Jack Straw in Mexico: How the Engineers Defended the Great Hydro-Electric Plant

by Irving Crump

"Jack Straw in Mexico: How the Engineers Defended the Great Hydro-Electric Plant" by Irving Crump is a fictional adventure novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows young Jack Straw, a student at Drueryville Academy, who is entrusted with a crucial mission to deliver valuable blueprints for a lightning arrester to his uncle's power plant in Mexico amidst a tumultuous political climate. This adventure promises to be filled with peril, intrigue, and elements of engineering. At the start of the narrative, Jack Straw and his friends deal with the disappointment of a canceled baseball game due to rain. Soon after, he is called upon by Dr. Moorland, the school principal, who reveals his father has consented to let him embark on an important journey to Mexico. Specifically, Jack learns he must deliver blueprints for a vital electrical apparatus to ensure the hydro-electric plant in Necaxa remains operational during political unrest. As Jack prepares for his trip, he encounters various characters and begins to grasp the importance of his task while also uncovering the dangerous world he is about to enter, setting the stage for his challenges ahead.