Franklin F. Snyder
But he was interested in computers, in getting into computing work. I'm kind of a
stick-in-the-mud. I don't like to change too much. I didn't think too much of the
idea. At that time we had a program we called Civil Works Investigations. We got
a little money each year for research, but we could not call it that. It was parceled
out. The districts and divisions would propose projects, and they would get a little
bit of this money to do the investigations.
Colonel Whipple thought we should get into the computing business. I didn't argue
with him. So he wrote a contract with [John] von Neumann, the father of
computers. He was consultant to us for a few days. We had a big meeting here in
Washington. The two divisions primarily involved at that time were the North
Pacific, who operated all of the Columbia River dams, and the Missouri River
Division, with all of their dams. They were all in here. and Von Neumann heard
what their problems were and he thought computers would certainly be useful. So
then both of the divisions got money to work on computers. They both ended up
with computer programs to operate their projects. I think they were ahead of the
game. I don't know of any government agency that really got involved that much
that early in the business. I have copy of a July 1952 letter assigning CWI money
to field offices for Electronic Computers.
Mississippi Basin Model
Q ..
Gail Hathaway went to be a special assistant to General Wheeler when he became
Chief of Engineers.
A ..
Yes, I think that`s probably about the time. One of my activities was the Mississippi
Basin Model Board. Should we get into that now or not?
Q ..
Well, sure.
A
That was an interesting assignment. After WES made some of these studies for the
model, the recommendations came into the office and some reviewers recommended
against it. General Reybold said, "Build it. That`s all, there was to it. He just
told them to do it. You know, the
were pretty much against it.
Q ..
Now was that the one that was started during World War II with the German
prisoners?
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