GOVERNMENT

Storage

FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES

Ni 4 [No. 87-24]

.P 96/11

917/21- HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

BCOMMITTEE ON FLOOD CONTROL

OF THE

41VIITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS

)USE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1-R EIGHTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS

4:t SECOND SESSION

ON

H.J. Res. 417

TO DESIGNATE THE LAKE FORMED BY TERMINUS DAM ON

THE KAWEAH RIVER IN CALIFORNIA AS LAKE KAWEAH

H.R. 9243

TO AMEND THE CIVIL FUNCTIONS APPROPRIATION ACT, 1952,

IN ORDER TO DESIGNATE THE RESERVOIR CREATED BY THE

JOHN H. KERR DAM AS BUGGS ISLAND LAKE

H.R. 9320

AUTHORIZING THE CHANGE IN NAME OF THE BEARDSTOWN,

ILL., FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT, TO THE SID SIMPSON-BEARDSTOWN FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT

MAY 9 AND 10, 1962

Printed for the use of the Committee on Public Works

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

85903 WASHINGTON: 1962

•
AIM"

COMMITTEE

CHARLES A.

GEORGE H. FALLON, Maryland

CLIFFORD DAVIS, Tennessee

JOHN A. BLATNIK, Minnesota

ROBERT E. JONES, Alabama

FRANK E. SMITH, Mississippi

JOHN C. KLUCZYNSKI, Illinois

T. A. THOMPSON, Louisiana

IRIS FAIRCLOTH BLITCH, Georgia

JIM WRIGHT, Texas

W. R. HULL, JR., Missouri

KENNETH J. GRAY, Illinois

FRANK M. CLARK, Pennsylvania

ED EDMONDSON, Oklahoma

JOHN J. McFALL, California

GRACIE PFOST, Idaho

JOHN YOUNG, Texas

FRANK W. BURKE, Kentucky

HAROLD T. JOHNSON, California

ROBERT E. COOK, Ohio

ON PUBLIC WORKS

BUCKLEY, New York, Chairman

JAMES C. AUCHINCLOSS, New Jersey

GORDON H. SCHERER, Ohio

WILLIAM C. CRAMER, Florida

JOHN F. BALDWIN, JR., California

FRED SCHWENGEL, Iowa

EDWIN B. DOOLEY, New York

HOWARD W. ROBISON, New York

PERKINS BASS, New Hampshire

WALTER L. McVEY, Kansas

CARLETON J. KING, New York

WILLIAM H. HARSHA, JR., Ohio

JAMES HARVEY, Michigan

JOHN C. KUNKEL, Pennsylvania

LOUISE G. REECE, Tennessee

MARGARET R. BEITER, Chief Clerk

RICHARD J. SULLIVAN, Chief Counsel

JOSEPH R. BRENNAN, Engineer- Consultant

CLIFTON W. ENFIELD, Minority Counsel

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FLOOD CONTROL

CLIFFORD DAVIS, Tennessee, Chairman

FRANK E. SMITH, Mississippi

ROBERT E. JONES, Alabama

T. A. THOMPSON, Louisiana

JIM WRIGHT, Texas

W. R. HULL, JR., Missouri

KENNETH J. GRAY, Illinois

FRANK M. CLARK, Pennsylvania

GRACIE PFOST, Idaho

HAROLD T. JOHNSON, California

II

JOHN F. BALDWIN, JR., California

FRED SCHWENGEL, Iowa

HOWARD W. ROBISON, New York

CARLETON J. KING, New York

WILLIAM H. HARSHA, JR., Ohio

JOHN C. KUNKEL, Pennsylvania

LOUISE G. REECE, Tennessee

•
CONTENTS

Page

House Joint Resolution 417 1

H.R. 9243 2

H.R. 9320 5

Statement of—

Abbitt, Hon. W. M., a Representative in Congress from the State of

Virginia, submitted 3

Findley, Hon. Paul, a Representative in Congress from the State of

Illinois, submitted 7

Gurnee, Mark, Chief, Operations Division Office, Chief of Engineers 1

Mack, Hon. Peter F., Jr., a Representative in Congress from the

State of Illinois 5

Price, Hon. Melvin, a Representative in Congress from the State of

Illinois, submitted 7

III
N. 0
FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME

CHANGES

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1962

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FLOOD CONTROL,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., in room 1302, New House Office

Building, Hon. Clifford Davis, chairman of the subcommittee, presiding.

Mr. DAVIS. The committee will be in. order.

We will take up House Resolution 417, by Mr. Hagen of California,

to designate a lake formed by Terminus Dam, Kaweah River, Calif.,

as Lake Kaweah.

(H. J. Res. 417 follows:)

[H. J. Res. 417, 87th Cong., 1st sess.]

JOINT RESOLUTION To designate the lake formed by Terminus Dam on the Kaweah River in

California as Lake Kaweah

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the tinited States of America

in Congress assembled, That the reservoir formed by Terminus Dam across the

Kaweah River in California, authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944, is

hereby designated as Lake Kaweah. Any law, regulation, map, document,

record, or other paper of the United States in which such reservoir is referred to

shall be held to refer to such reservoir by the name of Lake Kaweah.

STATEMENT OF MARK GURNEE, CHIEF, OPERATIONS DIVISION

OFFICE, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Mark Gurnee, the Chief of the Operations Division

of the Office of the Chief of Engineers is here.

Will you tell us the reason for the designation of this lake, please,

sir?

Mr. GURNEE. Mr. Chairman, it is our normal practice to designate

the name of our projects in our project documents.

When those have been accepted by the Congress we consider that

they have the force of law. We do not propose the change of the

names of any of our projects as a rule.

This change has been proposed by Mr. Hagen of California, and

we prefer to take no position either for or against the name change.

Mr. DAVIS. What is the name now assigned to it?

Mr. GURNEE. The name now is "Terminus," sir.

Mr. DAVIS. Terminus?

Mr. GURNEE. The names of our projects are normally based on

some nearby geographic feature.

Mr. BALDWIN. Mr. Chairman, could I comment on this?

1
9 FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Mr. BALDWIN. The river is the Kaweah River and, therefore, the

naming of the lake "Lake Kaweah" would be in keeping with the

name of the river.

I have talked with Mr. Hagen on this bill, and he says the overwhelming desire of the local people is that the lake be named "Lake

Kaweah" although the dam would be named "Terminus Dam."

Mr. DAVIS. It would remain and the lake would be Lake Kaweah.

Mr. KUNKEL. Is that an Indian name?

Mr. BALDWIN. Yes, sir, it is an Indian name.

Mr. GRAY. There is no money involved in that, so that would not

hurt anything.

Mr. DAVIS. Thank you very much.

You have one on H.R. 9243, by Mr. Abbitt, to designate the

reservoir created by John H. Kerr Dam, Va.-N.C., as Buggs Island

Lake.

(H.R. 9243 follows:)

[H.R. 9243, 87th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL To amend the Civil Functions Appropriation Act, 1952, in order to designate the reservoir created

by the John H. Kerr Dam as Buggs Island Lake

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of

America in Congress assembled, That the last proviso in the paragraph having the

subheading "Rivers and Harbors and Flood Control" which follows the center

heading "Corps of Engineers" in the Civil Functions Appropriation Act, 1952

(65 Stat. 617), is amended to read as follows: ": Provided further, That the dam

portion of the project formerly known as the `Buggs Island Reservoir, Virginia

and North Carolina' shall hereafter be designated as the 'John H. Kerr Dam' and

the reservoir created by such dam shall hereafter be designated as the 'Buggs

Island Lake'."

Mr. DAVIS. We will now take up H.R. 9243.

Mr. GURNEE. The same comments that I made on the other

project are also pertinent here.

I could also add that in our original project document this project

was called the Buggs Island project, and it was changed by an act of

Congress to the John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir in the Civil Functions Appropriation Act of 1952.

Again, we have no objection or no preference, pro or con.

Mr. DAVIS. In other words, the name "John H. Kerr Dam" would

remain?

Mr. GURNEE. That is correct, under this bill.

Mr. DAVIS. Under this bill?

Mr. GURNEE. And the lake 

Mr. DAVIS. But the reservoir, created by it, would be known as

the Buggs Island Lake, and that is the name you have always carried

in the corps heretofore?

Mr. GURNEE. Prior to the 1950 act that was the name that we used.

Mr. DAVIS. Any questions?

Mr. KUNKEL. Who is the Member of Congress on this?

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Abbitt.

Mr. KUNKEL. Well, he introduced it, did he not?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Thank you very much.

(The following was furnished for insertion:)
FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES 3

STATEMENT OF HON. W. M. ABBITT, OF VIRGINIA, BEFORE THE FLOOD CONTROL

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE WITH REFERENCE

TO H.R. 9243

Mr. Chairman, it is a privilege to present my views on H.R. 9243, which I

introduced last year at the close of the 1st session of the 87th Congress. The purpose of this bill is quite simple: it would amend the Civil Functions Act of 1952

in order to designate the reservoir created by the John H. Kerr Dam as Buggs

Island Lake.

The Department of the Army and the Department of Interior have interposed

no objections to the•bill and I frankly have heard no objections to it. The local

people are very much in favor of this proposal and in the pursuit of clarity, I believe it would be a very fine contribution to the public interest.

I introduced the bill because of a great deal of confusion over the name of this

lake. Prior to the erection of the John H. Kerr Dam, the area around the location

of the dam was known as Buggs Island and there was, of course, a Buggs Island

Lake. Until the name was changed by the Civil Functions Act of 1952, the dam

itself was known as the Buggs Island Dam. The lake created by the dam has

always been known as Buggs Island Lake and even after the enactment of the

legislation in 1952, the lake continued to be so designated, even though most of

the general public (except in the immediate vicinity) started calling the dam by

the new name.

In addition to the foregoing, the General Assembly of Virginia designated the

waters as Buggs Island Lake after the dam was designated the John H. Kerr Dam.

Many tourists who come to the area (and these are increasing in number every

year) are confused by the multiple designations. Some, in fact, think there are

two separate bodies of water—Kerr Reservoir and Buggs Island Lake—because

they have seen both on maps of the area. I have found some Federal maps which

still show a Buggs Island Lake.

I would respectfully request the subcommittee to consider this matter and to

support my bill. I believe it is reasonable and would serve to clarify the situation.

(Whereupon, at 10:35 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.)

FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME

CHANGES

THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1962

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FLOOD CONTROL,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:35 a.m. in room

1302, New House Office Building, Hon. Clifford Davis (chairman of

the subcommittee) presiding.

Mr. DAVIS. We will take up H.R. 9320, a bill introduced by Mr.

Mack, and similar bills, H.R. 9359 by Mr. Price and H.R. 9412 by

Mr. Findley.

(H.R. 9320 follows:)

[H.R. 9320, 87th Cong., 1st sess.]

A BILL Authorizing the change in name of the Beardstown, Illinois, flood control project, to the Sid

Simpson-Beardstown flood control project

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of

America in Congress assembled, That the Beardstown flood control project, Illinois

River, Illinois, authorized by the Flood Control Act of May 17, 1950, in accordance with the provisions of House Document Numbered 332, Eighty-first Congress, shall hereafter be known and designated as the Sid Simpson-Beardstown

flood control project, in honor of the late Representative Sid Simpson. Any law,

regulation, document, or record of the United States in which such project is

designated or referred to under the name of the Beardstown, Illinois, flood control

project, shall be held and considered to refer to such project by the name of Sid

Simpson-Beardstown flood control project.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Mack, we welcome you this morning.

STATEMENT OF HON. PETER F. MACK, JR., A REPRESENTATIVE

IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Mr. MACK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the

committee.

I introduced this bill last year to name the Beardstown flood control

project after our late and esteemed colleague, Sid Simpson of Illinois.

Sid Simpson, as most of you recall, served in the House of Representatives for 16 years. He served as chairman of the District of

Columbia Committee. He was ranking committee member of the

Agriculture Committee, and I think that he devoted a lot of his time

to flood control projects throughout the entire country.

He served at one time as president of the National Rivers and

Harbors Conference, and he was one man that was in favor of flood

control not only in his congressional district but throughout the

entire country.

5
6 FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES

I think it would be, indeed, appropriate to name a project in his

honor, and it would be an appropriate tribute in memory of our late

colleague.

I do not intend to take the time of the committee to go into the

details of all of his accomplishments but, as you probably recall, he

was the sponsor of the bill which authorized the Beardstown flood

control project and this project is now being completed.

It is a project which protects the people of Beardstown, Ill., a town

of 6,700, from the devastating floods that occurred along the Illinois

River throughout all of these years.

It protects some 15,000 acres of land in this area.

I understand that you have favorable reports from all of the

Government agencies. However, one of the departments suggested

that the name be shortened, and I would have no objection if we

changed the name to the "Sid Simpson flood control project."

Now, Mr. Chairman, since reference was made a little earlier to

Abraham Lincoln, I would like to say that this flood wall is along the

east bank of the Illinois River, just below the place that the historic

Sangamon flows into the Illinois, and since Sid Simpson also shared

with me in representing Abraham Lincoln land, he represented the

New Salem State Park area, I think it is especially appropriate to

name this project after our late colleague.

I, perhaps, should go off the record for this comment, if you will

permit me.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Off the record.

(Off the record discussion.)

Mr. BALDWIN. Could I ask a question, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Mr. Baldwin.

Mr. BALDWIN. Mr. Mack, following up on this point, whether the

bill should be amended to drop the word "Beardstown," now, you

have commented on the recommendation of the Department of the

Interior that it is customary for them in practice to just shorten the

name and refer to the project by the last name, and you have said

that you would have no objection to the dropping of the word

"Beardstown."

On this kind of bill we are trying to do what the author of the bill

wants to have done.

I would agree with the objective of trying to get a title that would

actually mean that in practice it would be referred to as the Simpson

flood control project.

Would you, therefore, be in favor of our amending the bill to

simplify the wording and call it the Sid Simpson flood control project?

Mr. MACK. Yes; I would be. It would conform with my ideas.

I think it would be improper to drop off the first name, certainly

in this case, and if the objective is to shorten the name I very strongly

support the idea of calling it the Sid Simpson flood control project.

Mr. BALDWIN. Thank you.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. NO further questions?

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Mr. Au chincloss.

Mr. AUCHINCLOSS. I would like to make a brief statement here

because I served with Sid Simpson on the District Committee for a

number of years, and I believe he was a member of this committee

also.
FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES 7

He was a fine Congressman, conscientious and able. He made a

host of friends.

I think it is most fitting that his memory should be perpetuated

in this manner.

, I am very much in favor of this legislation.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Mr. Davis.

Mr. DAVIS. I should like to join with my good friend, Mr. Auchindoss, and others in suggesting that Sid Simpson was not only an

able legislator but he was one of the most lovable men I have ever

known.

I counted him among my warmest Republican friends, and I say

this in all seriousness, that I am delighted that a Democrat, Mr.

Mack, has introduced this bill.

When I first come to Congress, more than 22 years ago, I recall

that a Republican in Missouri sponsored, over a long period of years,

the establishment of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. And I think

that is a compliment to the spirit of this country when a man can

forget partisanship and recognize high character and ability.

I knew Sid Simpson in his lifetime, his family also, and I am delighted to be able to support this bill introduced by Mr. Mack, Mr.

Price, and Mr. Findley, and certainly with the fine statement made

by Mr. Mack this morning.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. May the Chair say that Mr. Mack has done a

splendid piece of work in promoting this bill.

It is plainly a justifiable expression of only the highest respect and

esteem and deep affection of all of the Members of the House on both

sides of the aisle in so honoring the name of a great Congressman, a

great American, and a gentleman, and a true friend and real man,

the late beloved Sid Simpson.

We have at this time also a statement by Mr. Paul Findley, which

we shall include in the record at this point.

(The statement by Mr. Findley follows:)

STATEMENT BY PAUL FINDLEY, REPUBLICAN, ILLINOIS, BEFORE THE HOUSE

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, MAY 10, 1962

My bill, H.R. 9412, is a small effort to pay proper tribute to the effective work

of the late Congressman Sid Simpson in helping to bring about the flood-control

project at Beardstown.

It would be entirely fitting to change the name as suggested. It is my privilege

to represent the district which Mr. Simpson served with such distinction for 16

years. It has also been my privilege to follow through with some of the final

details involved in completion of the Beardstown project, including the addition

of some much-needed pumping equipment.

Identifying the Simpson name with the Beardstown project is not only fitting,

it is entirely proper.

It is also my privilege to follow the late Mr. Simpson on the Committee on

Agriculture, where he left a vast reservoir of good will.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. We also have a statement by Mr. Melvin Price

which will be included in the record at this point.

(The statement of Mr. Price follows:)

STATEMENT OF HON. MELVIN PRICE, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE STATE

OF ILLINOIS

Mr. Chairman, it has been my pleasure to join with my colleague from Illinois,

Mr. Mack, in the sponsorship of legislation to change the name of the Beardstown

flood control project to the Sid Simpson flood control project.
8 FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, AUTHORIZING NAME CHANGES

All of you who have had the privilege of serving in the House with Sid Simpson

can understand my strong feeling in this matter.

I was very close to Sid Simpson through his years in the House and on many

occasions he and I made the trip back and forth from Washington to Illinois by

automobile and sometimes by train. On these occasions we came to know each

other very intimately and I grew to have the greatest respect and highest esteem

for Sid and his principles.

It was my privilege also to have worked with him on one or two of the flood

control projects that were so vital to his own district and which in some manner

affected my district which adjoined his.

I know of his great efforts in the promotion of these projects, and I think it is

fitting that one of them to which he devoted so much time should bear his name as

a tribute to his industry and the unselfish labors he put forth in the interest of

flood control.

I most respectfully urge favorable consideration of this suggested change of the

name of the Beardstown, Ill., flood control project to the Sid Simpson flood control

project.

Mr. SCHWENGEL. Mr. Chairman?

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Schwengel.

Mr. SCHWENGEL. I think it ought to be pointed out, and I think

the gentleman from Illinois will agree, that Mr. Simpson's wife served

with great distinction after his death and had an interest in these

things that you mentioned that Mr. Simpson represented when he

was in Congress.

I would like the record to show that her name is identified with his

in connection with this matter.

Mr. MACK. Thank you very much. That is true. Mr. Chairman?

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Mack.

Mr. MACK. I would like to only say that my father and Sid Simpson

were in business, the same business, some 45 years ago, and they were

very close friends throughout their lifetime

'

and I became acquainted

with Sid Simpson when I first came to the Congress.

He was the first Member of Congress that I went to to consult with

about the responsibilities here.

And my father and Sid were lifetime friends and ironically, Sid

passed away 2 weeks before my father passed away.

So I do have a real interest in this.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you.

Mr. MACK. Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, our friend and colleague,

Mr. Mack.

No further questions or comments?

If there is no objection from the Corps of Engineers and other

agencies as to the hearing on this bill and all of the other bills, they

are completed.

Mr. DAVIS. I move we go into executive session.

The CHAIRMAN. The Chair will call the full Committee of the

House Public Works into executive session.

(The hearing of the Subcommittee on Flood Control adjourned at

11:35 a.m., the members of the Public Works Committee of the

House of Representatives to reconvene in executive session.)

0