Chapter Eighteen

The Bull Shoals Dam

Page 318-319

Among the most ardent advocates of multi-purpose dams on White River was the late Judge R. M. Ruthvin of Baxter County who attended all the hearings held by the Corps of Engineers and presented arguments supported by statistics and facts as to the desirability of multi-purpose projects over flood control projects only. He would recite the undesirable features of flood control only projects and cite the Wappapello dam on the St. Francis River in Missouri as an example of the mud, filth and slime that followed a flood when the water receded. He would point out that the farmland could not be cultivated and the water in the reservoirs would be of little value for recreational purposes. Another ardent advocate of multi-purpose dams was the late Tom Shiras, Editor of the Baxter Bulletin. In an appearance before a Congressional Hearing on the construction of multi-purpose dams, Mr. Shiras in his plea pointed out that there were millions of wild horses running untamed and unharnessed down White River doing untold damage, bringing death and destruction to the people of the White River Valley. He concluded with this plea: "Tame and harness these wild horses and put them to work for the people whose property they have destroyed." His plea carried a convincing note to the Congress.

After the Public Hearing by the Corps of Engineers, a recommendation was submitted to the Congress that the dams be constructed primarily for flood control with production of hydro-electricity and recreational facilities where desirable and economically feasible.

Upon learning of the recommendation, Congressman Clyde T. Ellis asked for and received the approval of the Congressional Committee considering the matter to have delegations from Baxter, Marion and Boone Counties to appear before the Committee to voice their views on installation of hydro electric facilities in the Norfork Dam soon to be under construction and for the other dams to be constructed later on White River. Delegations from these counties and, perhaps, from other areas did go to Washington and appeared before the Committee. Among those from Baxter County attending were: Tom Shiras, Judge R. M. Ruthven, Ben Dearmore, Clyde Bryant, Rex Bodenhammer, and, perhaps, there were others whose names cannot be remembered at this time. From Marion County those names remembered were: Luther Cavaness, G. B. Keeter, Gus McCracken, Leslie Clem, Lon Berry, Earl Berry, Glenn Johnson, and perhaps one or two others whose names cannot be remembered at this writing. Since the Boone County delegation did not appear on the same day as the Baxter and Marion County delegations appeared, the names of the delegates are not remembered with certainty but memory seems to recall that among the Boone County delegates were the late Virgil Willis and the late Len Jones.

The Hearing before the Committee was brief and no long speeches were allowed. It was largely a matter of stating your name and address and then the question by the Chairman: "Do you favor the installation of hydro electric facilities in the Norfork Dam?" The answer given by all the dele gates from both Baxter and Marion Counties was: "I do." Presumably the Boone County delegation gave the same answer. We have earlier referred to the plea made by Tom Shiras about harnessing the wild horses of the White River Valley. The Chairman usually followed each speaker with: "Thank you: Next witness, please."

An interesting sidelight to the trip to Washington to appear before the Committee may be given here. Four of the Marion County delegation made the trip to Washington in a car, spent one day and one night in Washington, two days and two nights on the trip to the city and two days and one night on the return trip and the total cost of the trip for lodging, food and gasoline was less than $75.00. It seems unbelievable today with hamburgers selling at one dollar each or above; rooms not less than $8 to $10 per person and gasoline at sixty cents per gallon and gasoline consumption at an average of 14 or 15 miles per gallon. At that time hamburgers and sandwiches cost 10 cents, a plate lunch 35 cents and breakfast with bacon, eggs, toast and coffee for the same; rooms in tourist homes-there were few motels then-at 50cents per person; room in Washington, D.C. then cost each one of the delegation $1.00 per night and gasoline was from 14 to 16 cents a gallon and the car in use averged about twenty miles to the gallon.

Construction of the Norfork Dam began the following year with power facilities included. With construction of Norfork, the economy of both Baxter County and Marion County was changed. Many men in Marion County were employed on the Norfork project and this employment gave them the experience needed to qualify for better jobs on many war projects that sprang up all over the nation when we were engulfed shortly thereafter in World War II.

Soon after World War II ended, construction on the Bull Shoals Dam began. Many of the men in Marion County who had been employed in various war-related projects during the war and now closed, and many returning veterans to Marion County found no jobs. The building of Bull Shoals Dam was a lifesaver for the economy of Marion County. Men found employment here in the county. New businesses sprang up in Yellville and Flippin. A new town-Bull Shoals -came into being. The need for new homes and additional housing became apparent. Construction of these followed both in the towns and in the areas surrounding the towns. A paved highway from Flippin to the dam site was constructed as was a highway from Highway 5, at Midway in Baxter County to the dam.

With these roads built, it became apparent that a bridge across the top of the dam was a necessity but such had not been provided for in the appropriation. The Arkansas Congressional delegation was contacted and through their cooperation and the Arkansas Highway Department, the road from Flippin to Midway was made a state highway with a bridge across White River at the dam.

Many problems arose in the county as a result of the building of the Bull Shoals Dam. Among the problems was the relocation of life-long residents of the valley who, as the reservoir began to fill up, were obliged to leave their farms and re-locate. In many instances this meant leaving Marion County as there was not enough fertile land in the county to take the place of the river bottoms and creek bottoms which they had farmed. Another problem was the re-location of the roads and bridges which had been inundated by the reservoir. That part of Marion County north of White River including Northfork Township, Cedar Creek Township, and Keesee Township were isolated from the remainder of the county as there were no bridges or ferries across the lake by which the residents could reach Yellville.