator OVERTON. What railroad do you represent? Mr. HANES. My name is H. L. Hanes. I am with the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway. I am speaking for the other railroads interested in this project also. Senator OVERTON. Have you a prepared statement? Mr. HANES. Yes, sir. Senator OVERTON. How long is it? Mr. HANES. It is not so very long. Senator OVERTON. How many pages? Mr. HANES. Twelve. Senator OVERTON. Are you going to be the only witness in opposition? Mr. HANES. I do not know, sir. In order to conserve the time of the committee I have prepared a statement which I would like to file with the committee and be permitted to supplement it by calling attention to certain facts which I think should be emphasized. Senator OVERTON. Do you have your statement now? Mr. HANES. Yes, sir. Senator OVERTON. Hand it to the reporter, please. (The statement referred to and submitted by the witness is as follows:) My name is H. L. Hanes, I reside at Nashville, Tenn., and am appearing for the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway Co.; Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad; Illinois Central Railroad Co.; Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co.; the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway; and Southern Railway Co. In protest against the further expenditure of Federal funds for the improvement of the Cumberland River. In order to conserve time, I have prepared a statement which I would like to file with the committee and be permitted to supplement it by calling attention to certain features which I think should be emphasized and enlarged upon. 1. Protestants are common carriers by railroad doing business in Tennessee, Kentucky,and other Southern States. They are large taxpayers to Tennessee, Kentucky, and other Southern States, and the political subdivisions thereof, and to the Federal Government. Two of these protestants, i, e., N. C. & St. L. Railway and L. & N. Railroad Co., serve, directly, the principal cities-Nashville and Clarksville, Tenn.—in the area for which the improvement of the Cumberland River is recommended and all of them serve this area in conjunction with the railroads which have lines in the territory immediately tributary to the section of the Cumberland for which the improvement is recommended. Thus, all of these protestants have a dual interest in the proposed expenditure of $20,730,000, with annual carrying charges of approximately $720,000, recommended for the improvement between Nashville, Tenn., and the mouth of the Cumberland, i. e., (1) as taxpayers who contribute to the public funds to be expended under the plan of improvement recommended and (2) as citizens of the affected area whose businesses may be seriously affected by the proposed improvement. |