Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-01

|
| "Col. Robert was selected after long inquiry
into the merits Of the engineer officers who
! were available. He had been very highly
recommended to the President through me
by Gen. Casey, the chief of engineers along
| with couple of others of secondary choice.
| we studied the matter very carefully and have
Just come to the conclusion that Col. Robert is
the man we want. Major Raymond took oc-
| caslon to tell me some months ago that he was
| quite willing to be relieved from the duty, and
SO suppose that this will not surprise him very
| much.
'Col Robert is very able man and has the
| reputation OF being one Of the best engineers
author of that well-know little book Roberts
Rules Of Order which has been adopted as a
| text book on parliamentary law almost every
| where.
1T may be interesting to you to know how he
came to write that little book? Yes? Well then,
| Robert you know is a staunch, strong Baptist.
and he once attended general convention of
| the church where the delegates be-
| ing men unlearned in the intricacies Of
parliamentary maneuvering. got into such a
any business was done. Robert had never paid
| any attention to the subject but this
experience induced him to declare
to himself that he would learn
something about parliamentary rules. So he
applied himself and made a specially of the
which has had a wonderful success"
ONE OF THE ABLEsr MEN IN THE ARMY.
Adjt. Gen. Kelton was enthusiastic in his
praise of Col. Robert. "You will find him a
modest. unassuming man," he said, "and he
will not strike you as being at all man Of
ability, but venture to say that he is probably
one OF the ablest men in the army. He has
no particular qualities, such as inspire men
with instant admiration, and his appearance is
l t11rr Il
shouldered, with scraggly black beard
and a pair of gold srectacles But
he is a student and thoroughly
scientific man. an engineer of great capacity
! and vtry strong thinker. He is, strange to
say, as pertinacious as bull dog, and when he
once gets hold of an idea it is useless to ham,
mer at him. for he will fight to the death. Yet
he is pleasant to meet and as gentle as
woman"
Another army officer remarked: 81 think
that Raymond will be very well satisfied He
has been after his relief from this duty for
long time, and he is, know exceedingly anx-
ious to get away from the duty. He went to
| the President early last summer and asked to
be relieved"
ONE OF THE LYDECKER COURT.
Col. Robert was member of the court mar
tial which tried Maj. Garrett ]. Lydecker last
spring on a charge of neglect of duty for al
lowing the aqueduct tunnel to be built full of
large anu extensive cavities.
He made trip to this city not long ago. at
the request of Gen. Casey who said that he
wished to discuss matters connected with his
work. The general deity managed to intro
duce him to the Secretary and he was
taken over to see the President, little thinking
that he was on exhibition to the end that the
authorities might find out what manner of man
he really was.
SKETCH OF COL. ROBERTS CAREER.
10 ~ ~ Coro
lima, but was appointed to the military acad-
envy from the state of Ohio in 1853 He grad
uated in 1857. standing fourth in his class. and
he received commission as brevet second
lieutenant OF engineers July in that year.
His marked talents caused him to be detailed
| for duty at the academy as assistant professor
| OF natural and experimental philosophy and
also as assistant instructor of practical military
| engineering. He reached the full rank of sec
| ond lieutenant in December, 1853 being during
that year attached to the company of engi-
neer troops at the Point In 1851 he
was engaged in the exploration of a
wagon road from Fort Dallas, Ore to
| Salt Lake, Utah, as experimenting engineer of
the construction of the defenses of San Juan
Island, Wash, and in the exploration of q
| wagon road from Lewis river to Cowlitz Land
ing, Wash. He served faithfully and galantly
during the rebellion, being assistant eng ineer in
the construction of the defenses of Washington
from April 20 to October II, 1861. In August
OF the same year he became a first lieutenant of
engineers and a captain in March, 1863 In
1860 he was sent back to the academy
az instructor of pract ical military engineering
which duty he performed until 1867. He was
also treasurer of the academy throughout that
period. His promotion to be a major came in
March, 1867. After leaving the academy the
second time he served asengineer on the staff
of the general commanding the division
of the Pacific until March, 1871, when he was
appointed engineer of the thirteenth light
house district Oregon and Washington), and
he was also given other engineering
duties in that vicinity. In January,
1874, he took charge of the Lake
Michigan light houses for year and then
was placed in the superinto ndence of the river
| and harbor work on Lake Superior and after
! ward at Chicago. He became lieutenant
colonel in January, 1888, and he now stands
second on the list of the engineer corps in that
rank and is the ninth officer i'll the corps.
The duties which he leaves to come here is az
follows: In charge of the defensive works at
Fort Miifiin, Pa, Fort Delaware and the fort
opposite Delaware; at Firms Point and the
site for defenses at Red Bank, n. j.. ill charge
of the improvement of the harbors at Philadel-
pha and the Delaware breakwater; ice harbors
| at Marcus Hook, Pa, and at the head
of Delaware bay, of the Schuylkill river,
Pa, and of the Delaware river from
Trenton to its mouth and Mantua creek, N j.,
and of the construction of pier near Lewes
Del, in charge of the removal Of wrecks in
Delaware Bay, also member Of the board of
engineer officers appointed to establish the
harbor lines of the port OF Philadelphia.
THE NEWS AT THE DISTRICT BUILDING.
The news of Maj. Raymonds transfer reached
the District building shortly after noon and
spread with lightning rapidity. Soon all the
clerks in the building, especially those in the
engineer department., were discussing the mat
| ter. Maj. Raymond was not at the District
buildings when the news arrived. as he had Just
| gone to the Senate. Later he arrived and
| when spoken to by q STAR reporter
simply said lis the order out?" 1t is under
stood that he knew of the transfer last night
The Commissioners did not seem surprised
when STAR reporter told them of the change
i'll the board. They seemed to understand that
sooner or later a transfer would be made. BotIs
declined to be interviewed in the matter.
MAJOR RAYMoND's ATTITUDE
While Major Raymond was no: .uvnneu to
| be interviewed today he has often told The
! STAR reporter that he was more than anxious
to be relieved, and at one time thought seriously
| of asking the Secretary Of War to transfer him.
J A great many stories are afiOat at the District
building as to the cause of the change. Some
say that it was owing to the fact that the Com
| missioners were not congenial in their business
| relations, but this is not 30, everything has
been running smoothly for q long time.
DID MR.. MUDD DO TIP
! Some Of the clerks at the District building
are inclined to attribute the change just at this
time to a controversy yesterday between Maj.
Raymond and Mr. Mudd of Maryland, the gen.
tleman who is contesting the seat Of Barnes