The Cairo bulletin., 1913-04-21

ctotco hdS SoiHc iS~O luc Guy, -sfQ 4
I am sure the people OF the city are
proud to have been so highly honor
cd by these. the greatest citizens OF
the United States i
The foods of 1919 served notice
upon the people here that the pres
ent levee system is inadequate to
safely protect the people against the
floods of the rivers. and Efforts were
successfully made la securing the as
sistanee OF the United States gove.>i-
ment 10 the extent OF $3.50, b00.Od.
10 which will he added $226:000. 90
by the railroads. leaving ebout
$3.50. 10000 to be raised by the City]
of Cairo end the Cairo Drainage
District to place all levees around
the city and Drainage District in a
substantial condition. strs ~ y
When the strong and influential
committee of citizens started for
Washington, April eth, 1912, ia
make an appeal for this assistance,
the following message from Con-
gresham Thistlewood was forward
ed to the delegation on the train,
and reached them at Carbondaie. : =
Washington, d. c.. April ~, 1919.
Hon. George Parsons, Mayor. Cairo.
Ill. <
Telegram received. failed TO get
a hearing for you before the com
mittee. ~" fsN
Signed N. r. THISTLEWOOD.'
In spite of the contents OF this
gloomy message. it was. determined
by the delegation on the train to
proceed to Washington and use
every means possible to obtain as
sistance. The result of the trip OF
this committee. which was followed
up by a period of seven weeks labor
by your mayor is known to everyone.
and ii is not improper to say al this
time that Cairo and Mound City are
b
practically the only cities mentioned
In the Rivers and Harbors Bill OF
1912. as securing Congressional aid
for protective work.
! The Rivers and Harbors commit
tee from the National Congress has
twice visited Cairo during my adj
ministration anu many conventions
of Importance have been held here
during the STE period
Under the inspiration OF the ex-
tensive public improvements going
on in the city, many private cor
porations have expended large sum:
of money in establishing new bust
ness here. or en- arging plants thai
had been in operation on smalle,
scale.
This brief outline of what hai
been accomplished during thes'
eight years. with the assistance o
the ciey officials and the public gen
orally, Is sufficient evidence OF wha
the services Of your mayor have beer
to the city OF Cairo. IT is now hi
sincere wish that the city will still
continue to develop and improve Il
the future, as it has improved dur
ing the past eight years.
Respectful ly submitted,
GEORGE PARSONS,
Mayor
Alderman Walsh moved the mes
sage be received and publ shed wit
J 1.-THE minutes OF this meeting. TIL
motion was adopted by the follow
ing vote: Aye-cox, Flack. Fry
, Greaney, Hurd. Kelly, MagneE
Nicholson. Neff, saup, Serbian an
Walsh. ~. Nay--None.
The mayor introduced Mr.. Chai
: II. Miller, of the Miller Ehginecrin
,lCompany, who presented the follow
, ling report:
Cairo, Illinois. March ~. 1913.
City OF Cairo,
! Honorable George Parsons, Mayor
Dear Sir,
The following briefly outlines tn
general plans OF the proposed wor
/, In connection with the strengthen
q and enlarging the levees around tn
, City of Cairo, in connection wit
. similar work to be accomplished o.
the levees around the Cairo Drain
: age District
This problem was taken up I'm
! mediately following the food
/, April, 1912, the United States Con
! gress having appropriated a sum
$3.50. 100000 towards the abov
! work, with the proviso that the Cit
of Cairo would expend. or cause t
be expended a similar amount TO
the same purpose.
! Immediately after the prelimi
nary plans and estimates were mad
the question of an equitable adjust
, ment Of the assessments, as betweel
, the railroad companies and the loca
property owners, was taken u
through conferences and otherwise
the purpose being to avoid lega
: contests if possible and their attend
ant delay to the starting of tn