(Dave Manning tribute, continued)
by Barbara A. Cramer
GOOD WORK
The Treasure County Planning Board deserves a real vote of thanks from the community for planning this special 4th of July for all of us. They have done so much to make it a memorable day . . . and should receive thanks from all of us.
DAVE AND RUTH
Senator Dave Manning and his wife Ruth are so deserving of this special day.
The years they have given to the community cannot be counted just in public service. Their continued interest in the graduates of the school, their continuous contributions and their moral support of the school through the years has been noticed by all.
When Dave and Ruth came home from their travels, they were home among friends. And they returned friendship. There was always a ready smile, a handshake, or a "sit down and visit" wherever they were.
They have a genuine concern for the community and the people.
THE BIG PARTY
Now it's time for the big party. The guests of honor will be riding in antique cars (convertibles). The cars have been arranged for by Rich Howard from the Hardin Auto Club. And Rich will also have a car in the parade.
Do you have your float ready? If not, there's still time. Just grab a pickup, think of something brilliant, put some paper around your thoughts and you're ready to go.
It will mean so much more to be a part of things.
THANKS
Our special thanks to Ruth Manning for her assistance in this special edition this week. It was Ruth who smuggled out pictures of the family, right under Dave's eyes this week . . . and it was a problem with the special legislative session running for a week. But our special thanks to Ruth for her graciousness.
THANKS, DAVE MANNING
Because of your efforts when the REA was a struggling operation in Treasure County, we now have abundant electicity to power the irrigation water that brings life and prosperity to our valley. Your dedication and your vision brought life to the land in this valley.
REA was first brought into being with the Roosevelt administration in 1933. When Treasure County applied for the power, it was offered services for homes and businesses . . . Welcome . . . but men looking to the future saw a need for higher voltage lines to bring the irrigation water pouring across the valley.
Board members were Dr. Frank Alexander, C. L. Wright, T. J. Cunningham, Herman Eldering Jr., Elias Johnson, John Fink and Roy Ward.
Failing to get the loan the board needed for a high power line, the Board called upon the contractor and newly-elected State Representative Dave Manning. At his own expense . . . there were no funds . . . Dave went to Washington D.C. to convince officials of the needs of Treasure County. And he ended up going to the Capitol in Washington two more times. The second trip he made was to get the construction suitable for heavier power.
At one time Dave Manning and John Grierson traveled to Yellowstone Park to corner the National Administrator of the REA to tell him of the needs of a small eastern Montana county.
And then . . . IT WAS THROUGH . . . Dave wired the good news from Washington, D.C., and John Grierson put it on the screen at the Yucca Theatre in Hysham.
The original system had 6 irrigation pumps. The first loan was for $133,000. The county was first granted 22 miles of transmission line . . . from Forsyth to Sanders, with a distribution line from Forsyth to Big Horn.
Power poles were placed in as direct a line as possible, often from house to house, to make the money go as far as it could. And to this day there are still poles across fields . . . placed there for economic reasons when the copoerative was still young.
John Grierson, also instrumental in obtaining adequate power for Treasure County, was the first manager of the REA. John Hall was the Engineer and Stanley Gibb the Maintenance man. The first bookkeeper was Helen Kolb Brown. Carl Egge was the second manager and Charles Lyndes is the third manager in the nearly 50 year history of the Cooperative.
The consturction of the REA lines in Treasure County was done by Dave Manning Construction, the culmination of many months of work.
We salute you, Dave Manning, and from the verdant valley of Treasure County, THANKS THANKS THANKS. Mid-Yellowstone Electric Copoerative.
CONTINUED