National Republican., 1882-08-18
THE POTOMAC FLATS IMPROVEMENT.
Interview with Colonel Peter &. 1Hains
Who Will Have Charge OF the Work.

Colonel Peter c. lIains, major of engineers, U. S.
A., who has been detailed t. take charge of the
Improvement of the Potomac Flats, arrived here
yesterday morning, aud is temporarily located at
the Ebb.tt House. He has been recently staying
at Fortress Monroe, Oh leave from his station at
Cha lrston. ana brought here with him his family,
comprising Mrs. Hains daughter OF Rear Ad-
miral Thornton A. jenkins, U. 5. NJ, and three
jenkins Mt his house, No. 2ll5 Pennsylvania
avenue. Immediately after his arrival Colonel
HHins became the object of atention for the journ
alisiic representatives, who desired to know nt
once what he intends TO do, how he proposes to
do it, and wien ho will begin A representative
of THE REPUBLICAN, after diligently tracing Col
oncl Hains to the War Department thence TO the
Engineer Bureau, next on an extended drive in
the suburban neighborhood, and later 10 a, good
night visit to his little ones finally caught him
comfortably on sofa at the Eobtt House and
LEARNED THE FOLLOWING:
While he had very brief hint that he might pos
siby be detailed TO conduct this enormous and
d tal By telegraph last Monday afternoon at For
truss Monroe. lie fully appreciates the lmpor-
tancc OF the work before MIN anu me compliment
ui his selection, but as yet is wholly ignorant of
any plan or plans or projects that may have been
or will be submitted. He comes 10 enter at once
Oh the work, and MS soon as he can locate Mrs.
llains and the little ones intends first to examine
the whole ground for himself and then settle
down To study out the problem Of how the work
shall be done. lie has not yet decided where he
will locate his Office or how his working force
shall be organized. He has made no selection of
uSSlSlantS On tUc NOTk, uS any one Nv Ill
in view other than that he will bring here from
Charleston the clerk who has been with him for
years, and who Is perfectly iamilar with his
methods of attending to his accounts lie fnds
that while of course, the work Is understood
To BE OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE,
it seems to be considered as of general national
personal interest, judging from the vast numter
of applications for positions on the work which
he tinds awaiting his arrival. He regrets this, as
SO many will c necessarily be disappointed, for, In
the very nature of the work, most OF it will be
done under contract, and the contracting parties
will organize and employ their own force. 1t is
impossible now 10 say when active operations will
begin, but he has come to enter at once upon the
work, and rs soon as he knows what should be
done, he will stnrt the machinery At once.
Colonel Hams military aud professional history
has already been given in full in these columns.
and it would be waste of space to again refer to
1t, besides which, his long residence here while
engineer secretary of the Light. House Board
makes II still more unnecessary, lie is about five
feet eight inches tall, spare in build, but with
broad shoulders, has clean cut features with clear
blue eyes that remind one in their frankness oI
the late Colonel Twining and wears a close
trimmed, light brown beard, with mouslache