The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-24
District Representatives Will Ask
River Commission to Antici-
pate Funds.
RAISE SUM TO s1O,00O,000.
Question of Drawing on 1904 and
1905 Appropriations to Be
Discussed at the Annual
Meeting To-Day.

Levee Improvements from Cairo to New
orleans, costing in the aggregate about sl0,-
0pD.ocD. are wanted by the members of the
directing boards of the levee districts rep
resentatives of which are in St. Louis to
attend the annual meeting this morning of
the Mississippi River Commission.
In 1902 Congress appropriated 100000 for
the Improvement of the Lower Mississippi.
\ like amount was appropriated this year,
and an appropriation as large is promised
in 1891 and 1906.
At a conference of the district repre-
sentatives at the Planters yesterday it was
decided to ask the river commission to an
ticipate the appropriations of 1904 and 1895
and let contracts for levee work now.
II the commission so acts the district
representatives claim that the work can be
started at once, and that the levees from
Cairo to New Orleans will be in safe
condition by March l. 1894. or before posi-
bic high water of the May and June period
of next year.
The contractors who undertake the work
would have to wait until the appropriations
were made TO get their money, but the Gov
eminent script can be discounted at per
cent. and the river boards offer to make
good this loss TO the contractors, provided
the commission will let the work go on;
The legal phase of the question has been
investigated, and it is claimed that the
river commission could safely award con-
tracts for the levee work. even though the
appropriations have not been made.
AID FROM STATES.
Only half of the congressional appropria-
tons can be used for improvement of the
levees. SO that with the amount already
appropriated. together with the appropria-
Tlhi he. n.
eral Government will furnish only 100000
for the work on the levees.
While this amount is quite insufficient for
the accomplishing of the great work. it is
expected that the State governments will
contribute literally to the movement.
Already Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisi-
ana have spent amounts on levee improve
ments three times greater than the Gov
eminent appropriations for the same work.
In the levee improvements already mace
$4,000; Arkansas. Soo.eo; Tennessee sloo
900. and Missouri. for the levee districts
South of Cape Girardeau, s5eooo.
H. n. Pharr. chief engineer of the st.
Francis River district in Arkansas, says
that the most important question with the
levee boards at this time is that OF induc-
ing the commissioners to proceed with leVee
work on the promise of the appropriations
in 1904 and 1905.
We ought to have an increased apprrop-
ration for levee purposes" said Mr.. Pharr,
but that is matter that will have to be
accomplished in some other way. Our par
ticular business with the river commission
is TO push improvements that are needed
now.
.There will be another conference of the
representatives of the river boards to-mor-
row morning and before We leave st. Louis
the plan for holding a convention relative
to river interests probably will have taken
definite form. -.
AT this convention. which probably will
be held in New Orleans or Nicksburg, an
appeal for an increased levee appropria-
ton can be drafted al this can be FOR
warded to Congress.
ut is also probable that prominent rep
resentatives of the river interests will be
sent to Washington to urge an increase In
the appropriations.
Good levees are essential to the pro-
lection of the people in lowlands Of the
Mississippi and the Federal Government
should be liberal with Its appropriations for
this work.