The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-04-30
LAND OWNERS
MEET AT MARKS
Flood Control Would Divert Coldwa-
ter and Tallahatchie Rivers
Benefit 100000 Acres.

Mississippi, extending from Lakeview
to Yazoo City and east from the Y.
& NJ. V. Railroad to the hills, would
be benefited by vast reclamation
project considered by gathering of
planters and land owners here this
afternoon.
This project involves damming the
Coldwater River and the diversion of
its flood waters through canal into
the Mississippi River by way of Horn
Lake, and the diversion of the flood
waters of the Tallahatchie River
through canal extending from the
neighborhood of Batesville at least
to the vicinity of Greenwood and per-
haps farther south.
Prominent Men Attend.
1t was an assembly of powerful
men who gathered today to initiate
the movement. w. B. Burk and P. H.
Starks of the Lamb-Fish Lumber
Company were here, as was Bob Car
rier of Sardis. Others included the
following: DIR. H. w. Crenshaw, Cren-
shaw; R. F. Sledge and w. R. Taylor,
of Sledge. S. F. Jones and O. c. Neill
of Greenwood, Richard Cheatham of
Walls, former Congressman George
w. Fithian of Newton, ILL.,, S. B.
Fithian, of Falcon, J. w. Kerr of Saw
age, F. w. Cannon Of Senatobia, R..
A. Cox of Marks. And there were 9TH
ers in number sufficient to fill the cir
cult courtroom. Judge Denton of
Marks presided, while Mr.. Kirby of
Tunica acted as secretary.
L. L. Hidinger of Memphis, vice
president of the Morgan Engineering
Company; Willis Ayres of Memphis,
Jacob A. Harman of Elliott & Harman
of Peoria, ILL.,, A. L. Dabney and l..
W. Mashburn of Clarksdale were the
engineers who gave opinions on var
ious phases of the project. Mr.. Hid
niger, through the connection of the
-Msrgan company with che Iszoo-
Coldwater Drainage District; Mr..
Harman, through his connection with
the a-Tallahatchie Drainage
District, and Mr.. Dabney, through his
former connection with the old Talla-
hatchie district, led in the discussion
AS now projected, it is planned to
dam the Coldwater at a point about
five miles east of Lost Lake, then di-
vert the waters of the river by means
Of creeks and canal into Horn Lake
and thence into the Mississippi River
! The outlet of the canal would be just
south of the station of Lakeview. lr
his manner all the vast volume o.
.lood water which now pours from thu
. nils into Coldwater and thence int
the Tallahatchie to flood the level al
,uvial plains of that stream and th
Yazoo, would be diverted by shor
route into the Mississippi.
This same effect would be increase
further, it is contended, by running
canal from the point near Batesville
where the Tallahatchie energies fror
the hills, south to the neighborhood o
Greenwood, or even further soutf
This canal would just skirt tn
foot of the hills, so that some eXca
vation and the construction of certal
levees on the west side of the propos
ed watercourse, would enable cor
! finement of the flood waters to
channel right against the foot of tn
hills, which would form the east bar
of the canal. This canal would al
sorb all the flood waters from tt
hills, while the normal channel of tt
Tallahatchie would be able to tai
care of the water originating in tt
delta through which it flows, wltho
overspreading its banks.
Whether or not these two projec
are to be put into operation throus
a single agency yet is to be dete
mined. They were laid before t
gathering here today separately b
with an explanation of their combi
ed effect.
Will Hold Another Meeting.
It was the sense of the gatheri1
that another meeting should be he
by residents of the south end of t
interested territory, probably
Greenwood, and S. F. Jones and 0.
Neill of Greenwood, and Mr.. Jones
Belzoni were appointed commit
to ascertain sentiment in their end
the proposed area. If it is favorab
a big meeting is to be called, to viii
all interested in the project will be
vited.
By that time the engineers prot
bly, will have calculated the cost
completed at least tentatively tn
plans for accomplishing the work o.
lined.
That completion of this plan to ia
by the throat the hills streams VIII
periodically inundate the alluv
blafns of the Yazoo Valley with tn
torrents, will mean millions of doll'