Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-04
Gen. Casey.

faithful, capable and judicious that he
gained the confidence of Congress to de-
gree probably never exceeded in the case
of any other official in the history of the
government. According TO one Of his
brother officers, the appropriations commit
tees always accepted his judgment as to
the needs of the public works under his
charge. and made their appropriations ac-
cordingly. They did this. he said. because
Congress had learned that Gen. Caseys
estimates were invariably correct. and be-
cause his official promises We're always
faithfully executed. especially in the i'm
portant items of time and money.
Gen. Casey comes of military family of
distinction. He was practically born in the
army. that interesting event having oc-
Cured in Madison barracks, Sackett's Har-
Dor, N. Y, on the 10th of May, 1881, while
his father, Gen. Silas Casey, was stationed
at that pest. His father was retired as
colonel of the fourth infantry, and brevet
major general, July s, 1858. and died in
January, 1882.
The military career of Gen. T. L. Casey
began in 1913, when President Polk APP
pointed him a cadet-at-large at the West
Point Academy. He was graduated four
his classmates were Maj. Gen. Slocum,
Gen. D. S. Stanley, Brig. Gen. Haskell.
Gen. c. r. Woods, Gen. A. Med. McCook,
Gen. A. V. KautZ, Gen. Crook and Gen. ].
F. Hawkins Upon his graduation he was
appointed brevet second lieutenant of the
corps of engineers. He served at West
Point the year he graduated, attached to
the company of sappers, miners and pom
tooniers, and was then the assistant engi-
neer in the construction of Fort Delaware
and works of harbor and river improve
ments In Delaware river and bay until 1854,
when he was detailed at the United States
Military Academy assistant instructor
of practical engineering He was then
made principal assistant professor of en-
gineering, which position he occupied to
AUGUST II. 1859.
He was promoted second lieutenant June
%, 1854, and first lieutenant December /,
1876. Being ordered to the Pacific coast
in 1859 he was in command of a detach-
ment of engineer troops in Washington
territory and in charge of the construc-
ton of wagon road from Vancouver to
Cowiitz Ore, and in selecting and sur
veying military reservations on Puget
sound from 1859 to 1861.
During the War.
He served during the civil war as en-
gineer at Fort Monroe, Va, on the staff of
Gen. Butler commanding the Department
of Virginia. from June II to August 8, 1861;
as experimenting engineer of the perma-
nent defenses and field Notifications upon
the coast of Maine, and on recruiting serv-
ice for engineer troops; on special duty
with North Atlantic squadron during the
first expedition to Fort Fisher, n. c., De-
cial board of engineers for work at Will
lett's Point, n. Y, from April to June
20, 1865.
He was promoted captain of the corps of
engineers August g. 1861, and major Oc
tober 9, 1868, and brevetted lieutenant
colonel and colonel March 13, 1865, for
faithful and meritorious services during
the rebellion" Col. Casey was engaged in
the construction Of Forts Preble Scanned,
Knox and Popham from August, 1865, to
February, 1856 He was then detailed as
experimenting engineer of construction of
Forts Prebe and Scanned, Portland har
Dor, Maine, and other important works.
from March /, 1867, to November 81, 1867,
when he was ordered to Washington as
assistant to the chief of engineers for duty
in connection with Notifications. He re-
manned this duty until February, 1877,
when he was detailed for duty in this city
in charge of public buildings and grounds,
the Washington aqueduct and the con-
struction of the State. War and Navy De-
partments building.
Public Buildings and Grounds.
1t was at this time that he first became
associated with public works of special in
terest to the people of this city. While in
charge of public buildings and grounds he
reorganized and extended the system of
improving the parks and reservations.
The reclamation of the old White Lot south
of the Presidents House must be placed to
his credit. Up to the time he transformed
it into a thing of beauty 1t was eight feet
below it's present surface, and wholly I'M
cared Cor and unimproved 1t was also Gen.
Casey who introduced the system of as
phalt walks in the parks. which have since
been of SO much comfort and convenience
to the people. There was, however, a gen.
eral protest against these walks when the
project was started. Gen. Casey also in
augurated the extensive of decorative
plants, which are now the chief beauty of
our parks. He has always taken a deep
personal interest in the water supply SyS-
TEN of the District, and is personally iden-
titled with several important improvements
in the system.
While in charge of the Washington aque-
duct he made a report to the Senate COM
mittee on the District of Columbia, recon-
mending the best method of increasing
the water supply of the District for the
benefit of the residents of Capitol Hill that
an additional main be laid from the dis
tributing reservoir to the hill. This report
vas dated August Is, 1879 His plan was
rejected by the committee, and a plan sub
initted by the engineer officers of the Dis
trict was adopted in 1852 in its stead The
accepted plan contemplated the construc-
ton of q tunnel conduit and a reservoir
north of the city. Major Lydecker was put
in charge of the work. Owing to the dis
covery of fraudulent work after more than
a million dollars had been expended, the
tunnel had to be abandoned.
Subsequently, IN 1889, Congress adopted
the plan of Gen. Casey, and appropriated
$:J24 OD for its execution. The plan called