Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1948-01-02
Await Bid Call for Building Hungry Horse

Call for bids on the prime con-
tract to build Hungry Horse dam
is expected within the next 10 days.
The contract itself is scheduled
for awarding in March. Entire
cost of the 525-foot high concrete
dam and its power plant is estima-
ted at 100000, 1000. 1.-THE prime
contract" to be let this coming
March will be somewhere between
IS and so million dollars.
It is believed that a combina-
ton of firms will be low bidder, and
that this spring the prime con-
tractors will build housing Tor en-
ployes.
Spring of 194S will also see three
large construction jobs in connec-
ton with Hungry Horse. F R He
welt. Spokane, will start build
ing IA miles of the Spotted Bear
forest service road out of the res
ervoir area. This is $632,448 con-
tract, barely started.
Guy F Atkinson company, now
employing IS men, will be at work
on the 1,1OO-foot long 36-foot in
diameter diversion tunnel and R
and S construction company, now.
employing IS men, will have a full
crew of more than 100 men clear
ing 1885 acres near the damsite
. eAnO oO0 oorfroof
500 Men Will Work
It is believed that in late April
or early May, total employment
on the project will pass last Sep
TENDERS peak of 489 when the
payroll averaged $4,000 week.
By April or May, 1919, the month
ly payroll will reach $500, 900, and
1000 men will be working. Peak
employment is expected in 1851
with 1000 men.
Hungry Horse is slated to be
the worlds fourth largest concrete
dam. Boulder and Grand Coulee
will be larger, and Shasta about
the same size. The speed with
which the dam is built depends
on the annual appropriations CIV
en- it by congress. The present ap-
preparation of $2,5OO,OO0 was spe-
officially approved for the purpose
of starting construction of the
dam itself.
1947 in Review
A 1947 highlignt review of the
project shows that last March
there was an average of 221 men
working for the bureau and the
contractors; with April and spring
this figure jumped to 293, and in
early May the monthly payroll av-
erage was $4,000.
On June 13, the bureau of rec
lamation moved its offices from
Kalispell to the project. June en-
ployment averaged 321. On July 4
there were eight families living in
Hungry Horse village duplexes and
ten families in the prefabs. There
are now 70 families resident.
In July. the United States con-
gress approved appropriations OF
$2,5OO.OOO for the project and an
additional $237,OOO to complete the
powerline from Kerr dam to Hun
cry Horse.
Change Dam Design
Design of the dam was changed
from the conventional straight ac-
ross the river type to a gravity
arch such as used at Boulder. Sec
rotary of Interior J A Krug visit
ed the project July 3d. July emp
loyment averaged 35I. Morrison
and Knutson, called the worlds
largest contractors, had an Off
'ial inspecting the project August
Clyde H Spencer succeeded Paul
A Jones as head of the Hungry
Horse project on September IS.
September employment averaged
t89; the August average had been
SO.
On October 9 invitations were
ssued to contractors to look over
he damsite before snow covered
he area; Is different contractors
ent representatives. October en-
'loyment dropped to an average
f Alb, and November to 378.
During December interest CEN
cred around the call for bids on
he prime contract. The Decem.
er employment figure is somewhat
nder 300.