Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-01-14
WANTS MEMORIAL
AT GREAT FALLS
COMMISSION MAKES REPORT
TO LEGISLATURE
PUBLIC
Would Place Shaft. in the Circle at
the Head Of Central Avenue In the
Electric City; Threr Forks Was
Second Choice of Board

Contingent on an appropriation by the
legislature. q bronze statue, q memorial
to Lewis and Clark, will be erected In
Great Falls. The commission authorized
by the 1928 assembly, in = report made
! public = few days ago.
Great Falls Ana Three Forks for such
memorials, or II only one Is to be con-
structed that II be In Great Falls. The
statue be placed in the circle at the
commission also recommended that the
head Of Central avenue.
This circle has been designated for The
memorial statue Of Paris Gibson, founder
Of Great Falls, but it is thought that II
this spot were assigned to. the Lewis
and Clark memorial, the Gibson statue
could be suitably placed in Gibson park
In Its report, which viii be submitted
to the Legislature this month, the com.
mission points out that the discovery OF
great falls of the Missouri by Lewis and
Clark was one of the most momentous
events In the historic expedition. Second
in Importance is the point at the three
forks of the Missouri, the commission
says.
1t Is recommended by the commission
that 100000 be appropriated for the tive
statues, and In the event that only
$4,000 is allowed it be for the statue In
Great Falls.
Interest in the Lewis and Clark mem
orial was widespread and delegations from
Armstead, Butte, Bozeman, Great Falls
Helena, Livingston and Three Forks at.
tended one or more Of the meetingR Of the
commission.
In its report the commission stated thai
1t had been impressed by the plan sug-
gested by the Bozeman committee, which
calls for the erection of a two or three
room building to contain statues of Lewis
and Clark, a relief map, showing the
territory over which their expedition
Travelled, paintings Of a historical character
and replicas of the Canoes, camp equip
ment, costumes and other paraphernalia
connected with the exedition.
This plan, while appealing to the educa.
tor, historian artist and patriot, the com.
mission said, would require a greater ex-
penditure than the state is now In a posi-
ton to assume, but hope was expressed
that some future generation may be able to
establish q memorial along the lines sug-
gested by the proponents of the Bozeman
plan.
Committee Presents Claims
Great Falls sent a committee headed by
Mayor H.. b. Mitchell to present its claims
tee, were G. 7. Boyd, r. A. Fligman, e. II.
Cooney and G.. A. Bosley. The committee
made two trips to Helena for the purpose,
Members of the memorial commission are
| Governor j. e. Erickson, l.. l.. Galloway,
chief Justice Of the supreme court; Miss
| May Trumper, state superintendent Of
| public instruction; w. Il. Harmon, state
treasurer, and David Hilger, librarian of
the state historical ASSOCIATION.
Ia its report the commission said.
your commission presents two recon-
mendations: First, that 1t would be dis
tinctly appropriate to erect bronze statues
following the lines proposed, at Great
Falls and also at Three Forks, IL the cost
be not more than 100000 In the aggregate,
$30,00 0 for each design.
1.-THE explorers looked forward eagerly
to the falls of the Missouri, of which they
had been told by various Indians whom
they met on the journey. When the party
reached the mouth of the Marias river they
| were uncertain as to which stream was In
deed the Missouri. The only means Of de.
finite Identification, they concluded, would
be the discovery Of the falls. After ex-
| ploring the Marias and the Missouri, all
of the party save Captains Lewis and
Clark were Of the opinion that the true
Missouri was the northerly stream, the
Marias. The Captains, however, .decid-
ed to follow the southerly stream and when
they found the falls Of the Missouri Oh
the 18th day Of June, 1906, their joy was
| great.
This was one Of the most vital points
in their entire expedition. The party spent
almost a month at the falls and In the i'm.
mediate vicinity. The captains took the
country, prepared an elaborate map and
data Of the river generally including tbs
falls, the fountain, las Giant Spring wal
denominated), explored the surrounding
| County, Huu utbCTiDeu Win phTtlCuAdIlLl
the fauna and flora, and as was said In
the act Of 1917, they celebrated the Fourth
of July, 1905, at that point. This, IN
doubtedly was the first celebration of oul
national day west Of the Mississippi river
The beautiful city of Great Falls Is now
the second city OF our state in size, and
undoubtedly always will be one Of oul
larger cities. 1t is a central point of geraI
Importance and is visited annually by 3
large number Of people from ell parts Of
the United States.
1T would also seem that In the opinion
Of the explorers the three forks of the Mis-
souri, were second only In Importance Il
the Great Falls of the river aud vicinity
| Captains Lewis and Clark spent three oil
four days In the vicinity of the three forks
carefully examining the rivers, and as Cap,
tain Lewis remarked, the place appeared
to be an essential point in the western
hemisphere"
The e~xlorers named the rivers Jefferson
Madison and GaIlatin. Much history cen
ters about Three Forks, from the adven|
and departure of the Lewis and Clarl
party, through fur trading period, durint
early territorial days, and continuing t.
the present time. The city Of Three Forks
is and Will continue to remain an importanI
point. 1t is on or near the main line OF two
trans-continental railroads and one of tn,
main trans continental automobile roads.
"The second recommendation OF the com
mission IL that II your honorable body
shall decide to erect but one memorial, 4
be placed at the city of Great Falls In tn,
circle at the head Of Central Avenue facinJ
west At this point the bronze statue o