Evening star., 1937-01-31
Fighting the Flood.


Residents of other parts of this coun-
try than those that are almost perl
odically engulfed by the swollen waters
Of the rivers have little concept Of the
heart breaking toll Of the levee keepers
In maintaining the barriers against the
floods. 1t is one of the hardest tasks
ever undertaken. The banks are In the
main merely long mounds Of earth.
dredged from the river beds and taken
from the adjacent fields, revetted with
gabions, or wicker baskets naed with
earth, and fasc.Ees, or long bundles Of
vithes bound firmly together. In vart-
Gus ways these surfaces, exposed to the
securing effect Of the stream, are pre-
pared to Withstand the erosion Of the
banks. Logs are also used. though not
as freely in the middle areas IS in
more thickly timbered sections. In the
closely populated spaces, as along the
fronts OF cities, the levees are paved on
the outer surface with stone.
In the emergency of . sudden flood
fresh embankments are raised, in haste,
and to construct these calls for the labor
of great forces of men, with such animal
and mechanical help as can be secured
in season. Bags by the tens Of thou
sands are filled with soil and carried
into place, the footing Of the bearers
being treacherous. These burdens are
very heavy. The pace is rapid. The toll
is heart breaking. "Old Man River" Is
a treacherous foe and must be fought
furiously, day and night, without respite.
Then there is always present the dan
ger Of sand boils," the emergence Of
the water from beneath the levee, forced
Inland and upward under the embank-
ment by the tremendous power Of the
stream. These eruptions, If not quickly
checked by the dumping Of material.
will destroy the whole fabric of the
levee, undermining 1t and causing 1t to
slump and melt away in the rush Of
the waters.
Such emergencies arise so quickly that
there is often no chance to secure aid,
additions to the working forces, human
and animal. Materials for the construc-
ton OF new gabions and fascines are
sometimes not to be had. The work OF
many hours may be swept away in few
minutes.
These river workers, requiring no
summons to form the last line Of de-
Tense against the flood, must be stout
men, hard muscled, quick footed, strong
armed. They must be brave men, facing
the greatest Of perils without hinching.
They must be skilled in the various arts
OF river fighting. But, most Of all, they
must be tireless, keeping no account Of
time, willing to toll as long rs their
strength endures They are the heroes
OF the floods.
Meanwhile, back of the dikes, on the
nearest high lands, wait the people who
have been driven from their homes,
helpless. cold, hungry. thirsty. bereft Of
all their possessions. With them are
their animals, such as have been saved
from the waters. The children, too
young and small to help in the work on
the battle front, await succor, and here
and there newcomers arrive, babies OF
the disaster, perhaps to survive, per-
haps to perish for lack Of proper care.
This is the drama that is being enacted
now, in these hours, out in the Middle
West, where the rivers are raging, where
the men are toiling and the women and
children are waiting. In safer places
the people of America are praying for
the conquest of the rising waters and
are fastening their gifts to provide
sustenance for these unfortunates.