Evening star., 1933-07-16
LACK Of j. s. FUNDS
ENDANGERS FLOOD
CONTROL PROGRAM
Employment of Hundreds of
Workers Hangs in Balance
in Memphis Area.
BY THOMAS FAUNTLEROY.
,eciaI Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, July 15.-Flood
control work in the Memphis engineer
district, embracing all of the section
mouth of White River Is seriously en-
dangered by the failure of officials In
Washington to allot funds for the carry
on of operations. The employment of
hundreds of workers is hanging In the
balance as a result.
Last March the Congress appropri-
ated funds for the regular work
planned for this year. But this was
followed by a stop order and no funds
have been made available since.
Flood control work and navigation
operations on the Mississippi usually
begin as soon as the Spring high water
is out of the way. As rule, it Is i'm
possible to get in full swing between
the middle of June and the first Of
July. The high water this Spring was
more menacing than usual. but the
and the blistering sun Of the last three
weeks has dried out the areas where
the work would be performed.
Work Would Be Dangerous
| With 10 funds available nearly a
month after the usual starting time
this year, it is probable that some Of
| IIlc 1chet WOIh Iidppco OuL lUI ILLS
season will not be carried on. This
arises from the necessity of cutting the
main line levees to perform the work
an operation considered dangerous and
unwise after August l because Of the
possibility of an early Fall rise. The
history Of Mississippi River floods shows
that no particular month is immune,
though Spring and Fall are generally
to be feared
ay,} mi ~ $Iook
II the ordinary funds were available
and the plans were going forward as
usual more than 1000 men would be
at work. In addition to this, there
would be a sharp movement in equip
ment and commissares. The old days
of levee. camps with colored laborers
and mules have given way to the mod
ern drag line shovels and superior
equipment. just as the steamboats, of
other days have given way to barges,
, sef-propelled and capable of carrying
trainloads at time.
Weather Ideal for Work.
When the stop order was issued sew
, eral weeks ago it was announced that
: the food-control operations were to be
. made 2 part of the public works pro-
: gram. ard that the flood-control ap-
preparations were to be combined with
the funds set aside for that purpose
; The idea was to put men back to work
: on useful and necessary Federal prof.
ects.
{ The hot. dry weather that has pre-
vailed for the last month is ideal for
= levee work. All engineering plans and
$. preparations for the work this year
were made during the Winter months.
and the Memphis district was ready
! to swing into action the moment funds
! were available
4 Though the work has gone forward
' since the flood-control act of 1923 at
{ the rate Of s35,000,000 a year. the big
: system is not yet complete. The spill
way above New Orleans is completed,
thus relieving New Orleans from fur
; ther danger of food by enabling the
engineers to turn the surplus water
into Lake Ponchatrain. The hoodway
across from Cairo is fairly complete,
relieving the pressure from Cairo. and
work has been done on the spillway
south of the Arkansas River.
In the Memphis district aside from
the work across from Cairo, the big
job has been to bring the levees up
to standard. The highest water ever
known in Memphis was in 1918 when
the river went to As feet. The levees
are now ready for so feet, and about all
that remains to be done is to strengthen
them and otherwise secure them for a
flood. There has been no flood in this
section since the great flood of 1927.
and no menace except early this Spring.