Evening star., 1928-06-03
Guides a $500, 600, 600 Job


inland rivers, tackling harbor improve
ments, developing navigation and har-
Messing currents for power purposes.
Then came the World War, with its
opportunities for service already out
lined.
Interested in Mississippi.
Gen. Jadwin first became interest
ed In the Mississippi food problem dur
ing the high water of 1922 He was en-
gagged in food control project at San
Antonio when the Mississippi broke
through her leVees, and went at once to
New Orleans to inspect the original
PoydraS crevasse. 1t was at a point
near the old crevasse that the State of
louisiana last Spring dynamited hole
In the levee and re-enacted artificially,
the spillway effect engineered by ma
ture in 1922.
His connection with the Mississippi
problem at that time was of superficial
character. for his official assignment lay
in other districts. He went to the
Charleston. s. c., district as division
engineer Of the Southeast division and
took charge Of all river and harbor
work from the James River TO Key
West and up the Gulf Coast nearly to
Pensacola.
While in Charleston he was made a
member of the st. Lawrence Waterway
Board. which was really an interna-
tional Joint commission, composed Of
three American and three Canadian
members. He was chairman of the
American section of the board. The
far-reaching recommendations of this
board now are under consideration by
the American and Canadian govern
ments.
From Charleston he came to Wash
ington. some four years ago. as assist
ant Chief of Engineers. He was ap-
pointed Chief OF Engineers two years
ago.
Organized Force I'm Flood.
When the great food of 1927 started
its course down the Mississippi Valley
Gen. Jadwin organized his river engi-
neers into an emergency rescue force
and went to Memphis with Secretary
Hoover 10 take personal charge OF the
force, under Hoover. Jadwin embarked
with Hoover on a thrilling inspection
Journey down the rampaging river TO
New Orleans. and he held numerous
conferences with his district engineers
en- route.
More than 200 lives had been lost
prior 10 the organization of the emer-
gency rescue fleet under Col Spaulding,
one OF JadWin's engineers, but only half
a dozen persons were drowned there
after.
This was work that appealed to the
humanitarian instincts of a military
engineer rather than to his scientific
and professional interests. The scenes
OF desolation shocked the sensibilities
OF the Army's engineer head and gave
rise In his heart To conviction and a
determination.
The conviction was that new meth
DDS must be resorted To II this Father
OF Waters was to be held In restraint In
the future.
The determination was that such
catastrophe must not be permitted TO
happen again, at any cost.
AS Chief OF Engineers OF the Army, II
was plainly his duty to do something
about 1t, and he lost no time In setting
about TO do It,
During the ensuing months he made
many trips to the valley. inspecting
bends In the river here, alignment OF
levees there, topography of lands suit
able for fioodway purposes and count
less other technical phases of the prob
lem which lay before him.
Evolves New Plan.
Out OF these inspections he evolved
q new plan OF eurbing the great river,
based on a theory involving larger and
higher ievees, spiilways to carry on ex-
cess water and fiopdwayA through which
the 0yerfioWing water could be carried
direct Ia the Gulf OF Mexico.
This plan, bearing the name Of It's
lContinued on Third pags)