The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-01-23
Huge Sum
Expended By
Tourists Here
TWenty-fiv Million Dollars
Is Spent by Travellers in
= Montana in 1885,
DATA GATHERED BY
HIGHWAY BOARD

At largely attended and entbus.
.1asuc meeting of the Lions club, hele
at the Turner Cafe Monday night, A
a. Wood, one of the guest speakers
Drought out some new and interesting
information as to highway and tourist
matters.
Inc state highway commission re-
ports that the sum of S25,O0OOOo wa.
spent by tourists in Montana last wear,
said Mr. Wood. THE commission calls
attention to this large sum as return
on an investment Of $66,OOO,OOO. the
amount that has been spent to date on
the highways of the state. 1t will in
terest people to know that 100000 cars
visited the state in 1885, CARRYING l.
$4,000 people. These were all tourists
who visited the state last year. This
information is authentic and was ,b-
tanned by the commission by means of
a postcard inquiry Tourists were given
postcards as they entered the state and
were asked to fill them out and mail
them upon leaving the state. 1t was in
that manner that the information given
out was obtained
1T IS also interesting to know the
breakdown Of this $4,000, OO0n con-
tinued Mr.. Wood THE sum OF $780,
600 was paid in state gas tax, $265, 900
toward the federal gas tax, $3,7OO,OOO
for gasoline; $4,000 for oil and preas-
ing, over 100000 for meals, more than
1000 for lodging and approximate
ly 100000 for miscellaneous ex-
penses"
Plan Publicity Campaign
MIR. Wood said the highway officials
are so well pleased with the return in
dollars and cents on the highway in
vestment that they are planning an
extensive publicity campaign to sell
Montana to the nations tourists and to
draw them here. Markers will be
placed at historical points, mileage
signs will be placed every five miles,
information bureaus will be established !
at every port of entry, guest stickers
for windshields will be given out en-
titling the visitors to courtesies and
giving desired information, and there
will be an intensive publicity campaign
Asii llGA OH SdlA wi. UOOA
Guests Speak.
Three out-of- town guests were
present, j. r. Heidelrnan Of Missoula,
labor coordinator in the federal em-
ployment service; Ambrose j. Fey of |
Shelby, district supervisor OF the u. S. |
employment service, and R. B. Downs
of Helena, veterans placement officer,
also connected with the employment
service.
Mr.. Heidelman spoke briefly stating
his job was to work in cooperation with
tn local employment officers helping to
place men on highway work
MIR. Fey spoke at length explaining
the workings and objects of the en-
ployment service. He said the first /
task was to register all the unemployed
and then to refer them to employers.
I'VE positively have nothing to do with
relief" said Mr.. Fey. I'VE have the ex-
penditure of no money and while
directly we have no connection with re-
lief, yet indirectly we affect relief by
putting men on jobs" MIR. Fey ex-
planned the Works Progress Adj
to some extent and the
Public Works Administration and con-
cluded by praising the local employ
ment official, D. O. Mount, for able 1
and impartial conduct Of the work here.
Later in the evening, Mr.. Fey also
spoke very highly of the cooperation
accorded his office by the county COM
of this county, by Paul
Church when relief administrator and
by Mr.. Mount He spoke very warmly
of the hundred per cent cooperation
accorded him by local forest service
officials.
Tells Of Work with Veterans.
Mr.. Downs spoke earnestly and
in respect to the work done
by the veterans placement bureau.
Every veteran has right to a Job
said Mr. Downs, land large percent
age of them much prefer good job to
relief" He described how the veterans
were called away from their jobs to
fight the countrys battles and how
when the war was over they found
their jobs gone. 'sUnquestionably the
bonus will be paid soon," said Downs
THAT will mean about $70O for each
veteran and everyone knows that sum
will soon be expended in the paying
of debts and living expenses. When that
money is gone, unless these men are
employed, they will be asking for pen
sions. How much better it will be for |
'everyone-for the taxpayer and also
for the veteran-tn make them indie
pendent by finding employment for
them" said the speaker.
! The speaker said his department had
CONTINUED on page 81