Reelfoot Lake Dam Spillway - Tiptonville Times, July17,1931

From: Tiptonville Times, July 17, 1931, page 1

Lake Spillway Is Dedicated

The recently completed Reelfoot Lake Spillway bridge was formally dedicated on Wednesday afternoon when Governor Horton and a number of legislators and state officials attended. The crowd has been estimated at close to 2 thousand people. Reelfoot Lake Post 174 and Milton Talley Post (Obion County) were jointly in charge of the ceremonies. The project was formally named the Hill-Talley Spillway Bridge in honor of young men form Lake and Obion counties who were killed in active service in the World War. Mrs. Talley and Mrs. Hill, parents of the respective boys, were introduced by Senator J. S. Riley. The welcome address was given by Legion Commander Dr. George J. Stephens of the Reelfoot Post, who stated the dual purpose of the occasion - to name the new bridge and to pay honor to Henry Hill and Milton Talley who lost their lives in the World War. Senator J. S. Riley acted as master of ceremonies, introducing the various speakers with considerable spirit and lively side comments, and also made a very brief speech himself. Other speakers for the occasion were: Howell Buntin, state game warden; Judge Buchanan, Highway Commissioner Baker and Senators Love, Craig, Sparkman, Abernathy, Priest and Governor Horton. Buntin, Baker and the Governor stressed the excellence of the structure and pointed out that it stood as a monument to signallize the end of the bickerings about the Lake that have gone on for almost a generation. Senator Craig spoke of the 10 acres set aside for a state biological laboratory and painted the possibilities of important studies on the Lake. The spillway bridge was built with Federal aid at an estimated cost of $51,476 is of concrete throughout, 230 feet long, has a 24-foot roadway, two side walks, four rows of bannisters and has 21 pieces of machinery for operating the mechanism to hold the Lake at the required water level. Designs were made in the state engineer's office, contract by Frazier-Davis Construction Company of St. Louis, and work was carried on under the supervision of state engineer W. A. Routon assisted by engineer Fumbanks. The fish ladder at the south end is four feet wide, allowing fish to come from the drainage ditch from the Obion River into the waters of the Lake.