The people's voice., 1959-10-02

Montana's 3Ms-Senators Murray
and Mansfield and Congressman Met.
calf-told Interior Secretary Seator
how to save So million.
The formula: Start work immedi-
ately on Clark Canyon Dam near
Dillon.
GAS you know, part of the Inter
state Highway system is scheduled
for construction through the reservoir
area" they wrote Seaton on Septem-
ber 12. 'If this highway is built, re-
routing it would add So million to the
cost of the project"
The Public Works Appropriation
Bill. in which Congress cracked Presi-
dent Eisenhower's no-new-starts bar
rier, included 81 million to start work
on Clark Canyon.
BIRDWATCHERS
Federal officials are checking to
see whether birds can anticipate
earthquakes.
Montanans in Congress were so
advised by Commissioner Arnie j.
Suomela of the Fish and Wildlife
Service after Senator Murray called
his attention to the report of geol-
ogist at the scene that the birds left
the area where the quake hit hardest
several hours before the first tremors
on the night of August II.
Suomela said clippings of the news
paper accounts, quoting Edgar w.
Spencer. head of the Washington and
Lee University geology department,
had been sent to the Cooperative
Wildlife Research Unit (Dr. John
Craighead) at Missoula and to the
FWS Denver Research laboratory 'to
ascertain whether additional facts
were available on the actions of
waterfowl and other wildlife in the
earthquake area.
"Thus far, our search of the orni-
biological literature has failed to yield
a single record of a comparable ma
ture,' Suomela reported to Senator
Murray.
During World Wars I and II, nu-
merous reports were made of re-
sponses by birds to distant detona-
tions and other vibrations impercep-
tible to humans. No doubt the Hebgen
Lake incident is parallel or related
The mechanism of these
reactions is poorly understood at this
time.
eve are interested in the subject
for several reasons" Suomela con-
zone of the main ones being
the possibility of employing the prin-
ciple involved in soaring device for
use in the control of nuisance and de-
structive bird flocks.
CDR. Ray Johnson gave an inter
esting and valuable report on his trip
10 the Madison River area, and we
we're delighted that he had the oppor-
unity to participate in the inspec-
ion,' Suomela said, referring to the
trip of the quake-damaged [
lrea arranged by Montanans in Con- l
sreSs.
-UMBERMEN TO SWEDEN
The Montana Congressional delega- :
Murray and Mansfield,
Metcalf and Anderson =
has joined in helping a group of q
oregon lumbermen coming into Mon q
ana to develop new forest products
liant, using lodgepole pine, near +
hilipsburg.
Senator Murray, chairman of the o
Interior and Insular Affairs Commit r
ee, said the delegation was ap- z
reached by several experienced Ore r
on timbermen, seeking help to set 2
p new plant in Montana and going :,
, Sweden to study mills and equip :,
lent. "The information that will be a
btained from our friends in Sweden -
ill be useful to the delegation in
elping to bring new industry and ..
ew methods of manufacture to Mon q
Ina," Murray said as he sent COM !,
ittee staff forester with the group. n
Congressman Metcalf Joined Sena- U
n~~AHYx IxHsrxs~ nAxs e.