Farmers Resist Fed-Plant ~ 1941

BIG MOUND, BONAPARTE, CLAY GROVE, FARMINGTON, HARRISBURG, HOUGHTON, LACREW, MOUNT HAMILL, PRIMROSE, SHARON -- BELL, CLEMENTS, FOSTER, GRAY, GROENE, HAAS, HARNAGEL, HEMMINGS, HERRING, KENNEDY, KREBILL, PAISLEY, POLLARD

Posted By: L.K. Newby (email)
Date: 9/24/2006 at 10:03:04

Fort Madison Evening Democrat
March 25, 1941

BIG MASS MEET HELD AT SHARON

Opposition to location of a powder plant in the heart of Lee county’s richest farming area was organized at a mass meeting of more than 250 residents of the area in the Sharon Church Monday night.

The meeting, called as the result of information that a 96,000 acre site in Lee and Van Buren counties is being considered by the war department for location of a Midwest powder plant, went on record against the project.

A committee was authorized to draft a resolution asking the government, in the event this area was deemed necessary for the plant, to select less valuable lands rather than force farmers to evacuate many acres of the county’s most valuable and productive farms.

—CHAIRMAN NAMED—

William PAISLEY, former state legislator, was named chairman of the meeting, and Raymond HARNAGEL was named secretary. The committee named to prepare the resolution and forward it to Iowa’s senators and this district’s congressman included William KENNEDY, I. Clyde BELL, John GROENE and Harry KREBILL. It was also planned to send a delegation to confer with Sen. Clyde HERRING who will be in Des Moines on Saturday, March 29 to speak at a Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner.

—TELLS OF PLANT—

William HEMMINGS, president of Lee county Farm Bureau called the meeting to order and introduced as the first speaker, Don WALTERS, Burlington attorney who represented farmers in the shell plant area. He explained the procedure followed in acquiring of the shell plant land. He said the plan of taking options had been changed and that he had been informed the government would acquire land in the future by condemnation and not give owners a chance to talk price. He said that only about half the farmers in the shell plant area had been paid for their land to date and that the rest was in condemnation.

—ADVISES EARLY ACTION—

He advised the Lee county farmers to start early in working against the location if they did not want it. He advised them to send pictures and other proof of the good improvements on the land and its value to the war department.

After the shell plant site was acquired he said an assistant secretary of war told him the war department had blundered in taking good farms for the shell plant and that if the high officials had been advised earlier it would not have occurred.

—LOCAL MEN SPEAK—

E.H. POLLARD, Fort Madison attorney, reported to the meeting on a recent telephone conversation he had with Sen. HERRING relative to the plant.

He said that he was informed that this area was one of several sites definitely under consideration. However, he said, appropriations had not yet been made and that a government survey, in addition to one made by railroad engineers, would be made before the location is decided.

He advised those present to write personal letters to Sen. HERRING stating their views on the plant location.

Walter CLEMENTS and R.L. GRAY, directors of the Fort Madison Chamber of Commerce which previously went on record as opposed to location of the plant on good farming land of the county, also spoke briefly.

Mr. CLEMENTS said that the area of some 50,000 acres would remove around $58,000 in tax revenue in Lee county and that the area also includes nearly a quarter million dollar investment in secondary roads which would be lost to the county. Mr. GRAY spoke of the value of the lands and pointed out where less valuable lands could be taken along the Des Moines river.

—SCHOOL PROBLEM—

Leonard G. HAAS, county superintendent of schools, told of the problems and questions arising in the school district as the result of the proposal. He advised to continue to hire teachers on a term basis and make building repairs and improvements as necessary on schools within the area.

D.B. FOSTER, county agent, advised farmers to “keep cool” and to proceed with their spring planting.

Links:

Sen. Herring
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000543

William Paisley
http://iagenweb.org/history/register33/ior33345.htm

Iowa Ordinance Plant in Middletown, IA
http://users.rootsweb.com/~iadesmoi/Toomstone/Union/iaap.htm

[This was transcribed for Iowa counties Lee and Van Buren genealogy purposes, the news clipping was found among other family scrapbook items gathered by Mrs. J.M. Newby, 1882-1964.]

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