tion of these levees on the other side of the river; and we feel this way, that all we want is for Congress to help to restore conditions there and put us beyond any chance of destruction. Our city is doing its part. We have already expended $360,000. We have issued bonds for one million and a half dollars. We are going to spend that million and a half dollars in preparing, as you will see in the pamphlet, for the protection of Memphis against overflows to which we are not naturally subject. This has all been brought about by the construction of the levees on the other side of the river. We do not object to these levees; we think these people ought to be protected. There is no man here more in hearty sympathy with the Ransdell-Humphreys bill pending before this committee than I am; I give it my entire approval, and I hope the committee will report it favorably; but we simply ask that the commission be directed to expend this small sum in helping to protect Memphis from the ills from which she is suffering, and which have been brought on by the acts of the commission in building these levees on the other side. Mr. HUMPHREY of Washington. I want to make this one suggestion. While it is true the city may be suffering some from the construction of these levees, as a matter of fact has not Memphis very greatly benefited by the construction of the levees? Mr. MCKELLAR. Memphis is prosperous, as the country all around there is prosperous. As I stated before, I am in sympathy with the territory to the south and west of us, and it ought to be helped, and I hope you gentlemen will report their bill, but at the same time we ask in justice that this little strip be not disregarded, and that justice be done this city, which was free from overflows until these levees were constructed on the opposite side. Mr. SWITZER. This is off the main levee line? Mr. MCKELLAR. It is right on the main levee line, absolutely. It is a great city, with 150,000 people. If it was a levee district, there would be no doubt in the world in regard to giving it full protection. STATEMENT OF MR. T. H. TUTWILER. Mr. TUTWILER. During the floods we had to use artificial means in getting to our cars. They were blocked up for a period of seven weeks our street cars-and it was a great inconvenience to the people and to all the business interests of Memphis by reason of the people not being able to get to their places of business. However, we managed to take care of the situation, and, as the gentlemen have said, Memphis does her full share, but she would like to have this assistance if she can get it, and all the industries, the street car companies included, suffer greatly, in addition to the great inconvenience to traffic, whenever we have these floods, and I would be glad indeed if you reported our request favorably. Mr. MCKELLAR. My attention has been called-and I want to call it to the attention of the committee-to this fact: Before these levees were built on the other side of Memphis, in times of high water the river sometimes got to be 40 miles wide in front of Memphis. Just think of it. There was a stretch of 40 miles of water in 1882 directly west of Memphis on the Arkansas side. Since the building of the levees that water is now confined to a mile and a quarter or to a mile and one-eighth, since the building up of the embankment for the railroad company right in front of the city. So you gentlemen can see what the drawing together of that water, that formerly went 40 miles wide in front of the city and putting it in a mile and a quarter, has done to the city of Memphis. That is the cause of our trouble. I felt you ought to know that. Cairo suffered in this way and you helped her out last year-why not Memphis? Helena, Ark., suffered in this way and you helped her out last year-why not be at least partially as fair to Memphis? Justice would require that Memphis should have more than she has asked for. And the direction to that effect must go into a bill passed by Congress, otherwise no relief will be had. The Mississippi River Commission has set its head against Memphis, and our entreaties to that body have all been in vain. |