The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-06-02

There's new hope for proposed
Moorhead Dam in southeastern Mon
tana. But the problems, which blocked
the multipurpose structure on the
Powder River 10 years ago, are still
with us.
| This is from report to Senators
Mansfield and Metcalf from u. s.
Reclamation Commissioner Floyd
Dominy.
| In answer to their showing of re-
newed Montana interest in the prof.
ect, Dominy said he was assigning
a "well-qualified person, familiar
with the economy of the Powder River
area and who understands the practi-
cal and procedural requirements of
irrigated agriculture" to reopen con-
sideration of the project through
consultation with the landowners of
the area. This job, Dominy said,
"should be completed by early this
fall.'
Moorhead Dam, three airline
miles north of the Wyoming line,
was authorized in 1914. The orig
inal plan called for storage of $780,
900 acre-feet in a reservoir on the
Notwithstanding state line. Later
studies recommended that the res
ervoir capacity be tripled.
Preliminary work ground to a halt
after the Appropriation Act of 1850
provided that 3no part of this or prior
appropriations shall be used for con-
struction, nor for further commit
ments to construction of Moorhead
or any feature thereof until a
definite plan report thereon has been
completed, reviewed by the States
of Wyoming and Montana, and ap-
proved by Congress" IS s a
Late in 1852, the Bureau of Recla1
nation found no ''great local interest
in or support for the project either
in Wyoming or Montana" The Bu-
reau said local interest and support
in Wyoming 'shas been negligible and,
on the contrary, definite opposition,
has been expressed" ST.
"There (are) two principal diff
Powder River unit can be. proposed
for construction" Dominy told Sem
ators Mansfield and Metcalf in his
recent report.
First, there is the need for ac-
tive interest and support from the
landowners. Second, there is the
problem of agreement between the
States of Montana and Wyoming
on the plan for developing the
Powder River Basin, and particu-
larly the construction of Moorhead
Dam. 81
"There has, until very recently,
cen little indication that either diff
ulty has in any way diminished
here has, however, been some evil
ence of local interest within the
asst few weeks, although we know
f no indication that interstate agree .
lent is any nearer now. than it has
cen for the past several years."
Montana's 34th Legislative Assem-
ly endorsed the project in 1866.
sc COMMITTEE
Agriculture Secretary Freeman has
dded5 George R. Johnson of Cut +
ank and Lee Schumacher of Malta {
, the committee responsible for car +
ring out federal farm programs in 3
Lontana. 4
Upon recommendation of Senators
-ansfield and Metcalf, the two were a
lded to the Montana Agricultural v
and Conservation (ASC)
They will serve with n
gorge Lackman of Billings, Mrs. |;
icholas (Viola) Herak of Charlo, b
Id Chairman Robert j, McKenna of il
ozeman. ne
ROAD G
Over the protests of Montanans, n
Guiding Senators Mansfield and q
etcalf, the Interstate Commerce !.
QCC) has authorized the n
ilwaukee, ST. Paul and Pacific Rail- :
ad Company to discontinue part of
passenger service between Mime
'olis and Tacoma.
ICC granted Milwaukee permission
discontinue Trains Is and 16 be-
'een Butte and Tacoma, but ruled
at these same trains must continue