The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-11-06
MdyGet
Some Aid For
Flood ConfrOI
Army Man Says Will
= Recommend Help
For Local Condition
VISITS STREAMS HERE;
SEES DAMAGE DONE

It is possible that work to the
extent Of SIS, 900 worth will be ex-
pended by War Department engin-
GERS on Libby, Flower and Par
menter creeks looking to flood con-
troll on those local streams.
This information was impaired to
Libby men by Chief Engineer Hop
kins, of the War Department,
Seattle, when he visited Libby re-
Gently and saw some of the damage
done locally by the flash flood that
came SO Unexpectedly down those
streams Mr.. Hopkins visit to Lib
by was in response to requests LODI
ged with government officials by
group of Libby men and farmers
who long have seen the danger that
threatened from flood conditions in
those local streams.
Group Takes Action
Several weeks ago a number of
farmers living along Libby creek
met in the court house to study
what could be done to correct
dangerous conditions along Libby
creek. In addition to the farmers
living along the creek, also present
were County Commissioner Ma
honey, County Surveyor Miller, and
Charles D. Rowe, state representa-
tive. 1t was pointed out at the meet /
ing that during high water time
each spring, bad conditions de- /
velops along Libby creek. Washed 4
out trees floating down the swift
flowing stream would frequently
lodge in curves or elsewhere and
cause jams. Then the stream would
be diverted into new channels. This
often washed away valuable farm
land and even threatened buildings
at times.
Men who had made careful
study of the situation commended
that conditions were ripe for di-
verting Libby creek right down overl
the lumber company yards Con-
ditions at another point threatened
to divert the stream, just above
Paul Bunyan's grave" down over .
a long section of highway No. g.
Agreed on Program
1t was agreed at the meeting that a
the program was too large to be +
handled locally without assistance. v
II was decided to seek aid from o
War Department engineers, because Il
Of the recollection that the engineers o
had on two occasions gone to the j,
assistance of Idaho people when s
threatened reclaimed f
and near Boomers Ferry. To help
'emove some of the worst threats Z
as soon as possible, County Com n
missioner Mahoney agreed to donate I,
he labor of caterpillar and man Fl
or a week. This he did few days =
alter and reports state /VeFN, eff o.
ective work was done. II was also =
decided that Blaze Echo, who was -
FAMED chairman of the group, and .,
State Representative Rowe should =.
axe up correspondence with our n
asking them to help =,
Ocal men in securing War Depart .,
nent aid =
The two men got busy at once.
Ar. Echo wrote to CONGRESSMAN G.
Iansfield, Representative Rowe to G.
enator Ecton and CONGRESSMAN
Mansfield. Word came back that =,
enator Ecton was in Alaska on fed =;
raj business and that Congressman 7 ;
lansfield was in Europe. However, co
ne two officials secretaries wrote ~
ack that they would refer the Lib
y mems letters to the War Dept
alter information came to the effect 81
lat the local request was being re- %
erred to the district office of War sp
apartment engineers at Seattle. It ~
as in response to that action, that cli
IT, Hopkins appeared here a few nl'
eeks ago. Fortunately he arrived
lst after the bad flood on Flower & tn
armenter creeks and could see with gu
IS own eyes the damage done. Hop o.
ms was taken along Flower creek mn
= Representative Rowe, County =
Jerk Earle, and Paul Church. On
e creek he met Commissioner Ma ~
)ney who had men at work on the 20 70
ream at that time. 'io
Promises TO Help DC
Hopkins was at first averse to DC
wing assistance, saying it was a No
after to be handled locally. But No
Mah0ney put UP a No
cong argument urging federal aid. =
ne of the strongest was that the ,,,;,
deral government owns about 80 r ~
r cent Of the county lin national -"
resD thereby reducing taxable thy
operty for the county, and as 49,
suit the government ought to help s.-
rect bad conditions here.
Engineer Hopkins finally agreed -,
recommend TO his superiors that -
5 900 be aIlocated for work on the -.
rec Libby streams He asked that ~ ~
achinerg such as bulldozers, etc.
provided locally with men to ~
crate them, so as TO reduce the -.
st Of shipping machines and men 80 80
re. The department to pay for -
e hire Of the machines and the pt0
lges Of the men, TINS was agreed ~ ~
IL now remains TO be seen ~
iether higher War. Department Of 70
ialg viii agree 70 20 through fun