The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1949-06-09

lOl StlLoO1 uCOlOl1 Ny o11S ouAS@o
of Reclamation. Without fear
of contradiction one can say
no project in the Missouri ba-
sin is capable of standing on
it's own worth locally and ma
tionally more than is this prof.
ect.
Competent engineers ami &C.
onomists have gone to great
lengths to study and Gale Late
the costs and revenues that
would figure in this construc-
ton, as well as the result of the
construction of Yellowtail dam.
That phase will be left to those
qualified to speak on the sub
ject. However, a few figures
should be borne in mind.
The cost of the project is set
at $84, 0,000.
The annual cost of operations
is set at $670,000.
The annual estimated power
earnings is set at $2,850,000.
The annual average net-ap-
plicable to government invest
ment, is set at $2,180,000.
The estimated 50-year earn
ings is set at $1O9, 000, 900.
This would leave a profit
from the power alone at the
end of so years of $24,000,000
This clearly indicates, as adj
vocates of construction of the
dam have always maintained,
that this project is an invest
ment of far reaching values,
for in the above figures no &C
count is taken of the benefits
in dollars and cents to be de-
rived from the agricultural,
flood control, and soil erosion
stoppages, as well as general
human and national welfare
that would ensue from this
project. It might even be called
to the senator's attention that
here would be a project which
would absort-and absorb in a
wealth creating manner, many,
many men which would go far
toward offsetting our rising
unemployment.
Only 40 miles northwest of
YelloWtail damSite grows the
city of Billings. Billings is one
of the fastest expanding cities
in the nation today. It has two
large oil refineries now near
ing completion, as well as a
vast amount of new CONNER
cial and Industrial activity and
development. Herbert Hoover,
ex-President of these United
States and probably one of the
worlds leading authorities in
mining engineering, states that
Montana has more metal re-
sources than has the entire U.
S. S. r. This means that the
growth and DEVELOPMENT of this
vastly rich area is inevitable.
YelIoWtail dam will provide a
great impetus to that growth
indeed, Yellowtail dam will
be the prime and basic factor
in that growth.
To the south is the Big Horn
Basin in Northern wyoming,
already a region of great eco
nomic Importance, but with a
greater potential. Already in
that area an acute power
shortage exists. This power
shortage is proving a serious
handicap to both present and
proposed industrial develop
ment of this area. In this re-
gion, as well as in Montana to
the north, the use of electrical
power in agricultural, indus
trial and mining pursuits is
expanding at a rapid rate. No
small part of this is due to
the excellent job of the Rural
Identification Administration is
doing in bringing electricity to
these areas. This is an impor-
tant factor in the opening up
of the many new oil fields in
the region which will in turn
have a great bearing upon the
problems of national defense.
The proposed YelloWtail dam
a strategic position in re-
gard to power development and
power distribution in Montana
and wyoming. 1t will contribute
to the power demands of this
vast area, for there are no
nearby power production
plants-noW or planned-that
can even begin to meet the de-
mands the near future will
place upon them. For instance,
the load Of the Montana Pow
er Company in the Billings
area amounted to 10000 kilo-
watts in 1947. The only near
by plant of that company is
the 10000 kilowatt plant at
Mystic Lake, roughly rs miles
of Billings. Power re-
quirements of this growing city,
over 10000 kilowattS, must be
supplied from plants further
west.
It is reasonably predicted