The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-05-05

Meade, so suddenly reduced to the
ranks, would have chafed against the
position of subordination 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 unim.
portant work with zeal and care. 1t
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 I'M
social that he kept to himself-not at
all. From his own galvanized-iron
quarters he used to stare longingly at
the men grouped around the big camp
fires, for the nights were growing chill,
smoking and laughing, exchanging ex-
periences 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-
erything was to preserve his incognito.
1t 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 vagaries of
temperament or causes they could not
imagine, and they grew rather to like
him even as they left him alone. And
a 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
a man, so vigorous and buoyant a
spirit, so strong body and mind were
not calculated for aimless wandering.
Meade was very accomplished en-
gineer indeed. There was no branch
Of the art about which he did not know
a 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 mon0tonOusly at either of
them. He had q natural instinct for
topography, and instead of purpose
lessly strolling about the country, he
made careful inspection of the valley
which was to be converted into huge
reservoir by the dam.
The dam itself was, perhaps, an
eighth Of mile long at the bottom and
touched the receding hill on one side
and the spur Of Spanish mesa on the
other at the top-a huge mound of
earth with q clay core extending from
side to side at the narrowest part of
the valley. When completed it would
be 125 feet high above the old river
bed, with roadway 20 feet broad on
top Of 1t. Below the dam and on the
low ground between the mesa and
Baldwin's knob the camp, with its gal
iron shops, bunkhouses, dining
halls, kitchens and officers quarters,
had been erected. The configuration
Of the ground was such that. although.
Il was unusual to put them there, con-
venience had rendered 1t desirable In
this case.
It was intended to complete the dam
before the early spring of next year,
which was, IL any time In the country
could be so characterized, the rainy |
season. OF course, just as soon as the |
dam had begun to rise, the flow Of the
Picket Wire below 1t had been stopped,
except when an occasional freshet had |
been allowed to pass the undersiuice.
[t was known that the run-of Of the |
river In the rainy season of some years |
was so small as scarcely to I'LL the res
ervoir, and 1t had been decided to store |
LII the flow of the autumn and winter |
70 that even If the spring rainy season
we're deficient the beginning Of the
next summer would find the reservoir |
tull and the new irrigation system |
could commence operations success
FULLY.
Vandeventer, like the lost Abbott Of |
The International, was also a driver,
who spared neither his men nor him.
self. The work had proceeded with as
sonishing rapidly, although this was |
partially accounted for by the fact |
hat the spillwaE which should have |
lccupled their attention. had - yet |