Hungry Horse news., 1955-12-09
The North Fork Dam

There are number of petitions about the Flat
head valley asking that Glacier View Dam be built
If Glacier View could be achieved by vote of
local people the Flathead project perhaps would favor
the construction project by to majority, and
perhaps more.
The Flathead looks at that proposed dam up the
North Fork with anticipation stimulated by the Hungry
Horse Project. There were IS million man hours Of
labor here in the Flathead building Hungry Horse
The Anaconda Aluminium Co. plant construction and
now operation was product
Our economic tinted glasses are framed with the
prosperity of another anticipated construction boom
dollars for nearly everyone in the Flathead and that
in itself is certainly SIM
Drive for any project-be it street lighting or
major dan-must start locally. Yet do not seem
sufficiently aware here Of national developments and
sentiments.
Recently Secretary of Interior Douglas Mckay an
nounced that the proposed dam on the Colorado sys
tenn that would back water into Dinosaur National
Monument was shelved In that particular the
national administration favored the DAM Opposition
was strong enough to defeat the water and power
hungry West combined with the national administration
At the same time the administration is pointedy
and consistently opposed to Glacier View Dam con-
struction. In fact we do not know of person on
the national who feels that prospects for Glacier
View Dam are anything but dim and becoming DINNER
AS the years continue, there appears to be strength
ening sentiment nationwide that the less than l per
cent of the nation set aside national parks not be
infringed in any way by dams.
The nation whole looking at us, apparently
values an unviolated Glacier National Park in pre-
ference to another dam and Flathead able to support
larger population
We are living in one of the nations Fairgrounds,
and of course this has dollars and cents return
well, especially if viewed long range.
On hand is the present petition drive for
Glacier View Dam spearheaded by local unions of
gained labor.
On the other, typical Of the nationwide stand are
tho
tee on Regional Development and Conservation meet
ing in Denver two years ago:
The CLIO committee said: 1--WE support the con-
Servaton and recreation organizations of this country
who unanimous in demanding firm congressional
action to prevent the construction of reservoirs in
effectng National Parks-In particular we renew our
opposition to Glacier View Dam, which would nundate
important portion of Glacier National Park.
The CLIO statement continues: 1.-THE total areas
of the park system is only about three quarters of
per cent of the area of the country nation large
as ours can well afford to devote that much of its
surface to purely recreational purposes
The Hungry Horse News believes it is realistic
rather than faint hearted in its approach to Glacier
View.
At the same time we hope the Flathead is able tt
continue further ndustralization. Obvious
is the snow waters.
With the thought that Glacier View prospects hav
become less promising look forward to the coming
field study of the proposed Middle Fork diversion
tunnel scheduled for 1856. We hope that study find
that the proposed dam and tunnel taking Middle F0r
flood waters into Hungry Horse is practical
There isn't problem of flooding section of tn
park and it is hoped minimum interference wit
elk ranges and trout habitat All enter the picture
whatever the particular beliefs of individuals 0
groups. Nj