Frances Logan Merriam Papers

Frances Logan Merriam Papers, 1948-1972

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Merriam, Frances Logan 1899-
Title: Frances Logan Merriam Papers
Dates: 1948-1972 (inclusive)
19481972
Quantity: 10.2 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number: MC 58 (collection)
Summary: Frances Merriam (b. 1899) served as the Executive Secretary of the Committee for Paradise Dam, an organization that promoted the construction of the Paradise and Knowles dams in western Montana. Papers (1948-1972) consist primarily of subject files and correspondence concerning the dams and her work in the Montana Democratic Party.
Repository: Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions: Collection open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Frances Dummer Logan Merriam was born December 24, 1899, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the daughter of William and Ethel Dummer. Frances Dummer attended Francis W. Parker High School in Chicago, graduating in 1917. She entered college at the University of Wisconsin, where she received Phi Beta Kappa honors, and graduated in 1921. Following graduation from college, Frances Dummer taught school for three years in San Diego, California, 1921-1924. In 1926, she was awarded a diploma as a psychiatric social worker from the New York School of Social Work. Shortly thereafter, she returned to her home state and was employed for ten months at the Illinois Institute for Juvenile Research. She continued her work in education while working in the Winnetka, Illinois, public schools as an education counselor, 1926-1931. While employed there, she met and married Simon Rae Logan, then Assistant Superintendent of Schools. The Logans continued living in Winnetka, while raising a son, Francis, and a daughter, Katharine. Mrs. Logan later served as a co-director of the Chicago Metropolitan Council of Civil Defense (Chicago Council of Social Work), 1942-1946. In 1946, when her husband retired, Frances Logan moved with him to a farm/homestead near Charlo, Montana. She remained active in political life, serving as Montana's First District Democratic Congressional Committeewoman, 1962-1964. For three years, she also served as the state's Democratic National Committeewoman. Frances Logan was also a charter member of the Committee for Paradise Dam, an organization that promoted the construction of Paradise and Knowles Dams in western Montana, in 1957, and later served as its Executive Secretary, 1959-1965. Her husband died in 1970, and in 1974 she married Harold G. Merriam, University of Montana English professor emeritus.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The majority of the materials reflect Frances Logan's work as the executive secretary of the Committee for Paradise Dam. Included are subject files containing correspondence, reports, clippings, publications, and miscellany; clippings; and testimony from hearings presented before various congressional committees. These materials are included in the Paradise-Knowles Dams subgroup. The remaining papers are general correspondence (primarily with Lee Metcalf), and subject files relative to Frances Logan's work in the Montana Democratic Party, 1955-1972.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

4:3-2

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Processing Note

Processed and deposited through the University of Montana Archives.

Separated Materials

Photographs and selected printed material were transferred from this collection to the M.H.S. Photo Archives and Library respectively.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

Frances Logan Merriam Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	General Correspondence
Box/Folder
1 / 1	A (correspondents include LeRoy Anderson, Murl Axtell)	1957, 1966
1 / 2	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council	1957-1964
1 / 3	C-E (correspondents include Leo Carmody, Committee for Paradise Dam, Chester City Mayor, Gardner Cromwell, Suzanne Emmons)	1958-1968
1 / 4	Flathead Irrigation Project	1962-1965
1 / 5	F-L (correspondents include Dorothy Floerchinger, Elmer Freshour, Horace Gray, Harold Gunderson, Averill Harriman, Jerry Holloron, Indian Affairs, KLCB Libby, Ann Low)	1956-1969
1 / 6	Donna Metcalf	1958-1971
1 / 7-19	Lee Metcalf	1955-1972
1 / 20	Missoulian [primarily letters to the editor]	1957-1972
1 / 21	Montana Farmers Union	1957
1 / 22	Montana Rural Electric News	1957-1962
1 / 23	Montana State Board of Health (re air and water pollution, includes article "Stream Waste Disposal and Public Health in Montana," by G.D. Carlyle Thompson	1961-1968
1 / 24	M (correspondents include Mike Mansfield, Gary Marbut enclosing statement to Montana Water Pollution Control Council, Allen McAlear, Montana Power Company, James E. Murray)	1957-1967
1 / 25	M (correspondents include National Congress of American Indians, National Farmers Union, Northwest Public Power Association)	1957-1963
1 / 26	People's Voice (Harry and Gretchen Billings)	1957
1 / 27	P-R (correspondents include Donald A. Paddock, The Plainsman, Miles Romney)	1957-1962
1 / 28	Adlai E. Stevenson	1955-1956
1 / 29	S-W (correspondents include Alvin E. Sloan, Cy Tonner, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Federal Power Commission, U.S. House Appropriations Committee, U.S. Rural Electrification Administration, U.S. President's Water Pollution Control Commission)	1957-1968
1 / 30	Unidentified	1961, 1964
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
2 / 10	Air pollution	1966-1971
2 / 2	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council minutes	1957, 1962-1963
2 / 3-4	Flathead Irrigation Project (includes land ownership lists, crop reports, contracts, legislation, circular letters, clippings, etc.)	1962-1971
2 / 5-6	Indians (includes House Subcommittee on Indian Affairs hearing, Hellgate Treaty, petition, Char-Koosta, Kicking Horse Conservation Center, clippings)	1955-1970
2 / 7	Indians: termination of tribal ownership of land	1971-1972
2 / 8	Montana Air Pollution Advisory Council	1967
3 / 1	Montana-Idaho Assembly on State Legislatures in American Politics	1966
3 / 2-6	Montana Power Company (includes reports to stockholders, clippings, etc.)	1957-1972
3 / 7	Montana Power Company: advertisements	1963-1970
3 / 8	Montana Power Company: natural gas	1961-1965
3 / 9	Montana Water Pollution Council (includes public hearing on proposed revision of water quality standards, clippings)	1967-1968
4 / 1	Municipal utilities	1967
4 / 2	Newspapers	1957-1971
4 / 3	Overcharge (re publication of book by Lee Metcalf)	1967
4 / 4-5	Water pollution (includes clippings, report on "The Anaconda Company Waste Treatment Plant for the Butte Mines and Anaconda Reduction Works", stream classifications, federal legislation, etc.)	1963-1970

Committee For Paradise Dam Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subject Files
Box/Folder
5 / 1	Advertising	1956-1957
5 / 2	Amendments to Congressional bills	1957-1960
5 / 3	American Public Power Association correspondence	1957-1963
5 / 4	Annual meeting	1959
5 / 5	Articles of incorporation, bylaws, etc.	1957-1961
5 / 6	Articles and publications	1958, 1962
5 / 7	Audits and financial statements	1957-1963
5 / 8	John F. Baldwin (R. Calif.) questionnaire [includes question on Knowles Dam]	1963
5 / 9	Beets (includes statistics of sugar beet growing)	1957-1966
5 / 10	Mondell Bennett correspondence	1960-1961
5 / 11-12	Roy F. Bessey correspondence and testimony	1960-1965
5 / 13	Bills (re Knowles Dam alternative to Paradise Dam, Yellowtail Dam, Hells Canyon Dam; also includes report on "Multiple-Purpose Storage Possibilities, Clark Fork River Basin")	1953-1960
6 / 1-2	Bills (re Knowles Dam and Paradise Dam; statements of Gus Norwood, Roy F. Bessey, David R. Brower, S.R. Logan; clippings)	1957-1960
6 / 3	Harry and Gretchen Billings correspondence	1965-1971
6 / 4	Bio-degradable products	1964
6 / 5	Bison (primarily re effect of Knowles Dam on National Bison Range)	1961-1965
6 / 6-7	Board of Directors correspondence	1957-1964
6 / 8	"Brainwash" (see also: Advertising)	1957-1962
6 / 9	British Columbia Hydro Takeover (re takeover of British Columbia Electric Company by government)	1961-1963
6 / 10-12	Buffalo Rapids (re proposed Montana Power Company dams: includes correspondence, Federal Power Commission applications, clippings, etc.)	1958-1968
6 / 13-15	Buffalo Rapids / Kerr Dam (re proposed Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Montana Power Company joint project for dams at Buffalo Rapids and re-licensing of Kerr Dam)	1961-1966
7 / 1	Businessmen (re appeal to businessmen to support Paradise Dam)	1957-1959
7 / 2	Canadian diversion and projects (re proposals to divert water from upper Columbia River to Fraser River; also Peace River Project)	1958-1963
7 / 3	Canadian-United States Columbia River Treaty	1958-1963
7 / 4	Leo Carmody correspondence (Central Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative)	1963
7 / 5	Cattle (list of number of head of cattle owned by Little Bitterroot Valley ranches)	1963
7 / 6	Henry P. Caulfield correspondence (U.S. Dept. of Interior)	1962-1963
7 / 7	Chambers of Commerce (correspondence with Chambers of Commerce in area where dams have been built, including Glasgow and Polson)	1955-1966
7 / 8	Chelan [Wash.] Public Utility District	1957
7 / 9	Christian Century article and response to it by S.R. Logan	1962-1963
7 / 10	Ed Christopherson correspondence	1959-1960
7 / 11	Earl Chudoff correspondence	1957
7 / 12	Citizens Committee Against Knowles	1961-1962
7 / 13	Coal (re coal-fired electric generating plants)	1965-1966
7 / 14-16	Columbia River Regional Corporation bill (drafted by Northwest Public Power Association)	1958
7 / 17	Columbia Valley Authority flyer	1947
7 / 18	Committee for Paradise Dam (includes circular letters, meeting notices, speeches, flyers, correspondence, clippings, etc.)	1957-1959
7 / 19	Clifford Davis correspondence	1963
7 / 20	Deficit (re financial deficit of Committee)	1957
7 / 21	Democratic Party platform letter on Paradise Dam	1956-1957
7 / 22	Displaced persons (re protection for people displaced by highways and dams)	1958-1962
7 / 23	Floyd E. Dominy correspondence (commissioner of Bureau of Reclamation)	1961
8 / 1	Downstream Benefits bill	1959-1961
8 / 2	Leonard B. Dworsky correspondence (Columbia Basin Inter Agency Committee)	1961-1962
8 / 3	Dwight D. Eisenhower (speeches and press releases re power projects)	1955-1961
8 / 4	Election results (letters to Mike Mansfield, James E. Murray, and LeRoy Anderson re significance of support to Paradise Dam)	1958, 1960
8 / 5	Executive Committee (includes lists, circular letters, mail ballots, hearing statements)	1965-1966
8 / 6-7	Expenses	1959-1965
8 / 8-10	Federal Power Commission (includes act, rules and procedures, planning status report on Clark Fork-Pend Oreille River Basin, "Hyrdoelectric Power Resources of the United States", clippings, correspondence, opinions)	1955-1968
8 / 11	Flood damage (re value of dams for flood control purposes)	1957-1967
8 / 12	Foundation study (includes "Outline for Study of Research and Planning Program and Organization for the Paradise Project Area, and of Requirements for Outside Financial and Technical Assistance Therein" by Roy F. Bessey)	1957-1958
8 / 13	John Garber correspondence	1957-1963
8 / 14	Ferris G. Gilkey correspondence (manager, Bonneville Power Administration, Kalispell District Office)	1962-1963
8 / 15	Ernest Gruening correspondence (re The Public Pays)	1959-1960
9 / 1	Hanford Reactor (re use of surplus nuclear power to generate electricity)	1961-1963
9 / 2	Paul Harlow correspondence, speeches, etc.	1957-1970
9 / 3-4	Hells Canyon Dam (Snake River, Idaho)	1957-1959
9 / 5	Jerome Hewankorn correspondence (re his petition calling for election on Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe agreement with Montana Power Company re-licensing Kerr Dam)	1965-1967
9 / 6	Hungry Horse Dam (primarily clippings)	1948-1968
9 / 7	Leon Hurtt correspondence (includes report "Big, Little, and Medium Sized Dams on the Upper Columbia R.")	1957-1962
9 / 8	Indians (includes Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Council minutes, hearing testimony, circular letters, etc.)	1957-1960
9 / 9	Industrial News Review article against Knowles Dam and Lee Metcalf response to it	1963-1964
9 / 10	Kerr Dam rental from Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe by Montana Power Company (includes Federal Power Commission decision readjusting rate)	1966-1967
9 / 11	Knowles Dam correspondence	1957-1963
10 / 1	Knowles Dam correspondence	1958-1964
10 / 2	Knowles Dam letters to Congress	1962
10 / 3	Knowles Dam mass mailings	1960-1965
10 / 4	Knowles Dam testimony	1962
10 / 5	Labor support for Paradise Dam	1957
10 / 6	Lake County membership activities	1957
10 / 7	Land acquisition (re protections for land owners)	1957, 1961
10 / 8	"Land Grab" hoax (re Bureau of Reclamation application for withdrawal of lands needed for Knowles Dam from appropriation for other purposes)	1963
10 / 9	Legislative history (includes various versions of bills, reports, correspondence, clippings, etc.)	1956-1964
10 / 10	Legislative Joint Memorial #1 (re Paradise Dam)	1957
10 / 11	Letterhead (includes permissions from all members of board of directors to appear on letterhead)	1963
10 / 12-13	Letters to editors [mostly undated, no order]	1957-1965
11 / 1	Libby Dam (includes correspondence, circulars, clippings, ground-breaking ceremony)	1956-1966
11 / 2	Charles F. Luce correspondence (Bonneville Power Administration)	1961-1971
11 / 3	Harvey McPhail correspondence (Kuljian Corporation)	1959
11 / 4	Mike Mansfield correspondence	1957-1964
11 / 5	Michael Mapes (Special Counsel to Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs: includes memos to James E. Murray and Mike Mansfield, reports, etc.)	1956-1967
11 / 6	Maps (includes sketch maps of sites, section drawings for dams and spillways, contour map of Paradise Dam, drainage map of Clark Fork and tributaries) [some maps in OVERSIZE FOLDER]	1948-1957
Oversize Folder
1	Miscellaneous Maps [Map Case]	1948-1957
Box/Folder
11 / 7	Mass mailings (re both Paradise and Knowles dams)	1957-1962
12 / 1-7	Membership (includes correspondence, lists, contributions, etc.)	1957-1965
12 / 8-9	Lee Metcalf correspondence	1957-1961
13 / 1-2	Lee Metcalf correspondence	1962-1965
13 / 3	Minutes of executive board and membership meetings	1957-1965
13 / 4	Moiese Bison Range (includes list of employment of opponents to dam)	1963
13 / 5	Howard Morgan correspondence (Federal Power Commission)	1963
13 / 6	Motel owners (circular letters)	1963
13 / 7	Municipal ownership of electric power	1959-1961
13 / 8-9	James E. Murray correspondence	1957-1960
13 / 10	Robert W. Nelson correspondence (U.S. Dept. of Interior)	1962-1966
13 / 11	Richard Neuberger speeches and clippings	1957
13 / 12	Northwest Public Power Association correspondence	1956-1957
14 / 1	Northwest Public Power Association correspondence	1957-1961
14 / 2	Northwest Public Power Association: Spokane conference	1964
14 / 3-7	Northwest Public Power Association: Gus Norwood correspondence and clippings	1959-1965
14 / 8	Oil drilling (re filing of options on land to be flooded near Moiese)	1957-1958
14 / 9	Arnold Olsen correspondence	1957-1963
14 / 10	Opposition to Paradise Dam	1957-1960
15 / 1	Partnership (re proposals to sell power from public dams to private utilities)	1957-1960
15 / 2	Bill Pickett correspondence	1963
15 / 3	Policy statements	1958, undated
15 / 4	Population study (lists of occupied and unoccupied houses in dam area)	1959-1963
15 / 5	"Pork Barrel" article in Life magazine and responses to it	1963
15 / 6-8	Press (includes press releases, clippings, etc.)	1957-1965
15 / 9	Truman Price correspondence (Washington State Dept. of Conservation)	1963
15 / 10	Quotes and scripts	1956-1957
15 / 11-13	Relocation (re relocation of rail lines and people required for Paradise Dam)	1957-1961
15 / 14	Roland Renne (includes "Green Gold: Montana's Undeveloped Water Resources")	1959-1960
15 / 15	Reprints and quotes	1953-1959
16 / 1	Review report (re Columbia River 308 Review Report)	1958-1960
16 / 2	Michael A. Rivisto correspondence	1960
16 / 3	Nita G. Robbin correspondence	1960-1961
16 / 4	Russia's river development	1957-1960
16 / 5	Steel mill (re proposed steel mill at Anaconda)	1959-1960
16 / 6	Benton J. Strong correspondence (staff member Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee; includes "Report on Resources on the New Frontier"	1961-1962
16 / 7	Sugar company (re American Crystal Sugar Company and its relationship to Anaconda Company, Montana Power Company, and Northern Pacific Railway)	1957
16 / 8	Archer S. Taylor correspondence (includes Committee for Paradise Dam nominating committee material)	1957-1965
16 / 9	Television programs on dams	1961-1962
16 / 10	L.P. "Cy" Tonner correspondence	1957-1963
16 / 11	Treasurer's reports	1957-1964
16 / 12	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers correspondence	1948, 1957-1968
16 / 13-15	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hearings	1948, 1956-1959
16 / 16	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports	1958-1960
17 / 1-3	U.S. Bonneville Power Administration (includes correspondence, rate plans, speeches, generation and sales statistics, news releases, contracts)	1946-1967
17 / 4-6	U.S. Bonneville Power Administration Advisory Council	1961-1963
18 / 1-2	U.S. Bonneville Power Administration Advisory Council	1962-1964
18 / 3	U.S. Bonneville Power Administration spot rate maps (compares price of electricity in various Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon locations)	1964, undated
18 / 4	U.S. Congressional correspondence	1957-1960
18 / 5	U.S. Senate Select Committee on Water Resources (includes bills, resolutions, correspondence, hearing testimony of Committee for Paradise Dam, G.M. Brandborg, Leonard Kenfield, and Fred E. Buck)	1959-1960
18 / 6	Upper Columbia Development Council (opposed to Paradise Dam)	1957-1964
18 / 7	Upstream Storage Committee of Northwest Public Power Association minutes	1959
18 / 8	Water crop value	1962
18 / 9	Water Resources Planning Act (S.2246: includes testimony	1961
18 / 10	Robert C. Weller correspondence (Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union)	1957-1966
	Clippings
Box/Folder
19 / 1	Flathead Courier	1957-1961
19 / 2	Hungry Horse News	1960-1961
19 / 3	People's Voice	1957-1961
19 / 4	Plainsman	1956-1958
19 / 5	Ronan Pioneer	1957-1961
19 / 6	St. Ignatius Post	1957
19 / 7-12	Miscellaneous	1949, 1957-1960
20 / 1-10	Miscellaneous	1961-1969, undated
	Hearings
Box/Folder
21 / 1	Hungry Horse Dam hearing (includes testimony by J.E. Corette of Montana Power Company)	1947-1949
21 / 2-3	Paradise Dam hearing, Missoula (includes resolutions of support by large number of organizations)	1957
21 / 4	Paradise Dam hearing, Helena	1957
21 / 5	Paradise Dam hearings (related material)	1957
21 / 6	Columbia River Report hearings (includes testimony of National Hells Canyon Association, Roy F. Bessey, Paul K. Harlow)	March 1959
21 / 7	U.S. Senate Select Committee on Water Resources hearing (testimony of Frances Logan)	October 1959
21 / 8	U.S. Senate hearing on S. 1226 (includes testimony of Frances Logan, S.R. Logan, Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society, David R. Brower of Sierra Club, Gus Norwood of Northwest Public Power Association)	December 1959
22 / 1-3	U.S. Senate hearing on S. 1226 (includes correspondence and related material)	December 1959
22 / 4-5	Montana H.B. 217 and H.R. 8 hearing (includes testimony of Gus Norwood of Northwest Public Power Association, R.E. Corette; also includes text of bill and resolution)	1959
22 / 6	U.S. Senate S. 1226 hearing (correspondence and related material)	1960
23 / 1-2	U.S. Senate S. 1226 hearing (correspondence and related material)	1960
23 / 3	Knowles Dam hearing (includes testimony of Frances D. Logan; Gus Norwood; Arnold Olsen; Kenneth Holum, Assistant Secretary of Interior; Ralph Maxwell, Lake County Commissioners; J.E. Corette, Montana Power Company; George E. Mushbach; John W. Haw and Carl H. Burgess, Northern Pacific Railway Company; Mark Hatfield; Robert C. Sykes, Montana Wildlife Federation; Walter H. Morigeau, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; Ray M. Logan, Upper Columbia Development Council; J. Hugo Aronson)	1962
23 / 4	Knowles Dam hearing (related material)	1962
23 / 5	Knowles Dam hearing (testimony, statements, and resolutions in support of dam)	1963
23 / 6	Knowles Dam hearing (related material)	1963
24 / 1-2	Knowles Dam hearing (includes testimony of Frances D. Logan, Albert W. Stone, Gus Norwood, Leonard Kenfield, Jeanne Beaty, S.R. Logan, Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union)	1963
24 / 3	Knowles Dam hearing (related material)	1963-1964
24 / 4	In the Matter of Montana Power Company Project #5 (re Kerr Dam evaluation)	1965
24 / 5	In the Matter of Montana Power Company and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Project #2507 (re Kerr Dam and proposed Buffalo Rapids dams)	1965
24 / 6	Clark Fork and Flathead River water resources study hearings	1966
24 / 7	Miscellaneous	undated
	Miscellany
Box/Folder
24 / 8	Miscellaneous (includes statements, brochures, etc.)	undated
	Transfers
Box/Folder
24 / 9-10	Lists of photographs and printed material transferred to Photo Archives and Library respectively

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Columbia River Treaty (1961)
Dams--Montana
Electric Power--Montana
Electric Utilities--Law and legislation--Montana
Federal Government
Indians Of North America--Government relations
Irrigation--Montana
Political parties--Montana
Public utilities--Regulation--Montana
Rural electrification--Montana
Salish Indians
Salish Indians--Politics and government

Personal Names

Merriam, Frances Logan 1899- (creator)

Geographical Names

Buffalo Rapids Project (Mont.)
Charlo (Mont.)
Hells Canyon Dam (Idaho and Or.)
Hungry Horse Dam (Mont.)
Kerr Dam (Mont.)
Knowles Dam (Mont.)
Libby Dam (Mont.)
Oregon--Industries
Paradise Dam (Mont.)
Paradise Irrigation District (Mont.)

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