The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-11-26
Tells What Has Been
Accomplished by WPA

HELENA.-Marking the first ami
versary of the Works Progress Admin
istration in Montana, State WPA Adj
ministrator Joseph E. Parker has an
nounced detailed physical accomplish
ments achieved under diversified
$10,932 ,344 program.
At this time last year, actual work
under the program was just getting
started" Mr.. Parker said. Although
the first project opened was the Res
ervoir Canyon road in Beaverhead
county, on October Z, 1885, there was
no program of any size underway until
the first of November, when projects
employing 713 workers taken from the
states dole list had started at Great
Falls, Missoula, Havre and Billings. A
year later, Montana had 20,945 WPA
workers employed on 4994, projects
sponsored by various public agencies.
$10,932,344 had been allocated by the
federal government and an estimated
million and one-half dollars more con-
tributed by sponsors in prosecuting
500 projects"
Use Every Type OF Labor
These projects have covered more
than 60 fields of worthwhile activity
with 100 different divisions, vary
ing from the heaviest type of construc-
ton work down to the operation of II
nursery schools. They have utilized
every type of skill available on relief
rolls in the state, from unskilled labor
to highly specialized professional per-
sons. Much work was prompted by the
emergency of severe winter and |
disastrous drouth. 1t would be diff
cult to find any activity Of public ma
ture where the WPA has not under
taken some active part
mot considering the WPAs prime
purpose and greatest iustification-ths
saving of human values in some 20,00'
individuals and their families through
provision of employment : believ'
physical results in our cities and coun.
! ties are we'll worth the money ex.
pended" Administrator Parker said
Highlights of the physical accomp.
lishments in Montana, selected from
several pages of detailed facts and fig
ures included
Scores OF Projects
Roads-Built, improved, repaired ant
paved 3,345 miles of highway, which in
cluded 2,674 miles of arm-to-marke
roads built or improved, CAT miles re
surfaced and "a miles paved. The WPl
I'll I,,.3t IAN krtInar \
286 culverts, surveyed Is miles of ney
highway improved $4,000 square fee
of back sloping along highways, bull
81 miles of guardrails and guard walls
completed 81 miles of roadside land
scaping and performed other miscel
laneous and emergency tasks.
Parks and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
or improved 81 public playground.
golf courses and athletic fields and
parks, fair and rodeo grounds, GOVERN
1875 acres. Built swimming pool
with 36,556 square feet Of water sur
face.
Public Buildings-120 public build
ings of all types containing 421,83
square feet of floor space, were bull
renovated or repaired. Ut these, Z
were public schools housing 2,208 stu
dents. Eleven stages were also built ]
public schools.
!, Water Conservation-Com 8
stock water and irrigation dams with
combined crest length Of 10,969 feet an
a total storage capacity of III ,000,0(
cubic feet of water. Constructed
irrigation bitches with a total length
174,917 feet, serving 8,213 acres of Ian
and built seven drainage systems cor
tanning 1881 feet of drain pipe.
Aviation - Improved 10 irnportal
landing fields covering 4,523 acres ar
built or improved hangers or admir-
istration buildings at the Helena, Bill
ings, Miles City, Lewistown, Harler
Scobey and Harlowtown airports. Bui
or surfaced IL airport runways for