Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-01-21
Hungry Horse News !. IND.
North Fork Conferences

North Fork Conferences
A series OF conferences can be expected on fate
of the road from Columbia Falls and Coram to the
Canadian line and the North Fork bridges at Pole
bridge and Blankenships
To the best OF our knowledge, the present Flat
head county commissioners have not written letter
as yet to place the North Fork road part of it
the state secondary system. Nor have there been
developments at the courthouse in the past few
months beyond few discussions.
On Nov. the Hungry Horse News published
letter from Scott P Hart, Helena, state highway
gineer, to Senator Mike Mansfield the subject
of making the North Fork road part of the sec
ondary highway system. Copies of this letter had
been sent Flathead county commissioners and Mrs.
Ruth Sondreson, secretary of the North Fork I'M
provement Association This letter of last fall is
printed at the bottom of this column.
On Jan. 3, a representative of Columbia Falls
Chamber of Commerce approached the newly re-
organized county commission with the idea of plac-
ing the North Fork road the secondary system.
The commissioners merit in the idea and fur
Their discussion with interested parties is planned.
There are questions. If part of the North Fork
road is included in the secondary system, mainten
likely becomes entirely the responsibility of the
county and not the Forest Service.
Presently the road has been improved through
Flathead National Forest bureau of Public Roads,
expenditures of approximately 81 900 600 in order to
remove spruce bark beetle infested timber In ad-
dtion logging contractors, heavy of the road
in these years, have spent considerable funds.
Section most in need Of rebuilding and heavier
maintenance is the county portion just north of
Columbia Falls
The need to remove spruce bark beetle in
Tested timber has spotlighted the road During 1854
the district produced 35614000 board feet of logs
from Flathead National Forest lands, and this rep
resents than third of the total Forest Service
cut for the year.
Flathead county will get approximately $780,
600 its share of 1854 receipts from stumpage sales
This winter sees the North Fork road plowed
free of snow by the North Fork Road association
consisting of various mills and loggers Gerald Koe
mig is road supervisor for the lumber people, and
four pieces of snow removal equipment in use
When the North Fork district returns to its
tanned yield basis of annual output of 100000
board feet, Forest Service and timber interests
turally will be less concerned with the road.
While F1athead county commissioners seem fav-
orably disposed to include the North Fork road in
the secondary SYSTEM they aren't eager. It goes at
the bottom Of the list following proposed improve
ments from northwest of the fairgrounds at Kalis-
pen leading up back of Whitefish Next project is
the road out of Swan lake avoiding the drop
down to Flathead lake at Bigfork. This road will
join No. IS near the brown church, and is favored
by mills wanting timber.
Present expenditures for the new bridge across
the Flathead river at Holt exhausting the coun-
tvs share of secondary highway funds.
Commissioner Reu Carr commented that il
would be several years before placement of the
see any funds come for its Improvement.
This presents immediate problem at Pole
bridge where the federal government has its half Of
approximately $4,000 ready to rebuild half the
bridge, and the county cannot spend more thar
$4,000 for its half without bond issue.
If the North Fork road is placed on the Sec
ondary system federal funds can be spent for thu
countys half. However it is matter of years be.
fore such development would new bridge
at Polebridge. In the meantime, this northwest en-
trance to Glacier is blocked.
The commissioners could give the North Forl
road priority under the secondary system to tn
extent of seeing new bridge at Polebridge some
what closer. Proponents of the Swan lake roat
and route from Kalispell northwest might object.
Flathead National Forest in the meantime is in
terested in having the county take over maintain
ence of the whole North Fork road. The count
commissioners when approached last fall felt tina
it would be too big bite for them Actually Fores
Service maintenance has been better than that b.
the county, and loggers not pleased at the pros
pect of the road heading toward less manten
The LaSalle road past the airport, surfaced I'm
der the secondary highway program, is maintane
by the county. 1t also serves citizens.
Then there is the matter of the bridge at Blank
enships that collapsed under logging truck las
July 6. Again the county is limited to an expendi
ture of about $4,000 unless there is bond issue
There have been series of conferences be
tween the commissioners and County Attorney E
Schroeder as to settlement with Rex Brown, tn
truck and his insurance company. T. A. TaS
chereau, county engineer, is to resurvey the Stua
ton Estimated cost Of repair Of the ancient struc
ture had been $4,000, and this would not provid
a bridge suitable for logging trucks.
Complications are that Browns liability in
surance apparently was $4,000. There is some evi
dence of county official permission to have loade
logging trucks use the old bridge Loggers aren't in
terested in seeing any money spent for replacemer
OF bridge that can't be used for hauling. Re
Browns costs by having to around by way
Columbia Falls with logs from Teepee creek for h
Coram mill are increased about SIS a thousand boar
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TIQnWQY TOT ME- county Board
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