Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1948-01-16

Monday i'm the budget recon-
n,enddtionS submitted to congress
President Truman included an ap-
preparation request of S9,S50,000
for the Hungry Horse project from
July 1, 1913 through June 80, 1919.
This provides sufficient funds to
carry on first gear construction
activities on the S1OO,OOO,O0 dam.
Depending on availability of Ia
bor materials and funds, it will
require about six years to build the
$1OO.OOO,OOO Hungry Horse dam.
This was one of the high points
in the Wednesday evening speech
by Clyde H Spencer, Hungry Horse
construction engineer, before Mar
tin, City's Boomtown Builders.
The 6S persons attending the
weekly meeting heard Mr. Spencer
add that with early February call
for bids on the prime contract to
build the 525-foot high concrete
structure, there would follow the
bids opening in March. He hoped
construction activity on the part of
the contractor would start when
weather opened this coming spring.
With the letting of the prime
contract there may be shortage
of construction men in the area this
coming summer. While peak en-
ployment this past summer was
489 in September, this next August,
Mr. Spencer commented should see
about 1000 men employed. The
September, 1947 contractors and
government weekly payroll was
about $4,000.
To Build More Housing
Mr. Spencer told the audience
that with start of actual construc-
ton, Hungry Horse village would
have to provide housing for total
of $50 to 200 families. More eng
ineers, inspectors and clerical help
will be needed. The village now has
II resident families and present
total of SO prefabs and 25 duplexes.
= Commenting on activity that will
come about April 1, the Hungry
Horse project head told of the eA-
pected employment upswing. e
and F construction company will
return to hard-surface the 3.9-
mile, $479,4OO access road from
highway No. 2 to the damsite. S.
Birch and Sons, who have the $4O1,-
377.60 Hungry Horse village util-
tiles contract, will also return in
the spring to finish their contract.
Spring should also see the F r
Hewett company actually start
building the 14-mile long relocat-
ed Spotted Bear road out of the
Hungry Horse reservoir area. This
is a $632,448 contract. More fav-'
orable weather will allow the r.
and S construction company to use
more men on it's damsite timber
clearing contract, while the Atkin-
son company, now underground,
has three shifts working and is
little affected by weather.
A half hour question and ans
wer period followed Mr. Spencer's
speech. With about 75,000,0O0 more
board feet of timber to be cleared
from the 4O-mile long reservoir
area, there was interest as to whe-
Their it would be one contract or
several.
Mr. Spencer felt that it would be
several, as would relocating addi-
tional sections of the Spotted Bear
forest service road out of the res
ervoir area.
Rafting Logs Mentioned
The possibility of rafting logs
down the 4O-mile long reservoir
from presently inaccessible and ne
ver-been-cut areas of the Flathead
national forest was asked. This
seemed possible, and would have
to be worked out with the Flathead
national forest.
SightSee-ers will also be allowed
to observe the dam during cons
truction, though movement of ma
terials by truck will require GER
tain traffic regulations.
In response to another question,
Mr. Spencer commented that land
had been set aside between Hun
cry Horse village and the damsite
or a prime contractors camp.
However it was up to the contrac-
or as to where he wanted his town.
Other questions concerned plans
utter completion of the dam. Mr.
Spencer did not feel qualified to
give authoritative statements. He
Ldded that he and his staff were
Concerned with the building phase
# the dam.
In a discussion of rumors, the
hungry Horse project head was
in stating that it was not
nor bureau of recla-
nation policy to determine what
businesses would operate on pri-
ate land adjacent to government
reas. This was concern of the
tate of Montana or the local gov