Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-05-29

MODEL row ms ABANDONED.
Some Pleasant Dreams Of Irritation
Engineers Are Over.
The model town policy as first
announced by the representatives OF
the government in connection with
the reclamation of large areas of land
to agricultural purposes, seems to be
losing some of it's glamor in passing
through the crucible of LEGISLATION.
AS first announced-undoubt with
out authority and colored with the
professional enthusiasm of the civil
engineers-these towns that were to
be established about every five miles
along the line of irrigation canal ire
ferring to the Huntley project more
particularly were to be a mile square.
to be laid out on scientific engineer
ing principles and to be sold in lots
at appraised prices that would yield
q sum total sufficient to install perm.
anent systems of water, sewerage and
electric lighting. In short, the gov.
eminent was to turn over to the people
in each case a model city equipped
with all of the latest and most an.
proved appliances for public service.
1t was a very attractive idea and no
doubt had disquieting effect on
neighboring municipalities already es.
tablished and already saddled with
large municipal debts incurred in the
requirements or lease of these utili.
ties that the new communities were
to own in fee simple, for what more
likely than the tax-burdened residents
of these older communities should de-
eide to pack up, bag and baggage, and
move to one of these "spotless towns"
where everything that means an as
sessment or an increased tax levy,
was done and finished for all time and
where local taxes could not exceed
the cost of administration of the To-
cal government. That was certainly
the program as originally given out
by the government engineers and a
plat OF the Huntley project now be-
fore us shows in most inviting man.
ner, five townsites dropped along at
even intervals on the stretch between
he -nCertion of tie canal at Hunt ,
and its deb ,ucln ert in,c the Yello
stone below Bull Mountain. It was
pretty conceit and no doubt meant
continuous course in higher educat-
ion for the people and especially the
children who were fortunate to ex-
pand mentally under such admirable
physical surroundings, but through
some undiscovered agency all the
poetry has been squeezed out of the
plan now and very sordid and mat
ter of fact residue remains. The plan
as submitted to congress in the form
OF bill, still contemplates the with
drawal of areas deemed necessary
for townsites, but in size these are
restricted to 100 acres, a half a mile
square only, totally inadequate even
for present demands, and while the
feature of survey into lots and blocks
is preserved and while sales are to be
made to individuals, the proceeds are
are not to go to the establishment
and material improvement of the town,
but to the enrichment of the reclaim
alton fund. 1t is provided in the bill
that the town shall be improved and
maintained by the town authorities
at the expense of the town" and that,
in common with their agricultural
neighbors the townspeople may ac-
quire a water right for the town and
water power if it is available, but
these things must be paid for. In fact
the whole Aladdinesque picture paint.
ed by the engineering corps is wiped
out and the enhancing prospect OF
stepping into ready made and thor.
oughly equipped town with every mod.
ern convenience and utility waiting
but the push of the button, recedes
from view like a vanishing kineto.
scope picture.
Who did it? Who is the material
wretch or group of wretches that
blocked this fair program? Was it a
fear of competition that impelled es.
tablished municipalities to block
this contemplated progress and or
dain that all communities hereafter
erected shall travel the same weary and
expensive road that their predeces-
sore have gone over before, and was
the pretty picture painted by the en-
gineering corps only a dissolving
view?