The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-07-11

officials including w. R. Smith of
Great Falls, and ]. F. Pewters of
Helena. Large delegations repre-
scented Terry, Circle, Vida and
Scobey.
Horsford Pleads Case
Thomas Horsford, McCone coun-
ty commissioner, made an elo-
quent plea for a bridge, telling of
the tremendous handicap the Nc
Cone county farmers were under
because of their lack of facilities
for crossing the river at all times
of the year. He said that northern
McCone county produced from
half a million to a million bush
els of wheat each year and that
this amount could easily be
trebled we're the country more
thickly settled, as would be the
result if a bridge were built. He
also spoke of the toll of lives
taken by the Missouri and the diff
ficulty in getting medical aid at
times when the river is impas-
sable.
All those at the conference rec
ognized the need of a bridge and
pledged their support to the pro
ject. Commissioner Rowe went
back to Butte and said that like
a Chinese wall the Missouri river
was practically isolating the north
eastern part of the state from
central Montana, and that that
situation would remain until
bridges were built ros the
river.
In November, 1927, the official
federal approval of the bridge pro-
ject was granted The project was
approved by Thomas H. MacDon-
aid, chief of the federal roads
bureau, and permission given for
a short spur of federal highway
connecting with the Roosevelt
highway, necessary to give the
bridge a place on the federal 7
percent system. 1t was at that
time estimated that the bridge
would cost about $4,000 OO. 1t was
given a definite place on the
state-federal program. i,
Brings Christmas Present
The day before Christmas that
year w. L. Young returned from
Helena with what was termed a
100000 Christmas present for
northeastern Montana" the assur-
ance that the project was well
under way, that the financing of
it had been arranged, and that
the matter was in shape to pre-
sent to the federal bureau for its
final approval. The definite site of
the bridge was to be determined
by state highway engineers. The
Wolf Point Herald said at that
time:
"Mr. Young and all those vitality
interested in the success of the
bridge project are delighted at
what they regard as the virtually
certain success of the enterprise.
1t was a tremendous undertaking,
and pushing it through to success
in so short a time was only pos
sible through the splendid cooper
accorded. To begin with,
MIR. Young was the one man to
take the lead in the matter. He
has given generously of his time
and resources to the expense of
himself and his business. He dis
the genius and the logged
determination that won success.
His enthusiasm was contagious.
No obstacle could stand before
him.
1.-THE cooperating forces, with
,ut which all the work of Mr..
Young and other Wolf Point cit
would have been of no avail,
Includes the county board of Nc
zone county, headed by Tom
Iorsford, the leading citizens if
officials and citizens of
Prairie county and Daniels coun-
y; Congressman Leavitt, Senator
Wheeler, the officials at Helena,
including the governor and secre-
airy of state and, perhaps most
important of all, President Budd :
nd other officials of the Great
Iorthern railroad" !
Contract Is Awarded )
The approval Of the federal bu- 2
eau was given in January, 1928, 8
I'D the site near Macon definite t
chosen in early February. Plans r
nd estimates were made by the 4
tate engineering department, but
was not until the latter part
{ September, 1928, that the final +
.proval of the war department +