The times., 1898-12-08
THE Case OF COL. BLACK
Mr.. Williams's Resolution
Calling for an Inquiry.
THE MISSING PETITIONS
Congress Heights Citizens Associn-
tfon Takes ActioD--strong Argu-
ment for Capt. Beach's Retention
His Predecessor Is Autocratic--
Not Popular With the People.

The initial step in the proposed Cen
gressional inquiry into the conduct OF the
office of District Engineer Cemmiss one
when that position was filled b. l.
William NJ. Black. of the Army Eng neer
Corps, was taken yesterday.
Representative Williams of MISSES pi
introduced a resolution in the House call
ing upon the President to submit to Con-
sress copies Of the petitions and protest
which We're filed at the White Eiou e
relative to the reappointment of Col.
Black During the past few months nu-
merous petitions have been sent to the
White House by citizens associations
business, and professional men. and phi
vate individuals Interested in the muni-
cipal improvement of the nations capt.
tai. strongly indorsing the admin ST a
ticn of Capt. Lansing ii. Beach. the pres
ent Engineer Commissioner. and petit
tioning the President. who has th- lower
OF appointment, for his retention
AS recently announced exclusively in
these columns. petitions sent to the Whi,e
House and signed by fully 25.u00 repre-.
sentative citizens, went astray. Their
disappearance was mysterious and natur-
ally caused the sIgners of the documents
to become very indignant. Duplicat Pc
titions are being circulated and signed in
order to replace the lost or pigeon holed
papers. While petitions were rec .iyed in
dorsing Commissioner Beach. hume O IS
protests We're also received agains. tie
reappointment of former Commissi e.
Black, on account of his conauct of The
office. Many of these have also di ap-
peared. Others were sent to the War
Department, although II is argued that
this was useless. inasmuch as the office
of Engineer Commissioner is a Presi-
dental appointment
Among tie protests against the return
of former Commissioner Black Is a
lengthy one from the Congress itei hts
Citizens Association. signed by Secretary
j. K. Cannon. II follows:
AT meeting of the Congress Heights
Citizens Association held tonight the fol-
lowing resolution was unanimously adopt
ed and ordered sent to President McKln-
ley:
The Congress Heights Citizens Asso-
citation, composed of residents OF the Dis
trict of Columbia, which has Il population
larger than Delaware, North Dakota Wv
oming and Nevada combined, being de
prived of the right of suffrage appeal 20
you by the sacred right of petition to
commend to you the harmonious and sat
isfactory administration OF the Engineer
Department of the District of Columbia
Commissioner Beach is broad in his views.
practical in his ideas and a most satisfac-
tory official; there have been no conten-
uons or acrimonious feeling in the District
Board since he has been Il member. nor
has there been a restless or dissatisfied
feeling among the residents of the District
under our peculiar form of government,
which gives the Commissioners monarchial
power, and the residents are powerless un-
der their rulings.
1T is a tendency of the Engineer Com
missioner. who under our form of govern,
ment, must belong to the army, to look
upon Washington as a military reserva-
ton, as was the case with former Com
missioner Black. who by the force of his
character and military training and tenn
permanent dominated the board. and prae-
tically made himself the military governor
of the District of Columbia We desire to
commend Col Black as brilliant army
officer, well fitted for a position that re-
quires bravery and discipline of am iron
hand such as may be needed in the Phil
ippine Islands or other places which may
require the strictest military discipline,
but as a Commissioner over the residents
of the capital of the greatest Republic on
earth we believe he is totally. unfit. BY
his military rulings capital is afraid of
Washington investments. and Washington
capital would seek investment elsewhere.
And wherefore We ask that the merits
of Commissioner Beach be recognized by
allowing him to remain an Engineer Com
missioner of the District of Columbia.
We earnestly recommend Col. Black for
promotion in military service, where his
duties would be military and not civil
The following explanatory communica-
ton dated December was sent to the
President yesterday by B. II. White,
resident of this city:
This is to certify that ] mailed a peti-
tion containing over one thousand names
to President Mckinley protesting against
the return of former Engineer Commits
sioner Black TO the District Board. The
petition urgently requested the retention
of Engineer Commissioner Beach.
mo acknowledgment was ever received
from the President
Other communications have been sent
to the White House as follows:
.As a resident and property owner of
the District of Columbia, l respectfully
ask the retention of Engineer Commits
sioner Beach in his present office, as he
has given us entire satisfaction, and is a
competent officer, well fitted for that posi-
ton. and l enter my protest against the
return of eX-Commissioner Black" This
is signed by r. B. Buckley.
las a citizen of the District ] desire
to commend to you the valuable services
of Engineer Commissioner Beach, and re-
quest his retention, and protest against
the return of eX-Commissioner Black
This protest is signed by Walter Burton,
of the National Hotel.
Hundreds of other similar protests have
been sent to the President
They are among the papers which Rep
resentative Williams has in mind in in
PRODUCING his resolution into Congress,
but the more important documents are
those which We're sent to the White
House and which afterwards disappeared.