Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-04
CAPT. EFOxIE TRANSFER RED.
A Change IN the District Engineer
Officcr-Capf. EaoNie's Fen lenrs'
w OFfA IN his City.

Capt. Richard L. HOxie, corps of engineers. Z. s.
A., assistant to the District Engineer Commission
has been ordered TO be relieved from duty here
and to take station at Montgomery, Ala, and Will
remove his family to that point when cold weather
comes In the ian Capt. Hoxie Was nominated by
President Grant IN june. 1874. engineer member
days before the territorial form Of government Or
the District was abolished, and was left for time
under The working OF the law establishing the pro-
vioonal government Its only representation. When
the late Major Iwining was made Engineer Com
missioner in 1878 under the law providing that that
office should te higher in rank than captiin OF
gtneerS Capt. Chen LieuJ.I HOXe was placed in
cnargeOf ali works and continued to the present
tine. this work being divided, however when Capt.
| Greene was also placed Oh duty here. Much Of
Capt HoXe'S time has been devoted to the Increase
or the District water supply. In his annual report
Ior sane proposed the Ian Oh iulnel through the
rock 10 and under Rock creek aHG along the Boun-
Diary bluffs. giving project OF WORK and presenting
estimates 10 the exact amounts under which this
work Is now actually under construction. Ills
scheme Was ridiculed by many persons, who
laughed at the idea Of rock formation which
wOuId allow or the work Capt. UoXle persisted,
however. and getting a small appropriation fol- an
experiment, sunk The first shalt on kaloraIna TO
the depth VI 1O5 Ieet before the expected bedrock
Was lound. This started the work, and he sub
I!itted detailed plans which were finally adopted,
and the work was prosecuted under his Immediate
supervision until ROW. Though he does not stay
mere TO supervise the conn etoA OF this great work
the credit FOR The plan upon which ii Is % oc exc
cuted WIN be due him Among the various plans
formed by him fOr the Improve meut AID sdOrn-
ment uf Washington and It's ne!snDJrhooi was an
important one Tor a national PARK along the pic
tureaque Rock Greek region, Including lake OF
some liie> In Iengh on the valley oI that beautiful
stream ABOVE Georgetown.
SURPRISE AND GENERAL REGRET EXPRESSED.
Everybody in and about the District government
buildings expressed surprise and regret at the dis
placement OF Capt. HoXie. Commissioner West
said to STAR reporter: ''Ihis is Il surprise to me-
have never heard any intination OF it. II iooHs
queer that this thing has been done just on the eve
OF heavy expenditure lor sewers, (S5OD00O, Capt.
It4p a N, .
District Commissioners, by the War department
ard by Congress and the appropriation made. OF
course i can say nothing. only that l regret IL
much, it will be almost impossible TO put i man
In his place who can til il Us we'll"
Commissioner Edmonds said: II heard rumor
OF ii yesterday, but did not believe It until This
morning. 1t IS Calamity. as IL will BE- positive
loss 10 the District His services at this Juncture
are almost Indispensable. No lnan can step In and
I'LL his place without very much study. No man
living can know so Eluch in detail about the sewers
OF this city. The government could better dispense
with either or all al Inc commissioners than with
Capt. HoXie, because the place, occupied by the
Commissioners can very easily be filled, but hot so
studying out the water works and the sewer plans
and Is therefore, the most practical man to oversee
their execution. II viii prove. fear, bad thing
for the people of this District and hope the orders
may be countermanded."
SURPRISE TO CAPT. HoXIE HIMSELF.
Capt. HOX1e arrived at the District buildings
about II O'Clock to day. He tod a STAR reporter
that it was surprise to him. He had but one init
Lydecker told him then that he had heard OF it at
the War department.
"N nat does 1t mean, or what has brought this
about?" asked The STAR man.
81 do not propose to say anything about the mat
ter, nor discuss 1t. have not Yet received my
orders from the department, but they viii soon
reach me. saw the morning papers, and called
by the W ar department on my way, where veri-
ned the report ain put down TO Go SOtne river
work at Montgomery, Ala This is all that can
say about the matter"
Expressions OF regret were heard all over the
Office at The removal.
THE TRANSFER PROMOTION.
The transfer OF Capt. HoXic to Montgomery is in
fact promotion Of duty. Heretofore he has been
simply an assistant to the engineer officer Charge
but no" he Will have full charge OF district,
experimenting the improvements OF all the rivers
and harOOrS OF Georgia and Alabama, with head
quarters at Montgomery, Ala. The failure to pass
the river and harbOr BIZ last year caused a large
accumulation of engineering work, and when the
Dor bill was TO be distributed 1t was found neces
Slry TO Increase the nUmuPr OF districts by SIX
Major VIM. A. Jones. who a staff officer. was
given one OF the new districts, and the other five
were given TO CaptS. T.. II. Ruffner, II. /. HoXie,
VIM. Ii. BiXby, Eric RuTglaild and w. r.. ROSseli
all OF whom were assistants to officers in charge
The district assigned TO Capt. HoXie is one OF ex-
tent and Importance.
CAPT. HOMES SUCCESSOR HERE.
First Lieut.. Curtis McD. Townsend, who is to
succeed Capt. IIoxe assistant to Major Ly-
decker, has Tor the past few years been assist Mt
COL Craighiil. and has teen duty In the neigh
pOrhOod OF baltimore and upon the improvements
OF the AppOmattOX river. Comparatively little is
known OF him here, but he bears tie reputation of
being an unusually compe!C.if an! efficient engl-
neer officer. Col Craig..ill speaks III The highest
terms OF his abilities