The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-03
Edgar Jadwin, Once
Top Army Engineer,
Dies in Panama City
(Continued from page u

Continued from page -
Of his famous scheme for Mississippi
river flood control climaxed tWo-Score
years Of public work by Lieut.. Gen
Edgar B. Jadwin. U. S. A., retired.
In 80 years Of active service as Az
army engineer. his tours Of duty. in
peace and war, took him from one
end Of the country to the other and
from Cuba II Panama and France.
General Jadwin vas called from re-
tirement by President Hoover to be-
come chairman of the newly created
federal power commission in July,
1880.
In picking Gen. Jadwin he selected
an officer of proved skill and energy.
His record included work on the Pan
anna canal and on many river and
harbor projects, reaching its height
when the "Jadwin PLAN was applied
to the Mississippi.
This was n of the largest single
projects ever undertaken by the
American government. 1t called for
expenditure Of 1925, O00, GOO and was
brought before congress after a series
OF disastrous foundations had TO-
cussed national attention on the flood
problem along the country's greatest
waterway. T. provoked months OF
bitter controversy, struggling for APP
prevail with a counter-plan urged by
the Mississippi river commission and
involving a cost OF SITS, 000, 900.
Managed Many Projects
Mississippi river flood control was
not the only major project with
which General Jadwin was concerned.
Canalization of the Ohio river, &C
claimed as a project likely to revivify
river transportation in the great
manufacturing and agricultural ter
ritory tributary to that stream. was
finished under his administration.
He also had credited to his record the
building of the massive sea wall at
Galveston, Tex; construction of the
breakwater at Colon protecting the
Atlantic entrance to the Panama
canal, and excavation of the sea-level
stretch of the canal from the Atlantic
to Gatun. He was responsible too
for providing the thousands Of tons
Of rock and sand used in cOnstruc-
ton of ",e locks and spillway at
Gatun.
His var experience was confined to
engineering work rather than with
combat troops. He commanded the
battalion. of "MatanZaS mule" fame In
Cuba after the American lombard
ment of that town and was RESPONSE
bic for tn, sanitation work there after
the close o. the Spanish-American
war.
In the World war he organized and
commanded the 18th Engineers, a
railway unit and the first American
contingent to pass through England
under arms. In France he first was
director Of light railways and roads
for the A. z. F. and later was director
OF constitution and forestry. At one
time he commanded 160, 900 men en-
gagged in building railways, roads,
bridges, barracks, warehouses and
hospitals.
General Jadwil, was born at Homes
dale, Pa, Aug. 7, 1865. He put i'll
two years at Lafayette college, Eas-
ton, Pa. then went to West Point
where he graduated at the head of
his class il 1890.
He was a first lieutenant when
the Spaaish-American war broke out
and he emerged from the conflict as
lieutenar4t-colonel of volunteers. By
1913 he had attained that rank in
the regular army, was a temporary
brigadier general in the World war
and achieved his major-generalship
when made chief Of the engineer
corps.
He was awarded the Distinguished
Service medal by the United States,
made a Companion of the Bath by
Great Britain and a commander OF
the Legion of Honor by France.
General Jadwin was married Oc-
tober 6, 1896, to Miss Jean Laubach
whom he met while he was a student
at Lafayette college.