JOHN \V. McCLURE, MEMPHIS, TENN., 

 PRESIDENT 



W. E. HYDE, MEMPHIS. TEXN., 

 SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT 



C. BONNER, HETII. AUK., 

 DIRECTOR 



^ Organize Big Land Association ^ 



The .Southern Alluvial Land Association was launched at the 

 Hotel Gayoso, Menijihis, Saturday, December 16, when a number of 

 owners of cut-over lands in the Mississippi delta met and adopted 

 a constitution and by-laws and elected the following officers for 

 the first year: 



President, John W. McClure, chairm.in of tho organization committee. 



First Vice-President, A. C. Lang of Bl.vtlieville, Ark. 



Second Vice-President, W. E. H.vde of Memphis. 



Directors : For one year, S. M. Nickey, Memphis ; W. II. Harrison, 

 Cape Girardeau, Mo. ; Thomas W. Frye, St. Louis ; S. E. Simonson, Lux- 

 ora. Ark. ; F. R. Gadd, Chicago ; for two years, W. C. Bonner, Heth, 

 Ark. ; Albert N. Thompson, Memphis ; John M. Pritchard, Memphis, J. E. 

 Diamont, Trumann, .\rk. ; R. H. Darnell, Memphis ; for three years, 

 W. H. Dick, Philipp, Miss. ; R. Sondheimer, Jlemphis ; H. B. Weiss, 

 Memphis ; Nelson W. Walcott. Providence, R. 1. ; W. B. Burke, Charles- 

 ton, Miss. 



The attendance was somewhat disapijointing on account of the 

 very unfavorable weather and because of the close approach of the 

 holidays. However, what was lacking in numbers was fully made 

 up in enthusiasm. Those present, all of whom enrolled as active 

 charter members, represented approximately .500,000 acres of cut- 

 over lands in the territory to be covered by the association, and Jno. 

 W. McClure, the new president, as well as other prominent mem- 

 bers of the new organization, said that there were enough members 

 in sight to assure that at least 1,000,000 acres would be represented 

 by January. This view is based on the unusual interest which has 

 been displa3'ed in the work of the organization committee, which 

 outlined the scope and plans of the new association, at a meeting 

 held in Memphis earlier in December. 



A permanent membership committee, composed of Rudolph Sond- 

 heimer, W. E. Hyde, W. B. Burke, W. C. Bonner and S. M. Xickey, 

 was appointed by President McClure, and the first action taken by 

 these gentlemen was the enrollment of the following as charter 

 members: 



Cliicago Mill Jt Lumhcr Company, the Lamb-Fish Lumlier Company, 



the Tallabatcliie Lumber I'ompiiuy, tbe Bellgrade Lumber Company. E. 



Sondheimer Company, George C. Brown & Co., tlie DeSlia Lumber Company, 



S. E. Sjmonscm and J. M. Pritchard. 



It is expected that the membership committee will be busy during 



the next few days, as it will facilitate matters in every way possible 



for those desiring to connect themselves with the new association. 

 It was decided that there shall be two classes of membership, 



active ami associate. Active members will be owners of cut-over 



—20— 



lands. They will pay an initiation fee of $25 and annual dues of 

 about 2 cents per acre. The associate members will be banks, as- 

 sociations, and civic and commercial bodies. They will pay an in- 

 itiation of $100 and their dues shall be $100 per annum. 



It was also decided that the new association shall not begin active 

 operation until the membership represents at least 1,000,000 acres 

 of out-over lands. As soon as this amount of land is represented, 

 headquarters will be opened in Memphis, and an active secretary 

 will be employed. A membership controlling 1,000,000 acres will 

 insure a fund of approximately $20,000 to be used to carry out the 

 objects and purposes of the association, which are set forth as 

 follows: 



First — To advertise the alluvial lands bordering tlie southern Missis- 

 sippi river from Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Cairo, HI., south to the end of 

 the hardwood belt. 

 Second — To place upon these lands desirable farmers and settlers. 

 Third — To co-operate in every proper way with these settlers in solv- 

 ing their business, financial and agricultural problems with a view to 

 lielping them to become liappy, contented and !>rosperous members of 

 these communities. 



Fourth — To co-operate in every proper way witli otlier organizations 

 and other forces which are working to build up communities and improve 

 conditions within this territory. 



Fifth — To furnish such information to mcniltcrs as w'ill assist them 

 in developing and settling up their lauds. 



The Southern Alluvial Land Association will be separate and dis- 

 tinct from all other lumber organizations, and It will act in- 

 dependently of any other organization formed for the purpose of 

 developing cut-over lands. This has been made quite clear by Presi- 

 dent McClure and other officers. This decision is based on the fact 

 that the cut-over lands to be advertised and handled by the associa- 

 tion are far superior In fertility of soil :ind In richness to those being 

 placed on the market by any association operating elsewhere. 



Mr. McClure also emphasized that the new association Is not ex- 

 clusively for lumbermen, inasmuch as anybody is eligible to mem- 

 bership who owns cut-over lands In the particular section to bo 

 covered by the association. In the small number of members already 

 enrolled there is one banker and one gentleman who is serving as 

 secretary of one of the big lumber organizations here. 



The subject of advertising and developing these cut-over lands in 

 the Mississippi delta has been vigorously discussed during the past 

 several weeks. It was brought prominently forward during the 



