The weekly soliphone., 1917-02-15
DRAINAGE PROJECT
 LOSES IN HOUSE

Little Rock, Feb S.-The hard est fight of the session over a local bill was precipitated yesterday aft ernoon, when the French bill for the organization of the Big Lake drainage district came up for con- sideration. The bill sought to or ganiZe a district that would drain 25S,000 acres in Craighead, Poin- sett and Mississippi counties, and the representatives and senators It was opposed by representatives from the counties of St. Francis, Cross, Lee and Phillips, who claim ed that it was not local bill, since in it's effects it would add to the flood hazard of their countries.
 MT. Harrison of Cross said there is now pending in congress, as he had been informed by Congressman Caraway, a bill appropriating $1O0,- 900 for the purpose of making a survey for comprehensive drain age system for the entire St. Fran cis river basin. He opposed the bill declaring that it would turn loose a vast volume of flood water, inundating the lower counties, and he pleaded that the project be held up pending the outcome of the gov ernment survey.
 MT. iNorfleet opposed the bill for the same reasons.
 MT. Wilson of Mississippi spoke for the bill, declaring that the outlet sought is the only natural outlet
 MT. Adams of Phillips argued that the project should be held in abeyance until the government can make it's survey.
 Mir. Craig of Greene asserted that the proposed project is the only way to overcome the effect of the Keystone drainage district which has been organized in Mississippi county, which menaces the counties west of it, by threatening to divert d it's natural channel.
 MT. Osborne of Sebastian,' who has relatives in Craighead who would be affected by the proposed improvement, argued for the bill, and said that unless this protection were provided, their farms and hun dreds of other valuable farms would be flooded by the waters from the Keystone district.
 MT. Elliott of Lee spoke against the bill.
 Mir. French spoke for it, and took issue with MT. Harrison and oth- CTS, declaring that it would not in crease the mean depth of the St. Francis flood waters two inches.
 Mir. Brinton of Craighead, made an eloquent plea for the passage of the bill, declaring that there are three big corporations in Mississip- pi county who are really the forces back of the opposition. They had first organized the Tri-County drain age dlStr1CI, WHICH WdS ucledlou, and then they had organized the Keystone drainage district, and the proposed bill would kill the effects of that. He asserted the attorneys and engineers and paid lobbyists of these corporations, are working in the legislature Hike flock of vultures," and "the whole argu- ment," said he, ''is wait, wait, wait! until the Keystone district can get in it's work and ruin the people of Craighead and Poinsett counties with it's surplus waters
 The bill was defeated by vote of 33 to 43.
 There were many members who declined to vote, saying that it was a matter in which their people were not concerned and they did not feel called upon to decide community diff ferences.
 The senate bill appropriating S23,- 900 from the game protective fund in the state treasury to pay the deficiency in the state game and fish commission was passed by the house.