Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-02-26
SOME BRIDGE AND ROAD FACTS

SOME BRIDGE AND ROAD FACTS
We were amazed to learn it has been rumOred the
chief engineer of the Highway Commission has
made the statement he did not believe the bridge at
CuIbertson would be approved, ~allegedlyl giving as an
excuse that although this bridge has been approved by
the Montana Highway Commission, he believed this
bridge to be too near the Williston and Wolf Point
bridges.
However, we have ascertained selfish interests, liv-
ing in other parts of Montana has brought considerable
pressure to bear to prevent this bridge from being
built in eastern Montana for the purpose Of serving not
only local but international needs. These objectionists
want all tourist travel diverted to their territory where
only local needs are to be considered.
There is no other North and South railroads within
300 miles in Montana and $50 miles in North Dakota,
and this territory is heavily settled, with cities and
towns every few miles, where the automobile travelling
public can be served. 1t is a territory where highways
can be built at a lesser cost than most places in Monta-
ma, and a good road as well as this bridge is a pub
lie need at this time, as it will serve more people than
any other highway in this part Of the United States.
The federal appropriation for this bridge was al
loted last year through the efforts of our Washington
representative Scott Leavitt, and on the strength of this
the taxpayers of Richland and Roosevelt counties voted
to defray their share of the cost and this money is
available now.
PlentywOod and Sheridan county, eastern Ro0se-
welt and Richland counties did nothing to create frc-
ton in the matter of building a bridge across the Mis-
souri, river at Wolf Point; in fact we did our part in
boosting for this bridge, but now that it is in operation
we ask that political hogs keep their SHOUTS out when
it comes to erecting a bridge across the Missouri at
Culbertson, which will bring a lot of tourist travel thru
the Yellowstone Valley and from Culbertson to Regina
by way of Medicine Lake and Plentywood. The Canadi-
an government too, has acted in exceeding good faith
=, <ho b,;lJ;pr nc Saskatchewan uiuhwav M e from
Regina to the boundary line North of Raymond to con-
meet with Highway No. Is to Culbertson, where it will
become a link in the arterial highways
Sheridan county has never received its just share
of federal or state highways but this has been account
ed for in the past by the fact that this county has been
so red that ii was not entitled to any consideration
from either the federal or state governments, but we
have successfully done away with Russian and red
rule now, and we are entitled to consideration the same
as any other white mans territory.
We believe that this bridge is one thing that
should be given to eastern Montana, irrespective Of
politics, as it is absolutely necessary in this day and
age of good roads.
Now that the Supreme Court of this state has said
that in order to obtain $4,000, 900 of road money thru
anticipatory gas taxes, it must be put up to a popular
vote of the taxpayers of the State, we believe it is
high time for the people Of this part of Montana to find
out what is in store in the nature of roads to be built
with this money.
We need more federal and state roads in Sheridan
county and we are going to get them or know the
reason why. Right now we are entitled to nearly so
miles of graveled highways, in accordance with the
amounts built throughout this state, but all we have to
shows for this is about 10 miles of graded highway
north of Medicine Lake,
Quoting from the Montana Highway Commissions
reports for the years 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1880, we
find the following figures on bridge and road work done
in District No. 3 which comprises the counties Of Phil
lips, Valley, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Daniels.
No. Miles Federal Aid State Aid
Phillips County 45.O42 $134,S09.9O $106, 476J63
Bridges 27,93246 21,4S5.35
Roosevelt County 1882 196.997.91 62,3S9.95
Bridges 367,237.71 11,387.45
County aid $5,OO0.O0
Daniels County 1886 21,526.12 1~7,709.40
Valley County 43.9H 121, 360.31 96,466.71
Bridges 51,03600 31,653.08
County aid $8,04S.49
Sheridan County 11.O9s 3O,059.51 23,18O.86
Bridges 5,190.57 4,0O2.79
The total for Phillips county was $3.50. 654.34, Roosevelt
s643,O13.02; Daniels $39. 235.52; Valley 3OS, 564.59;
Sheridan $685. 33.7a
During those four years there were 1896. 1877 miles
of roads and bridges built by State and Federal aid
in Montana at a total cost of $14, 587, 747.67.
Theao ireinuoti.