Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15


HIS UTILITY RECORD.
President Cleveland canvassed the engineer
corps for . good man TO succeed Capt. Rossell
a. Engineer Commissioner Of the District and
selected Capt Powell as the best one available.
That's sll there is to it,"
Such was the laconic response OF Capt Pow
els friends in the Engineer Corps when asked
point blank by STAR reporter as 70 how Capt
Powell came to be selected over the head Of
other equally competent officers whose selection
had been advocated by the best citizens Of the
District
Was Capt. Powell an applicant for the Of
6ce?" ssked the reporter of well-known officer.
No. he certainly was not"
ibid his friends urge his selection?'
HIS RECORD JUsrIFIEs HIS SELECTION
mot that / am aware OF aud IL auy steps
were taken in that direction 1 think would
have been informed. / don't think ms name
was even suggested. Capt. Powell's record is
an excellent one and il itself justiies his selec-
ton. He has no personal acquaintance with
the President or with the Secretary of War.
They undoubtedly discovered his worth and
fitness by an examination Of the records Of the
officers available for this detail What sur
since last Monday without exciting the least
suspicion on the part Of the local newspaper
men, who are usually SO aler; in such matters Z"
TALK WITH CAPT. POWELL
Capt Powell was seen by a STAR man in the
lobby Of the Ebbitt House last evening He is
q handsome man Of good physique and his
manner is smooth and fascinating. He Is
most decided blonde, with a rudy compile xion
and full, redi beard OF Van DYKE cut. He
has . slight limp, scarcely perceptible. how
ever, as . result OF an accident to his kneecap
while at the Military Academy.
When will / take hold of my new duties?'
said he In response TO a series of questions
well. cannot say precisely. | had talk
with Capt. Rossell on the subject today and it
was arranged that should relieve him a. soon
a. l could. He 10 anxious to get away, You
know. But my coming here will depend
entirely upon my own relief Yes,
know that Capt John Biddle now at
Nashville has been ordered to relieve me
Of my present duties, but then you must re-
member that it takes time 10 transfer officers
in the engineer corps. 1 have got 10 settle up
my accounts and straigh.eu out Thousand and
one details in connection with the works under
nv charge SO that my successor can take hold
with as little trouble Is possible.
HIS PRESENT PLANS.
lily plan is to start for Sioux CITY tonight and
try to arrange matters temporarily 60 that I
can return here in about ten days or two weeks.
will then relieve Capt Rosseli and remain
here q couple Of weeks until l have got
things IN fairly good running order. at any rate
sufficiently so to enable me to return to Sioux
City and close up my affairs there. That
accomplished l shall be ready to enter fully
upon the discharge of my new dnties in WASH
ington. am somewha of a stranger TO Wash
ington. passed through here during the war
In 1868 and / was here for few days at the
time Of President Cleyelaud's first Inaugural
tion.
HIS SELECTION A SURPRISE TO HIM.
No. am not acquainted with President
Cleveland. and, to be candid with you, NV selec-
tion for this particular duty is a surprise to
ME. That, Of course. makes me appreciate the
compliment all the more. A few DAYS
ago 1 was ordered to Washington to
confer with the chief Of engineers.
came on and after having attended to that
business was ordered to report TO the Secretary
OF War. This afternoon 1 called Mr.. La
mont. who Notified me that was appointed to
be Engineer Commissioner of the District. and
that was the first intimation L had that NV
name had been considered for the place.
HIS MILITARY RECORD.
The new engineer commissioner has a most
c-editable military record He was born in H.
inois in lsA3 and at the age of seventeen entered
the Union army as q private in the fifth Wis
consin volunteers This was in May, 1861. He
served with credit in the ranks and was
successfully promoted to the grade OF corporal
and sergeant major. he was in all the battles
of the Army Of the Potomac from its organiza-
ton to the completion of its campaign, Includ-
ing the battle Of Gettysburg.
APPOINTED TO WEST POINT.
His services in the field were specially CON-
msnded by his brigade commander, now Judge
Calvin E. Pratt Of Brooklyn, as well as by the
regimental and other commander. and at their
instance President Lincoln. in September. 1863,
appointed him from the field q cadet-at-large
at the Military Academy. He graduated
near the head OF his class in June,
1867, and was accordingly appointed a
second lieuten ant in the corps Of engineers.
He served with the engineer battalion at Viii
1871 during most OF which time he was battalion
quartermaster. He was promoted
frst lieutenant, corps of engineers, April
%, 1869. His next duty was as assistant en-
giueer on the geodetic survey Of the northern
lakes, May z, 1871. and on the survey Of the
Mississippi from May &c, 1877, to March, 1879
He was assistant to Maj. Gillespie on river and
barber works in Oregon from April, 1879, to
July, 1881.
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN.
He was promoted captain, corps of engineers,
June II, 1881. and served as engineer OF the
thirteenth light house district from October
%, 1881, to April IL. 1885. during which time
he was also in charge of various defenses, river
and harbor improvements. surveys. water
gauges. DC, in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
He was q member Of various engineer boards
In the extreme northwest during the same
period In May, 1888. he was appointed secre-
tary and Disturbing officer Of the Mississippi
river commission and secretary and assistant