The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1931-03-26
THE COOKE CITY HIGHWAY
From The Helena Independent.

WITHIN the next 80 days s194O00O of federal money
w will be available for construction of new road into
Yellowstone National Park from Red Lodge through old
Cooke City, 1t will be sixty miles long and of the
scenic highways the continent The first contract will
call for about S1000000 worth of work and will employ
many all and late into the winter as it
possible to work OH highways.
When the survey made for this highway in 1927 the
engineer from the federal bureau who headed the party thus
described the trip to the summit This high mountain pla
teau (Beartooth) is breathtang in its vast differences in
elevation spectacular its fed lakes and grasshopper
glaciers and beautiful in its myrads of wild flowers and AL
pine shrubbery He noted that at point the road will
reach elevation of 900 feet and another 80 mountain
lakes will be in sight
The bill which made this appropriation available was
known the Leav act introduced by Congressman
Leavtt of the eastern Montana district Both Senators
Walsh and Wheeler share with him the credit for doing what
they could push this bill through both houses of Congress-
The object Of these comments however is go step fur
Their than the stories telling about the road have gone pass
ing around the bouquets The Independent remind
the people of Montana that the loyal and sefsacrfcing
business of Red Lodge and their representative in
Washington o. H. P Shelley publisher of the Carbon Coun
ty News, should not be overlooked.
When Representatives and Senators despared Shelley did
not give up. The people of Red Lodge him Wash
ington get the Cooke City highway built That was some
four years ago-and he has hung like buldog-even
more determined than bulldog because there record
OF fighting bull getting hold four five years back
being dragged off few hundred times but staying the
job and still having good hold when those he working
up. Shelley always optimistic. There has
not been member of Congress four years who has not
been interviewed by Shelley and every time he got new
convert he rushed back the Montana delegation with the
good news.
Of the desire of the federal government appro
pirate all the money possible for highway construction in
forest and national parks help relieve unempIoy
men had its influence but is needless say Mr. Shelley
took advantage of that Doubtless he using the argu
ment Congressman before Congressman using it
before the House fellow members One see Shell
ley in action when the idea hit him of building the Cooke
City road to give people work He had likely exhausted ev
cry other idea which he had had and lot which were
contributed to his mental ammunition the proposition of
mixing mountain road building and unemployment relief
to him last round be fired during the present
Congress- 1t hit the mark He took advantage of the relief
talk and the Cooke City highway will be constructed at cost
of almost two millions of dollars
The Independent has frequently criticised O. H. P Shell
ley He is energetic and has such peculiar political IDEAS
that he naturally starts things which draw criticism to him
self and his methods but the Cooke City highway project
he is entitled to share the credit with the people of Red
Lodge and the Montana delegation He may not have been
successful in many things but he at successful with
something worth while and of which he can be proud as
long he lives.