Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-02
IS TAKEN T09sEeURE GOVERN MENF AID TO PROTECT
 OUR RIVER FRONT.
asat. S' >ps~ The Constatly Cavfaag Bank Has Alarmed the Citizens A Mass Meeting Held.
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1ii1 N0 tEp x Seth' es'- VI SAtN ~ hosi2C9 River at tbs. place, and the work already done is. threatened with destruction unless il Is given attention q. once. Now the work is also faililsg to properly perform those functT0G sfor which it was erected, due probably to is uncom- pTeted' state.
 The channel of the river is rapidly changtu9 aud the water and wash is. threatening much. valuable Pine Bluff spropertg with destruet on Our people, for many days have oeen co4uizaht Of thp matter, but, with q ps.tieare-ottesly y. out of pro- portion to tile nls4sq they run, have Sdken Do aetiottsin tbe zmatter, and have simply: waited the pleasure of the GoveFnment Engineer in charge of tt9o division oi the rivel, 10 begin work tepdjng to their protection aud the protection of their property. The danger has increased almost daily, uatiE4t is now 90 alarming g that a1l our citizens are interested, .and are forced. in self.defense, to do something in their own interest. As a starter in this direction, on Saturday afternoon a mass meeting was cafiefl bYPresideut J B. John- son, of the Pine. Bluff Board of Trade
 The meeting was held in the Board of Trade roofas. and at , o'clock large number of cur most infnentia business men had asseln- bled to Lake part in the proceedings.
 The meeting was called to order by Capt. ]. B. Johnson, who stated the object of the meeting to be for the purpose of taking steps to have the Arkansas Ri ger banks at this place protected, and to have reports as to conditions of levees below Pine Biat1.
 On motiGn, MT. ! B. Trulock was elected chairman and Mr. F. c. Howell secretary. Mr. R M. Gal braith was asked to state to the meeting the news he had received concerning threatened high waters in the Arkansas River.
 MT. Galbraith stated that he had received letter from Superintend ent Edsop, of the Cotton Belt Ry., dated Tyler, Texas, April %, which said that an immense amount of wafer had fallen in Oklahoma and Kansas, and that this water would swell the Arkansas River and cause an overflow Mr Galbraith was requested to notify the people oi PiRe Bluff of the fact and urge those interested 10 put the levees in good condition aud get ready for the high water. Mr GaIbraith said that Mir. Edson, daily, received report that were relia ble concerning the amount of rainfall in the Arkansas valley, and he thought it would be wise to heed Mir. Edson's warning. aud fol low his advice.
 Capt. Geisreiter stated that some months ago a fund of $500 had been raised by subscription to build and repair levee at t'renchtown; that local engineer had made sseyay and staked out the ground. bat tha, no further work had been done, However, he had been ipfprmed tha; in case of hiah water enough w2rk work could b. dono on thp ievee tx prevent an overflow of he low lands it was built to protect.
 In regard to the c.ving of tht banks, Capt. Geisreiter read the memorial to Cong ess adopted at the Arkansas River Convep ton. recent. ly held at Fort Snii..h, ard he made some pertinent and .ilnely remarks in regard 10 improvements needed on the river He said that it be hoovcd our citizAns 10 take steps to protect themselves and their prop erty; that the people living on the upper portion Of the rlver had eap- tured the Arka sas River coayea- tio.sl and that thla unless riaa Bluff as serted itself, this porticn Of ,he river might be overlooked in tic distribution of money for improve ments.
 Capt Johnson endorsed the re ,,,., ..lx ,~f ro,ot Ga;r,u;tor a.] <,;4l