A few words about the bull at J. Neils Memorial Park

After reading the articles about the “bull” in The Western News and Kootenai Valley Record, plus the bridge, I must respond.

My dad went to work full time for J. Neils Lumber Co. in 1953 and I must strongly disagree about the bull at J. Neils Memorial County Park. Out of respect for Julius Neils, I feel the bull is a perfect reflection for how he would feel by what has been done to his community and the legacy he built here.

As you said: mining has not been good for our economy and his timber based economy has been destroyed.

I designed a tee shirt in protest to Montemore plans to destroy Cabinet Mountains Wilderness we got protected under federal designation: A (Heart) Dirty Music Jobs and get positive reactions around Libby. In Troy, I am asked, “What’s Dirty Music?” and the Printing Press technician questioned its appropriateness until I explain: “It is just music with enough “dirt” in the slogan so Libby Chamber of Commerce would “dig” the jobs it can bring to help economic stability.”

At age 15, I was invited to the American Legion Hall for a KLCB remote broadcast fundraiser for March of Dimes. The next year I was on a flat bed truck at Second and Mineral as part of the volunteer entertainment for the first Libby Logger Days street dance. Music loves the bull!

Kootenai River Stampede helps our economy just as Julius Neils did with J. Neils Lumber Co.

Let’s do a song about how the bull saves our community just like Julius Neils did in 1910, the same year my family moved to Lincoln County, Montana and get KLCB back on the air to play it to raise money to build the logger statue. Julius Neils deserves bronze and I have the music to pay for that.

Bridges and bulls and Loggers are our proud heritage!

Stanley G. Davis, Troy, Montana