The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1917-06-07

Meade, so suddenly reduced to the
ranks. would have chnfed against the
position Of subordlnation and would
have resented the humble duties with
which he was charged. But Meade
was happy to be following, even in this
extremely modest way, the profession
that he loved. And he did his unlm-
portnnt work with zeal and care. II
Is not much to say, but he was the
most efficient Of the junior engineering
force on the dam.
1t was not because Meade was un-
social that he kept to himself-not at
ALL From his own galvanized-iron
quarters he used to stare longingly ut
the men grouped around the big camp
fires, for the nights were growing chill,
| smoking and laughing, exchanging cx-
pcricnccs and telling stories. Nothing
would have pleased him better than to
! have Joined in, and he could have told
stories and related experiences that
would have been unique even In that
! gay crowd Of young adventures. But
| he did not dare. He feared to bctray
! himself. What he wanted above ev-
crythng was to preserve his lncognito.
| II would hc fatal TO his chances of ever
working up to anything worth while
! If they found out who he was.
And he had n tremendous pride to
sustain him. They respected him now.
Az matter of fact, they put his with
drawnl of himself down TO yagaries OF
temperament or causes they could not
imagine, ana they grew rather to like
him even rs they left him alone. And
II few of the men of the humber sort
to whom lac had been kind on occasion,
and helpful, We're stoutly devoted to
him.
The idlcncsS OF an aimlcss life did
not appeal to him even in his on-duty
periods. Doing nothing had no attrac-
ton. He could not get relief that way.
Even rambling alone about the hills
would not serve. So quick and active
man, so vigorous and buoyant Il
spirit. so strong n body and mind were
not calculated for aimlcss wandering.
Meade was n very accomplished en-
gInccr indeed. There was no branch
OF the art about which he did not know
n little. although hydraulics and struc-
,ural steel were the things that most
appealed to him. He got relief In the
duality of his affections for these
branches OF his profession. Neither one
OF them ever pallcd on him because he
did not work monotonously ut either OF
them. He had n natural instinct for
topography. and instead Of purpose
lcSsly strolling about the country. he
made n careful inspection OF the valley
which was To be converted into huge
reservoir by the dam.
The dam itself was. perhaps. an
eighth OF n mile long ut the bottom and
touched the reccdnc hill on one side
and the spur OF Spanish mesa on the
other at the top-n huge mound or
earth with n clay core extending from
side to side ut the narrowcst part of
the valley. When completed II would
be l25 feet high above the old river
bed. with n roadway 20 feet broa! on
top OF It. Below the dam and on the
low ground between the mesa and
Baldwin's knob the camp, with Its gal
vnnIZcd iron shops. bunkhouScs, dining
halls. kitchens and officers quarters,
had been erected. The conhguratlon
OF the ground was such that. although
1t was unusual to put them there, con-
vcnicncc had rendered 1t desirable In
this case.
II was intended to complete the dam
before the early spring OF next year,
which was, II amy time In the country
could be so characterized. the rainy
season. or course. Just as soon ms the
dam had begun to rise. the flow OF the
Picket Wire below II had been stopped.
except when nm occasional frcshct had
been allowed to pass the undcrslulcc.
II was known that the run-oN OF the
river In the rainy season OF some years
was SO small Ms scarcely to I'LL the res
crvulr. and II had been decided to store
nil the How of the autumn and winter
SO that even II the spring rainy season
were deficient. the beginning OF the
next summer would ind the reservoir
full and the new irrigation system
could commence operations success.
fully.
Nnudcvcntcr, like the lost Abbott Of
| the International. wns also driver.
who spared neither his men nor him.
self The work had proceeded with MS.
toni shing rnpidity, although this was
partially accounted for by the fact
that the spilway. which should have
occupied their attention. had as yet