The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-04-21

the men grouped around the big camp
fires, for the nights were growing chill,
smoking and laughing exchanging ex-
pcriences 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 betray
himself. What he wanted above ev-
rrything was to preserve his incOgnitO.
II would be fatal to his chances Of ever
working up to anything worth while
if they found out who he was.
And he had tremendous pride to
sustain him. They respected him now.
As matter of fact, they put his with
drawal of himself down to vagnries of
temperament or causes they could not
imagine. and they grew rather to like
him even as they left him alone. And
few of the men of the humber sort
to whom he had been kind on occasion,
and helpful, were stoutly devoted to
him.
The idleness of an aimlesS life did
not appeal to him even in his off-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 a
spirit, so strong body and mind were
60 1T,
Meade was a very accomplished en-
gineer indeed. There was no branch
of the art about which he did not know
little, although hydraulics and struc-
tural 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 palled on him because he
did not work mOnOtOnOusly at either of
2 them. He had natural instinct for
, topography, and instead of purpose
e lessly strolling about the country, he
t made careful inspection of the valley
!, which was to he converted into huge
: reservoir by the dam.
n The dam itself was, perhaps, an
e eighth Of q mile long at the bottom and
x touched the receding hill on one side
, and the spur of Spanish mesa on the
y other at the tOp-a huge mound. of
earth with clay core extending from
/" side to side at the narrOwest part of
d the valley. When completed 1t would
n be 125 feet high above the old river
'. bed, with a roadway 20 feet broad on
/" top Of 1t. Below the dam and on the
D. low ground between the mesa and
IS Baldwin's knob the camp, with its gal
% vanized iron shops, bunkhOuses, dining
IS halls, kitchens and officers quarters
o had been erected. The configuratioI
of the ground was such that, although
!" 1t was unusual to put them there, con
% venience had rendered 1t desirable IL
: this case.
,e 1t was intended to complete the dan
before the early spring of next year
which was, II any time in the countr.
could be so characterized, the rain.
season. OF course, just as soon as thu
dam had begun to rise, the flow of tn,
n. Picket Wire below it had been stopped
,r except when an occasional freShet Ia,
re- been allowed to pass the underslulce
H. 1t was known that the run-Off of tn,
river in the rainy season of some year
: was so small as scarcely to fill the res
: ervoir, and IL had been decided to stOr
N all the flow of the autumn and winte
!, so that even If the spring rainy season
Il were deficient, the beginning of tn
| a. ~,
full and the new irrigation system
could commence operations success
fully.
Nandeventer, like the lost Abbott o
= the International. was also a driver
M who spared neither his men nor him
n self. The work had proceeded with as
y tonishing rapidly. although this wa
partially accounted for by the fac
~ that the spillwny, which should hav
81 occupied their attention, had as ye
II been only partially excavated. Now
~ To those ignorant of engineering, a
earth dam may seem a temporary el
pedlent, although most Of the great il
\ rigation dams of the world are Of tina
character; and everybody knows this
q II the water should rise high enough I
81 overflow an earth dam II would not las
: longer than ii takes to describe Il
$ utter giving way. A flood would swee
81 IL out of the way at once.
! The device whereby possible flood
~ are controlled and such dangers aver
ed, consists of a broad channel at on
side of the dam, and at such n di
I'm lance below its crest that If, throug
he any mischance or natural happening
he such as the failure of the Sluice gate
lid excessive rains, clOudbursts, or flood
tn the height of the water is increase
de until IL promises 10 overflow the dar
his this opening will carry off the surpIr
on harmlessly. An earth dam without
m spillway would presage almost certai
IL destruction to all who lived in the va
he ley below it.
ng In the case Of the Picket Wire dau
the spillway had to be cut and, in par
In blasted out of the mountain side-th,
at is. through the spur Of the mesa. whic
on reached down from its high wa
at towards the narrows. There had bee