Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-08-17
Washington Officials Spring Surprise by New
 Attitude.
CONFERENCE HOLDS
 ITS DUTY OF U. S,
Congressman Taylor Says It Has Gen. erally Been Regarded as Duty of Government to Protect Banks at
 Bends in Rivers.

| interested East Pine Bluff prOpert, owners, city officials and trustees O. the chamber of commerce decided yes terday afternoon, at a meeting at the chamber of COmmtrce. that it is up tC | the federal government to adequately | protect property on the river front from weak or caving banks, and that 1 the government engineers cannot eX- pect local interests to pay any of the cost of strengthening the banks. The matter came up for action with the receipt of telegram yesterday forenoon, in which the question was asked, how much of the necessary ex- pense would be borne by the city of Pine Bluff and interested property owners.
 Further information in the matter was obtained from the engineers of flee at Little Rock, P. L. Van Frank assistant to the engineer. outlining the facts as follows. in brief:
 The south bank of the river. from Hardins bayou east to point be- yond the shops property of the Cot ton Belt is in very weak condition, and likely to cave badly at the next flood stage of the. river.
 The caving. at least at some no'nts may extend as far south as Second avenue causing great property loss.
 The force of the current in the riv- CT bears altogether against the south bank of the river and against the east hank of Hardin's bayou where it emp o,ld -evetment are absolutely necessarS% and should he made immediately
 An expenditure of approXimatel' s46 .OOO is required to do the wo, K needed. and there remains only $I.o''' in the only government t1nd ITO" which tho expemitnre can be mad'
 Comes as Surprise.
 The announcement that the federal government exnccts Pine Bluff to pay all or a part of the cost of the revet- ment work came as a great surprise here, especially in view of the fact that last week when Major E. M. Markham. in charg" of this district. was in Pine Bluff. he stated that the work would be started by the engi- neering department as soon as the necessary authority was received from Washington, and indicated that such authority was expected at any date.
 It appears, however. that the Wash ington authorities looked into the matter and then suggested to Major Markham that in view of the fact that Vine Bluff property was to be pro- tected, the owners of such property should pay at least part of the cost of the work.
 Meeting Takes Action.
 Representatives of the Cotton Belt stated that the road would haul free If all cost. whatever materials are necessary for the work. This was the only statement made during the meeting which indicated that the gov ernment would be aided in meeting the expense of the work.
 Congressman Sam Taylor was pres ant at the meeting. and stated that he would look into the matter at once. He mentioned that it has gen srally been the duty of the govern ment to protect the bends in all riv- yrs, where damage is likely and that he believed it the duty of the govern ment to do this work here. Mir. Tay- Tor remarked that when the last ses- sion of congress adjourned, there re- mained to the credit of work on the Arkansas river a sum of something like $60,O00, and so far as he knew only about $1O,000 of this has been expended since.
 The sense of the meeting was that the. federal government should do the work at it's own expense, and there will be correspondence along that line between the federal engineering department and the chamber of com merce. The Arkansas River Improve. ment association meeting at Little Rock late in the week will also dis. russ the matter. it is understood. ant in the meantime Congressman Taylor and other local people will seek fur ther information and take whatever 9ther action is necessary to have the river banks strengthened. and pro tected bv revetment work and in any other way. necessary.
 Lawyers Meet.