The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-08-25

So present plan purpose of those the northwest
broad vision of coming economic and social better
ment and knowledge of how best to obtain of that
more abundant life to ask for Missouri Valley
Authority They want MVA set after the general pattern
of IVA public corporation responsible and responsive
President and the people, This public
ton MVA to be clothed with all to in
augurate forward and extend circumstances warrant
sound co-ordinated and balanced plan OF Missouri Valley
development.
Necessarily such plan program have several
main detectives. People who live in Montana Wyoming,
Colorado and the western part of North and South Dakota
Nebraska and Kansas want irrigation Perhaps two mil
lion under ditch has insufficient water supply
low flow stages water at ALL Many million of addi-
ona brown and arid be brought under
canal system supplied by pumping plants there
available cheap power Thus the
thirds of the drainage basin looks forward to
storage reservoirs large canal systems and pumping plants
About the is also mostly concerned with pre-
venon of soil Because of fatness slope
vegetation there is comparatively little erosion in eastern North
and South Dakota, Nebraska Kansas Missouri
Nearly hundred twenty million tons of silt annually
into Mssspp River channenouqh to cover more than one
hundred square miles foot deep This from the
two thirds largely the western half of the great drainage
basin.
and bars islands that obstruction flow and navga
ton problem that vitality effects the eastern onehrd of
this drainage basin Even more is
Kentucky Tennessee Arkansas Mississippi and
Louisiana which border the Father of Water below its
fluence with Missouri River.
the lower one-thrd Missouri Valley and the
states along the Mississippi below St. Louis that menaced
and errorzed by recurring floods Damage along Missouri
River channel alone for past two years was one hundred
twelve million dollars and thirty lives ost approximately the
ces AS to the extent of flood damage along the lower
Mississippi when measured in dollars and lives the writer has
present knowledge We read in the papers of millions
losses two About half of this must be charged
to Missouri RIVER water because the Missouri Ohio furnish
the great bulk of Mississippi flow 1t down these two that
most destructive floods At any rate the whole lower
Mississippi Valley vitality concerned and interested in
Missouri River flood control.
And all the lower Missouri and Mississippi region
from Sioux City, Iowa. southwark to the Gulf of Mexico
that is directly and primarily concerned with better navga
ton There is found the denser population goods
to These channels their arteries
to the Alongside and largely dependent upon this cheap
trade route their civilization founded and built
All parts of the Missouri Valley Empire cheap
abundant Electric current that will take the drudgery
out of house work. and do chores the Power
heat light refrigeration and hundred mechanical gadge
Power tor water turn myriad of industrial wheels
replace costly and der Goals, oils gasses in an
expanding and improving civilization.
detectives then irrigation of soil erosion