The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-12-10
Highway Commission Hope" To Let
Escaiawpa Bridge Contract In January
Officidls Attend
Meeting AT Moss
Point City Hull

Polnt City Hull
The Highway Commission
hopes to include a contract for
the permanent repairs to the APP
proaches to the Escatawpa bridge
in its January letting of state road
work. John ID. Smith. commits
sioner for the Southern District,
told a group of county citizens
and officials Wednesday after
noon at a meeting at the Moss
Point city hall.
The meeting was called by Ed
ward A. Khayat, District Two
supervisor, following the flood of
last week which closed the bridge
for approximately five days.
Commissioner Smiths state
ment came in answer to a direct
question at the close of Wednes-
Gays meeting which lasted almost
two hours.
He had previously explained
that the delay in starting perma-
nent repairs to the bridge APP
proaches were caused by delay
In engineering plans.
Il would like to answer the
question definitely but | can't"
Commissioner Smith said. 81 can
tell you what the engineers said.
We hope to have the contract in
our January letting. W. tried to
get it in our December lettings.
/ don't know how long ii will
take TO work out the problem of
moving the gas line, and | don't
want to misrepresent the situa-
ton
Discover" Gas Line
During the question and an
session Commissioner Smith
told the group that the plans for
the repairs were complete when
it was discovered that a gas pipe
line crossed the right of way, and
that negotiations for the shift
ing of the pipe line would bring
about another delay, because
you know how slow it is deal
ing with these big companies
However, it was pointed out
by Supervisor Khayat that tn e
pipe line is owned by the City Of
Pascagoula and that therefore
there should be no delay in reach
ing an agreement satisfactory to
the commission.
Commissioner Smith was ac-
companied by John Kornrumph,
Southern District engineer. At
tending the meeting were A. P.
Moran, president of the board of
supervisors; Roy o. Cumbest,
George Cruthirds, Joe V. Krebs
and Mr.. Khayat, members of the
board; Mayor Bob Cirlot Of Moss
Point; Frank Spann and T. J..
Dickson, city aldermen; Rex
Moore and Frank Mixson of the
international Paper Co., Jack
Turner, member of the county
hospital board; A. f. Megehee,
county superintendent of educa-
ton. Luther w. Tanher, superin-
tendent of Moss Point city
schools; A. J. Franklin of the
YMBC, Henry Lynd of the VFW,
Howard Rabby. Alton Golf and
Yves Jones of Escatawpa, Hermes
F. Gautier. state representative,
Rames Khayat and EaSton King.
The meeting was opened by
Mayor Cirlot who said that Com
missioner Smith had been asked,
not to be put across a barrel
but for a friendly discussion to
see if the county and the entire
section depending on Highway
SO could not get some relief in
the situation that finds the high
way blocked during floods or ex-
IRENE high tides. Mayor Cirlot
pointed out the dangers to ve-
hicles travelling the highway dur
ing these conditions, as well as
the economic loss to citizens who
live in Escatawpa and are pre-
vented from reaching work dur
ing the frequent intervals when
the highway is closed because of
flooding.
Hampers Paper Mill
Mr.. Moran was called on to
preside owe the meeting. He re-
emphasized the statement of May
or Cirlot and called on Mr.. Moore
mill agent for the International
Paper Company's Moss Point mill,
for a statement.
Mr.. Moore read from a letter
to Commissioner Smith written
on March Is, 1948, in which he
pointed out how the condition Sc
riously affected the operation of
the company's huge plant.
The letter said in part that I'VE
believe we can safely say that
30 days out of the year this road
is covered by water. creating a
very hazardous condition, and
often is blocked to traffic several
days at a time. During the past
month, traffic was stopped for
about eight days.
you can readily see what this
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