rather than to appropriate funds to protect them and, at the same time, as the funds are expended, they actually contribute to the construction of the navigation project that has been authorized? Colonel GEE. To illustrate that point further, Mr. Chairman, the Bradens Bend breach of the bank would constitute a breach in the natural rim of the reservoir formed by lock and dam No. 24, the authorized navigation project, and that high bank would have to be restored to permit the building of lock and dam 24 in the navigation project. So, the holding of that high bank now is important, not only to prevent flood damage on the Poteau, but to permit the navigation project to proceed upstream at that point. Senator MCCLELLAN. And if this protective work is not undertaken and if ultimately the navigation project is carried out and if this break materializes, as is now threatened, then it would simply add additional tremendous cost to the Federal Government in constructing the navigation dam, would it not? Colonel GEE. It would cost many millions of dollars at Bradens Bend, if it ever broke into the Poteau. Senator MCCLELLAN. May I inquire at this point. Whatever funds are authorized for this purpose in this bill-and when I speak of "this purpose" I am speaking of bank stabilization, I ask you if it is prudent on the part of the Congress to give you whatever money it is willing to authorize and leave it to the discretion of the Corps of Engineers as to where and when it should be spent, in order to give the Corps of Engineers the latitude and the opportunity to meet these contingencies as they arise and to take care of those that are most threatened? Colonel GEE. I believe the answer to your question is "Yes," and the result of that action on the part of the Congress will be to make it possible for us to protect existing Federal investments along the Arkansas River. Senator MCCLELLAN. That is what I mean. You cannot tell where a threat may arise after a flood, can you, as to just what areas the attack will strike, as you speak of it? Colonel GEE. No, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. And, of course, if you are restricted to a certain section of the river or restricted to designated projects that are now known to be a source of danger, you would not have funds and you would not be prepared to meet those emergencies that could arise? Colonel GEE. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. I believe your statement is that you requested $39,000,000 for the entire navigable section of the Arkansas River for bank stabilization. Colonel GEE. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. If that entire $39,000,000 were expended as you contemplate, would all of it actually contribute to the navigation project? Colonel GEE. Yes, sir, it would. Senator MCCLELLAN. So that there would not be a duplication of expense for constructing set-back levees on the one hand, and then, later on, constructing the navigation project? Colonel GEE. That is correct, sir. When this stream is under control as the result of the building of adequate upstream storage, not only to hold back floodwaters, but to trap silt, which is now carried by this river, there will be no need for such a wide and large channel as the Arkansas River now requires for its meanderings in its unstabilized state. Therefore, it is possible, if bank stabilization is undertaken at an early date, to decrease the amount of good bottom land which must be surrendered to the river in carrying out this project. Senator MCCLELLAN. You then strongly recommend that the authorization be increased to your original request of $39,000,000, and that you be permitted to expend it wherever needed at these different danger areas? Colonel GEE. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. Any questions, Senator Kerr? You are interested in this. Senator KERR. Colonel Gee, is it not true that thousands of acres along this stream, both east of Little Rock and west and north of Little Rock on the Arkansas River have been washed away? Colonel GEE. That is correct. Senator KERR. By reason of the delay in doing this bank stabilization work in the areas you are talking about? Colonel GEE. Yes, sir. Senator KERR. That land is worth $200 or $300 an acre. Colonel GEE. And that will continue until such time as we can get the bank stabilization works in place. Senator KERR. And that is true even without floodwaters. Colonel GEE. Yes, sir. Senator KERR. That is all. Senator MCCLELLAN. Do you have any questions, Senator Martin? Senator MARTIN. No. Senator MCCLELLAN. Is there any further statement you wish to make about it, Colonel? Colonel GEE. No, sir; I believe that covers the situation. Senator MCCLELLAN. Thank you very much. May I inquire, gentlemen, if you have anything else to offer on the California projects? Senator DowNEY. I do not think we have, Mr. Chairman, but the Bureau of Reclamation is here, represented by Mr. Dixon. Senator MCCLELLAN. Yes. Well, let me finish with another witness, first. I would like to state for the record that I have received telegrams from the Conway County Flood Control Association signed by Mr. A. V. Ormond, chairman; and the Arkansas Basin Association signed by Mr. Reece Caudle, director; Peoples Exchange Bank of Russellville, by Don Barger; Bank of Dover, by Wayne Wallace: Russellville Rotary Club, by Kenneth Ketcherside; Russellville Lions Club, by Wilson Falls; Western Arkansas Telephone Co., by Gus Lane; J. W. Hull; J. B. Ward; Boyce Tidwell; Bob Bailey, Jr.; and county judge, J. V. Turner; in support of further authorizations for the multiple-purpose plan for the Arkansas River Basin, particularly the Dardanelle Dam. S. 1576-RESUMED STATEMENT OF H. K. THATCHER, REPRESENTING OUACHITA VALLEY ASSOCIATION AND WHITE RIVER FLOOD CONTROL ASSOCIATION Senator MCCLELLAN. State your name to the reporter and whom you represent. Mr. THATCHER. My name is H. K. Thatcher, from Little Rock, Ark. I am representing the Ouachita Valley Association and White River Flood Control Association. I am opposing Senate bill 1576, generally known as the Kerr bill. I have some telegrams that I would like to read into the record, and, if I may, I have several that I would like to mention and file for the record. Senator MCCLELLAN. In order to expedite it, may I suggest that you just read excerpts from them and identify them and state what the general substance is of the others and who they are from. It is not necessary to print every one of them in the record, I do not think. Mr. THATCHER. No, sir; I was going to put them in the record, three of them, that give me the authority to appear before the committee. Senator MCCLELLAN. All right, you may proceed. Mr. THATCHER. These telegrams I have are copies of telegrams that have been sent; some of them came to me and some to Senator McClellan and some to Senator Long. The first one is from E. Gordon Wright, president of the Ouachita Valley Association, which went to Senator Long. The telegram reads: Senator Kerr is apparently endeavoring use our Ouachita River and its numerous advantages for the benefit of his Kerr bill and the State of Oklahoma in the Friday hearing. This will delay our successful accomplishments possibly 3 years. The Ouachita project is complete in itself, drainage, flood control, and navigation all having approval of Government engineers. Know we can count on your aggressive opposition. Please keep me advised. I have another telegram here from H. W. McMillan, secretary, Ouachita Valley Association, addressed to Senator McClellan. Mr. McMillan is from Arkadelphia, Ark. Senator MCCLELLAN. I may say that he called me and wanted to come up here, and I did not want him to, because I thought that I knew the situation, and it was not necessary to have a delegation up here, so I told him just to send a telegram. Mr. THATCHER. The telegram reads: Kerr bill No. 1576, as amended, now more vicious than before because it will require restudy of all projects not yet authorized. This means delay of several years and complete set-back for the Ouachita River. Please oppose this bill both as a part of the omnibus bill and as a separate bill. In any event see that Ouachita is specifically excluded from this bill. I have one more telegram here from John P. Morrow, who lives at Batesville, Ark. He is president of the White River Flood Control Association. The telegram reads: We are unanimously opposed to the Kerr bill, especially since it has been changed three times. Think last amendment would hinder work now under way. I also have a telegram from Mr. O. F. Suggs, who lives at Malvern, Ark., and who is president of the Ouachita Area Development Council, and he is president of the Malvern Chamber of Commerce. I also have a telegram from John M. Nelson, who is the manager of the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, on the Ouachita River. I have a telegram from Fred Walton, who is president of the Saline County Chamber of Commerce at Benton, Ark. I have another telegram which is concerned with the Ouachita River from Ed Gingerich, who is the secretary-manager of the Malvern Chamber of Commerce. I have another telegram which is signed both by the president, W. C. Blevins, and George Dews, secretary, of the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce. I have another telegram from W. MacGraves, who is manager of the Camden Chamber of Commerce. I have another telegram from Edgar Pryor, president of the Camden Chamber of Commerce. I have two telegrams from P. G. Anderson, one signed as vice president in charge of traffic of the Ed Dorado Chamber of Commerce; the second one signed as P. G. Anderson, Lion Oil Co., for which he works. Another telegram from Mr. B. R. McCarley, who is mayor of Texarkana. All of these telegrams, Mr. Chairman, are in opposition to what they think is in the Kerr bill. They are fearful of what may happen if the bill passes, and they have asked me to express for them their feeling of fear. Senator MCCLELLAN. Those telegrams may be filed for the record. (The telegrams referred to are as follows:) Senator RUSSELL LONG, Senate Building, Washington, D. C.: MONROE, LA., August 23, 1949. Senator Kerr is apparently endeavoring to use our Ouachita River and its numerous advantages for the benefit of his Kerr bill and the State of Oklahoma in the Friday hearing. This will delay our successful accomplishments possibly 3 years. The Ouachita project is complete in itself, drainage, flood control, and navigation, all having approval of Government engineers. Know we can count on your aggressive opposition. Please keep me advised. OUCHITA VALLEY ASSOCIATION, Senator JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building: ARKADELPHIA, ARK., August 24, 1949. Kerr bill No. 1576, as amended, now more vicious than before because it will require restudy of all projects not yet authorized. This means delay of several years and complete set-back for the Ouachita River. Please oppose this bill both as a part of the omnibus bill and as a separate bill. In any event see that Ouachita is specifically excluded from this bill. OUACHITA VALLEY ASSOCIATION, BATESVILLE, ARK., August 24, 1949. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: We are unanimously opposed to the Kerr bill especially since it has been changed three times. Think last amendment would hinder work now under way. JNO. P. MORROW, President of White River Flood Control Association, Senator JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building: MALVERN, ARK., August 24, 1949. The Ouachita Area Development Council is vitally opposed to having the Ouachita River included in Senate bill No. 1576 by Kerr. We would deeply appreciate your effort in having the Ouachita River eliminated from this bill. QUACHITA AREA DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, O. F. SUGGS, President. Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building: HOT SPRINGS, ARK,, August 24, 1949. Ouachita River improvements as set up by Corps of Engineers should be allowed to remain in present status and not included in provisions of Kerr bill (S. 1516) or any measure changing approved plans. We urge your opposition to any such change. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, HOT SPRINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, By JOHN M. NELSON, Manager. H. K. THATCHER, 726 Jackson Place: BENTON, ARK., August 24, 1949. We oppose Ouachita River being included in Senate bill No. 1576. SALINE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MALVERN, ARK., August 24, 1949. Senator JOHN MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.: The Malvern Chamber of Commerce is vitally opposed to Senate bill No. 1576 in which the Ouachita River is included. having same eliminated from this bill. We would appreciate your effort in MALVERN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, JOHN MCCLELLAN, Senate Office Building: ARKADELPHIA, ARK., August 24, 1949. We vigorously object to the Quachita River being included in Senator Kerr's bill No. 1576 proposing a study provision on the Arkansas Ouachita White and Red River. The Ouachita has already been completely studied by the Army engineers and their report is all-inclusive. The Kerr bill would not help, only delay and hinder the Ouachita, therefore, we urge that you see that the Ouachita is taken out of this bill. ARKADELPHIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, CAMDEN, ARK., August 24, 1949. United States Senate, Senate Office Building: Feel Kerr proposal will set Ouachita project back several years. Know you will do everything possible for working to the best interest of Ouachita Valley. W. MAC. GRAVES, Manager, Camden Chamber of Commerce. |