The Forrest City times., 1911-02-17

to preserve the credit of the district He stated that interest on the bonds added to the average annual cost of maintenance would make the total estimated expenses for 1911 about sl70,SS5. The annual tax at Il cents an acre brings in s205, ,000, which he said, would leave balance for the year, providing no contingencies arise from floods and breaks.
 He declared that in 1912 interest charges on bonds and outstanding certificates would be s12i,392, that there would be s69,O00 in maturing certificates, which added to the an- nual maintenance cost would run the total to S233, 762. Then, he added, in 1915 there would be sl75, ,000 in matur- ing certificates, sl16, 9i0 of interest, which would run the expenses in that year to about s330,0O0. Thus, he said 1t could be easily seen that there is need for increased tax returns.
 MT Going declared that in not one other of the 9 levee districts in Arkansas was the board of direc- tors restricted as to the annual tax rate. He further declared, using the report of the engineer for the district to substantiate his claim, that the levee system is only 60 per cent con- plete and that, although the original cost was estimated at g., COG, 900, less than S3,000,0 has been spent thus far in the r years since the district was created
 That the 179 miles of levee in the district comprises the largest work of that character in the world, was an other assertion made by MT. Going. He further set forth that in Critten- den county where the levee is 30 feet high and 160 wide at it's base, land has increased in value from practically nothing to S25 an acre and even more. He made an urgent appeal for the continuance to successful conclusion of the work that has meant so much to Eastern Arkansas.
 Judge Brown, of Craighead county, insisted that all bills concerning the district that were pending in the legislature be read and discussed. Finally, the senate bill introduced by Senator Turner and providing for the election of members of the board of directors by the taxpayers in the dis trict, was read. The reading of this bill led to the discussion of such varied number of topics that the pur- pose of the meeting threatened to be forgotten-and was forgotten by many
 Judge Allen Hughes. of Memphis, declared that it had been the senti- ment of meeting held Tuesday in Memphis by representatives of about 300, GOO acres of land that there should be an additional bond issue of 8 900, ,000 to bring the levees to a point of absolute safety. He said that the suggestion was to make S400,000 of the bonds mature every five years until paid and that taxes be raised until the interest could be paid ....and a safe amount be placed each year in sinking fund to insure prompt redemption af the bonds. He said these men had favored taking the appointment of the members of the board of directors out of the hands of the governor and out of politics. They also favored, he said, eliminating Phillips county from the district.
 A declaration by NJ. Brooks Nor fleet that a majority of taxpayers in St.Francis county favored the passage of the bills for increased tax levies provoked lively discussion. James Russell of Forrest City, former treas urer of the board of directors, de- clared himself in favor of increased taxation if the land owners are al lowed to elect the board of directors. Captain Nash, of St. Francis county, who represents about 30,000 acres of land in the district, declared himself in favor of the tax increase, as did also Love Banks, of Cross county, "Billn Williams, former sheriff of St. Francis county and many others