The Cairo bulletin., 1906-07-28
FOR RIVER WORK
MANY LETTERS WRITTEN TO
AROUSE ACTION I'M BEHALF
OF CAIRO.
Senators and Congressman at Sea But
Major Casey Came to the Res.
cue With Report and Recon-
nendation.


The matter Of having work done on
fthe river bank at Eliza Towhead
seems to be in fair way TO receive
|attention by those in authority over
the river in his section The cut
ing is still going on and is likely to
do SO until the river stage changes
materially or some effective work is
done where the cutting is in progress.
Word from there yesterday was that
about 30 feet Of bank had been eat
en- away since the recent visit Of the
Cairo party.
What prospect there Is Of having
| work done al this point within a rea-
sonable time and how laborious a
| task II has been to induce action,
may be judged from the correspond
ence that was carried on by Presi-
dent Smith, of the Cairo Commercial
Club. with respect to the matter. 1t
appears the subject was brought TO
the notice of this organization in the
ld'itl part oi june anu tllt loiioNih5
letter was written by President
Smith. to he various parties therein
mentioned and others:
June 80, 1906.
Dear Sir-The Mississippi river is
eating its banks ana making rapid
Roadway toward our Drainage Dis
1ict leyee one half mile north Of the
city limits which looks serious to
those of our people who have been /
watching the action Of the rivers for
many years.
AS we are greatly interested in |
The Drainage District. it being prac I
Iically a part Of Cairo, we feel it or |
duty to call upon you TO secure gov
erument protection for this bank in
order that our leyees may be main
tanned. Cairo, including the Drainage
District adjoining and pust north Of
the city limits. has about 25 miles of
leyee which protects the lives, homes,
industries and business interests Of
our thriving city.
These leyees have been built and
iiifA - tuillNA ny tIt CT INC ~ hllidBt
District and corporations within them
at their own cost and expense and
are protection to all interests They
have never cost the Il. S. Government
a dollar for construction or main
tcnance, yet they answer the same
purpose in protecting the property of
the u. s. Government and the lives.
of its employees.
1T cost this community over ST..
100000 to construct and maintain
these leyees and we have never ask
ed the governments aid in their con
struction or maintenance. But we
feel it our duty to ask the government
to maintain the banks upon which we
nave built these leyees at heavy
cost to this community
I'VE have built our levees-we are
willing to maintain them at our own
cost-we are willing to protect and
care for the lives of government EN-
ployees and to protect and care for
government property within our le
wees, but our community is TOO weak 4
to undertake to protect
md maintain the banks of the Miss In
ssppi river upon which our levees "a
stand In
Therefore by resolution this day il
rdopted by the Cairo Commercial n
hub the president was directed 90
with you. also with Hon T.
'rable Shelby NJ. Culom. Honorable ,
William Lorimer, Honorable A. IIr
hopkins and the Honorable George D,
N. Smith, from Illinois, and other N
in congress, asking 4,
10000 be made available at once and +.
ne L. 5. Engineer in charge be an. O.
harized TO proceed with This work inn. o.,
uediately, in order that the banks of r,
he Mississippi river upon which we r.
ave constructed our leyees may De-.
Protected.
Your cooperation with our repre-. %,
entatiyes from Illinois. and influence g
n orr behalf will be greatly appre ,
lated by the Cairo Commercial hi
Tub Yours truly. ia
L. A. SMITH. President. w
Attest; CHAS r. STUART. pa
Secretary. .fo
Replies To this letter led TO am ex. d.,
nnsive correspondence with half g..
core OF people high in The govern
rent a.,
Senator Cullom wrote. "The other D..
ay ] believe. We secured an appr1- d,
ration to maintain the banks Ar Id
hester. and think the law broad
nough to cover work that hould be- of
one on the banks of the river ~ r.,
cur place will see the secretary .,,,
war al the first opportunity 7 d,
ave and lay the whole matter be- h.,
re him. II q is within the power Of 80.
le secretary 10 use part Of the APP IA
-opriation for The vicinity of Cairo. 40
will see that he exercise g." d.
Congre. sman Hopkins wrote. - RI,
il take the matter mp with Con A.,
'essman Smith. ] aided 90 securing -,
e passage Of a Law to make some -
nds available on the Mississippi b..
cover a point in Randolph county ~
id ! am moi sure but that the Ian
fsn