Evening star., 1933-10-06
WABASH MAY LOSE
MOONLIGHT CHARM
Two States Seek Changes to
Control Floods and U. S.
Aid Is Desired.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The moonlight on the Wabash,
which years ago inspired couple OF
songs, soon may fall on a scene far
different from that dreamed about by
the authors
If Uncle Sam is persuaded to spend
enough of his money to reform the
habits of the stream, so it will stay in
its banks when floods come, the Wabash
won't be the same as it was In days
of old.
The swollen waters Of the river have
caused Indiana and Illinois so much
trouble the last few years that the
Federal Government is being urged
strongly to do something about 1t.
Congressional delegations and hun
dreds of others from the two States,
alarmed over the periodical floods, pic
ture great possibilities of keeping the
river in its banks If the Government
project Of deepening the bed OF the
stream ard raising the flood level a
few feet.
Representative Is Active.
Most active in pressing for Federal
grant to accomplish this is Representa-
tive Virginia E. JenckeS of Terre
Haute, Ind, who made herself heard on
the subject long before she came to
Congress last March.
War Department engineers went to
Indiana last Spring as the result OF
her efforts, and they brought back
a report of their survey to Maj. Gen.
Lytle Brown, Chief of Army Engineers.
They estimated that the work could
be done for an estimated S18,000,000,
covering not only the Wabash River i'm
provementS, but including levee projects
on the White River.
This was about the time that Con-
gress, in extra session to find solution
to the Nations ills, was considering
public works bill, and Chairman Riley
Wilson of the House Flood Control
Committee, recommended that the In
diana project be included in the pro-
gram.
During the weeks between that time
and the hearing before the Public
Works Administration here recently,
Mrs. Jenckes enlisted the support of
her colleagues in the House and found
mayors, city councils. Chambers of
Commerce and scores of others to make
their support heard by the Govern
ment.
The responses, most of them tele-
graphic, were sent to President Roose-
welt. to Secretary Dern of the War De-
partment, and to Secretary Ickes of the
Interior Department, the public works
administrator.
When the formal hearing was held
before Col. Henry M. Waite, the deputy
public works administrator. and an
advisory board, Mrs. Jenckes was sup
ported in her pleas by score of In
diana officials and private citizens, and
one Illinois Representative in Con-
gress-Claude " Parsons-whose dis
trict is contiguous with the Indiana
flood area.
Jobs for 10000 to 100000.
R. Earl Peters, the Indiana Demo-
cratic State chairman, also appeared
with the entire membership of the In
diana Public Works Advisory Board.
Each argued that the grant would pro-
vide employment for 10000 to 100000
persons for many months.
Then Chairman Wilson said he hoped
the board could come to the conclu-
sion that the project is worthy one.
War Department engineers say flood
prevention can best be brought about
by system Of levees, and that erection
of reservoirs not only would be imprac-
ticable but would be almost out of the
question from the standpoint Of ex-
pendltures.
Maj Gen Brown advised the board
that the principal problems to consider
were the construction Of levees, the di-
version of sufficient water to cut down
the volume, and the alteration Of
bridges.
Cost alone of bridge construction and
alterations is estimated by Gen. Brown
at $4,000, ,000 Approximately one-half
OF them would have to be replaced.
he said.
Although the project has been re-
ferred to as an $18,o00,000 one, Gen.
Brown says an additional Sl6,000,000
would be required for the protection OF
some 18 municipalities.
How much the food stage would be
raised is not a certainty with the War
Department, but Gen. Brown said he
understands that at Vincennes. Ind,
for instance, the stage would be raised
five feet.