Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-03-04
RANsDELL AND WILSON BUSY.

three months.
AND WILSON BUSY.
Senator Ransden and Congressman
Riley j. Wilson have taken the sec
ond step towards putting into effect
the policies Of the New Orleans and
Jonesville Flood Controi Conventions.
The first step was urging the c"n-
nection with the appropriation f"r
flood control before the committees Of
congress the extension Of the Fifth
District Levee from POiat Breeze in
Concordia parish to Old River, thus
closing all the gap at Old RIVER ex-
cept about one mile. The legal au-
thority exists for the Inauguration Of
this work under the present appro-
priation.
The present and second step is the
introduction in both house and senate
Of Bills requesting an additional re-
port as suggested by The New Or
leans Flood Control Convention called
by Gov. Parker and which is to cover
the Atchafalaya, Red and Black iiv-
ers and asking that q plan be sre~i-
fled with recommendations for the
execution thereof that will give the
greatest measure Of protection to tie
basins Of these rivers from the flood
waters Of the Mississippi river, COLI
sistent with al other interests in tie
lower Mississippi Valley.
Senator Ransdell and Congressman
Wilson have recently had conferences
with the board Of engineers Of the war
department touching all these matters
and are working for the solution Of
this, the great remaining flood
control project in the entire country.
Discussing the matter a couple of
days ago, Congressman Wilson gave
it as his opinion, and which is concur
red in by Senator Ransdell, that &C.
ton should be taken by tina state Of
Louisiana along the lines Of what is
being done ct Washington. That IS,
the constitutional convention or the
state legislature should, as soon as
possible, secure survey and report
apon the same project by the board
Of state engineers for LOUISIANA
I. is necessary, he said. to get con-
certed action by the state and feder-
81 authorities and an investigation ana
report by state a. well as Re .ral en-
gineers, which viii ne most valuable
in this connection.
The state legislature has passed q
resolution recommending the divorce
ment Of the Red and Atchafalaya from
the Mississippi, but we should have
as q basis for further action and ex-
animation . report by the state board
Of engineers
The New Orleaas flood Control
Convention had the effect of placing
this great problem bcsore all the peo-
pie Of the state AM has caused y
general int 'est aud sympatheti: con-
sideration Vi the subject that has rev
er before been given. and has a.so
given to US, who are handling the mat
ter in legislative way, a clearer es-
innate Of the task ahead of as.
A number Of new features present
themselves to the engineers, in rela-
ton to which valuable observations
may be taken. For instance, clos
ing Of Cypress Greek Zap in Arkan-
sas. This gap has been closed after
an effort extending over thirty years
and was the last remaining gap e..
cept the one at Old River.
Originally about the same volume Of
water was diverted from the k'ssis.
sippi at Cypress Greek as passed cut
at Old River and through the Atchafa.
laya.
According to the chief of engineer.
the passing out at Cypress Gap in
1920 overlooked directly 6S7 square
miles Of territory in southwest Ar.
kansas and northeast Louisiana. Thi,
had considerable effect on floot
heights all the way down the Ouachita
and complicated the situation OF
Black river. Another new feature il
the flood Of 1920. being the frs
great flood during which al the levee'
held intact.
I would further suggest, said Con
gresham Wilson, that there shsult
be some plan srranged by the stat
for holding and devoting to the pur
poses Of this problem alone, all thu
taxes paid by the people in the parish
es affected, for levee purposes.-Nat
chez Democrat
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. w. Scott Of St