Hungry Horse news., 1955-02-04

committee that sorely misses Don Treoar, but has
wise heads left. Then also the Fathead Industrial
council of chamber of commerce and labor mem
bers A man like G. M. Moss, Whitefish publisher,
and longtime Flathead state senator, would be
good choice for chairman at new county
meeting
The Flathead is well aware of the situation that
since 1913 it has had large construction payrolls
First there was Hungry Horse Dam plus consider
able highway building, and with construction at
the dam nearing an end, the aluminium plant start
3D. Next fall will the plant virtually completed
At the same time there has been mills
and improvement of the lumber industry. Without
development of further finishing or by-products
the timber industry apparently is providing peak
employment during 1854 and 1855.
Effect of construction payroll plus busy
lumber industry favored by open winter is appar
ent in the Flathead. January business volume
25 per cent over year ago in many cases. Stores
doing more business as more men are working.
Certainly the Flathead is better off today than
it was ten years ago. The tourist industry has more
than doubled. Hungry Horse Dam was built The
dam, especially, brought year-around residents to
the Flathead and many of them want to stay. Cheap
power resulting from the dam sees the new Anacon-
da Aluminium Co. plant whose value approaches that
of the whole assessed valuation of the rest of Flat
head county, and there is the new factor of some-
what over $50 steady jobs on the immediate hori-
Inc pOlnL is LndL Tile SEES Tile pCiIc1
of Hungry Horse, and the need to consider future
projects.
Most obvious construction project is Glacier
View Dam, whose 10000 acre reservoir would be
about one-third on forest land and two-thirds iT
Glacier National Park.
Flooding national park land is not easily done
as the Flathead well knows, and sentiment over the
nation has become stronger on this matter OF In
fringement of national parks" Unions locally favor
Glacier View construction, it appears On the ma
tional level, there recent union resolutions OPP
posing such projects.
In the Flathead Itself there is rather complete
division on whether Glacier View should shoulc
not be built. The Hungry Horse News supported thu
proposed dam edtorialy few years ago, when tn
topic was an issue. The topic is coming up again.
AT this time we would like to if the Flat
head valley can come to reasonable agreement on
project that would further utilize water resources
We wonder if the proposed diversion of tn
Flathead's Middle Fork would be project wher
various groups and communities in this valley woul
agree
There will be much better chance of success j
further utilizing Flathead water and power re
sources if there is good local support.
Flathead attitude toward Glacier View to tn
day seems too divided for effective local supper
That may not be the case when it comes to Midd
Fork diversion, so we hope further study will h
made to the feasibility of the project Much MOI
is accomplished if an area can work together
The Flathead economy needs planning an
proddng to maintain its present job level
Electric power and better roads good key
to the Flathead's future prosperity. N