CONGRESS

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF EDISTO RIVER

AND ITS

BRANCHES, SOUTH AND NORTH EDISTO, S. C., FOR PURPOSES OF FLOOD CONTROL

FEBRUARY 21, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. Cox, from the Committee on Flood Control, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 15995]

The Committee on Flood Control, to which was referred the bill (H. R. 15995) to provide a preliminary examination of the Edisto River and its branches, South and North Edisto, S. C., with a view to the control of its floods, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass.

Although these preliminary examinations cost little, it has been the uniform policy of the Committee on Flood Control to consider each project carefully before favorably reporting it. A hearing was held on the project involved in this bill.

The facts as given in the hearing before the committee by Representative H. P. Fulmer, author of the bill, and Representatives B. B. Hare and T. S. McMillan are as follows:

The Edisto River and its branches, North and South Edisto, traverse one of the best agricultural sections in the State of South Carolina. The flood territory covers an area from 2 to 15 miles on either side of these rivers, with a total length of 150 miles, or an area of about 1,500 square miles. This area not only includes swamp land adjacent to these rivers but thousands of acres of fertile, cultivated farm lands.

Serious flood conditions appear about three out of every five years. Farmers are therefore able to harvest and save their crops about two out of every five years. These flood conditions occur, as a rule, only once annually, and usually just before the harvesting season, during the months of August and September.

During September, 1928, a very serious and destructive storm came over from Porto Rico covering the Southeast, which greatly

intensified these flood conditions by uprooting and filling these rivers with trees and débris.

These floods seriously affect interstate commerce, both on railroads and Federal-aid highways. There are three trunk line railroads crossing these rivers, the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, and the Southern. At times these roads have been destroyed at the crossing, delaying commerce and traffic for days and weeks. In 1928 the Federal Government had to operate direct mail delivery to several towns because of the delay on the part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, which had been washed out by flood waters. Twelve or 15 Federal-aid highways cross these rivers, with a like number of Federal-aid bridges spanning these streams.

At various times during flood periods these roads and bridges have been destroyed and parts of the roads were covered with flood water at a depth of 5 feet. It was testified that the main interest in these rivers by the Federal Government is flood control. The width of these rivers range from 100 to 300 feet.

A health survey was made by Mr. Hasell, assistant engineer, Public Health Service, on the North Edisto Branch of the Edisto River near the city of Orangeburg in 1929, and the following is quoted from the report:

ADJACENT TO THE CITY, ON APRIL 22, 1929

The recent tropical storm uprooted a great number of trees and broke large limbs off of some others. This débris has collected in the river channel at different places and has backed the water up sufficiently to cause it to leave the river banks and cover a large area of the swamp. The city has a drainage canal which ends at the Atlantic Coast Line tracks, but the condition of the swamp is such that the water is backed up in the canal to such an extent that the canal can not properly drain the area it is supposed to. This is a rather serious condition, as the swamp in its present condition affords an excellent breeding place for all types of mosquitoes.

It is practically impossible to drain the swamp until the river proper is lowered. This can be done by removing the débris and trees from the main channel.

It was contended by the witnesses that by clearing up these rivers so as to control the flood water that it would not only give relief to commerce and agriculture but would save millions on the part of the Federal Government that will have to be expended through the Public Health Service jointly with the State to clear up the increasing malarial condition.

The War Department has reported favorably on the bill, and has estimated that this preliminary examination will cost approximately $3,000.

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3d Session

No. 2845

BRIDGE ACROSS DEEP CREEK AT MARLYN AVENUE, BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD.

February 21, 1931.-Referred to House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. BECK, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 5746]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 5746) granting the consent of Congress to the county commissioners of Baltimore County, Md., to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across Deep Creek at or near Marlyn Avenue, Baltimore County, Md., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached.

Hon. HIRAM W. JOHNSON,

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., January 23, 1931.

Chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate.

DEAR SENATOR: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of January 17, transmitting a copy of a bill, S. 5746, with the request that the committee be furnished with such suggestions touching its merits and the propriety of its passage as the department might deem appropriate.

This bill would authorize the county commissioners of Baltimore County, Md., to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across Deep Creek at or near Marlyn Avenue, Baltimore County, Md. Favorable action on the bill is recommended.

Sincerely,

R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary.

WAR DEPARTMENT, January 21, 1931.

Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate.

So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill (S. 5746, 71st Cong., 3d sess.) granting the consent of Congress to the county commis

sioners of Baltimore County, Md., to construct a free highway bridge across Deep Creek at or near Marlyn Avenue, Baltimore County, Md.

Deep Creek is, however, wholly within the limits of the State of Maryland, and the proposed bridge can consequently be authorized by State law and duly constructed provided the plans are submitted to and approved by the Chief of Engineers and by the Secretary of War before construction is commenced, in conformity with the Federal law contained in section 9 of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1899. The enactment of this measure therefore appears to be unneccessary. PATRICK J. HURLEY, Secretary of War.

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BRIDGES ACROSS STREAMS AND RIVERS IN WEST VIRGINIA

FEBRUARY 21, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. DENISON, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 17134]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 17134) authorizing the State of West Virginia by and through the State Bridge Commission of West Virginia, or the successors of said commission to acquire, purchase, construct, improve, maintain, and operate bridges across the streams and rivers within said State and/or across boundary line streams or rivers of said State, having considered and amended the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

Amend the bill as follows:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the following in lieu thereof:

That in order to promote interstate commerce, improve the postal service, and more adequately provide for military and other purposes, and to secure to the public the use of the herein described bridges free of tolls as promptly as possible, the State of West Virginia, by and through the State Bridge Commission of West Virginia, or the successors of said commission, be and it is hereby authorized to acquire, purchase, rebuild, improve, maintain, and operate any or all of the following bridges and approaches thereto, at points suitable to the interests of navigation in accordance with and upon the approval of the plans and location of said bridges as provided in an act entitled, "An act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters," approved March 23, 1906, and subject to the limitations herein provided, to wit:

A bridge across the Shenandoah River at or near Harpers Ferry; a bridge across the Potomac River at or near Harpers Ferry; a bridge across the Potomac River at or near Shepherdstown; a bridge across the Potomac River at or near Berkeley; a bridge across the Ohio River at or near Chester; a bridge across the Ohio River at or near Newell; a bridge across the Ohio River at or near Weirton; a bridge across the Ohio River at or near Middle Ferry; two groups of bridges across the Ohio River, at or near Wheeling, each group consisting of a bridge from the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, to an island in the Ohio River, constituting territory of the State of West Virginia, and a connecting bridge from said island to a point in Ohio; a bridge across the Ohio River at or near Benwood; a bridge across the