Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-12

Col. Bingham Relieved OF Care of the
Water supply.


Water supply.
Major A. Macomb Miller Corps of Ensin-
GERS, acting under orders issued by General
Wilson, chief Of engineers, today assumed
charge Of the Washington aqueduct, reliev-
ing Colonel 7. A. Bingham, who has been
temporarily in charge since the detachment
of Captain d. D. Gaillard, at the outbreak
of the war with Spain. Major Miller's as
signment is most important one and was
made by General Wilson after a thorough
consideration of the subject. Upon him
will devolve the responsibility for the
prompt and successful execution of the pro-
ject for the increase of the water supply
of the District of Columbia under authority
of provision in the District of Columbia
appropriation bill providing for the com
pletion of the aQueduct tunnel and the
Howard University reservoir. Major Mil
Ter is one of the ablest officers of the en-
gineer department of the army and is re-
garded as being especially fitted for the
successful accomplishment of the important
engineering works intrusted to his charge
Major Miller is son of General M S.
Miller of the quartermaster' department,
who was stationed in this city during the
war. He was born in this city and was ap-
pointed a cadet at large at the Military
Academy, July l, 1861, graduating four
years later number three in his class. He
was appointed First Lieutenant, Corps of
Engineers in June, 1865, and served as as
sistant to the special board of engineers
charged with the construction of fortifica-
tons for the defense of the inner harbor
of New York. During this period he was
also associated with General Newton in
important engineering works in the vicinity
of New York. He reached the grade of
captain in February, 1863, and was in
charge of the improvements of Lake SUI
perior and Michigan Harbor from April,
1870, to August, 1872 He then served for
four years as principal assistant professor
of engineering at the Military Academy,
after which he took command of a company
of engineers at Willets Point, New York.
In 1852 he was placed in charge of the river
and harbor improvements and surveys in
Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana, Arkansas
and Texas and during the same time had
charge of improvements on the Mississippi
river from Island No 40 to the mouth Of
the White river. Later on he was placed
in charge of the improvements on the Mis-
sissippi river between the mouths of the
Illinois and the Ohio and of river and har-
Dor works in Missouri and Indiana. In 1858
he supervised the construction of the big
bridge across the Mississippi river at ST.
Louis and served as member of various
engineering boards on river and harbor
improvements, bridge construction, etc,
from 1886 to 1880. His principal fame as an
engineer rests, however on his successful
work. on the jetties in the harbor of Gal
weston. Texas, universally regarded as
magnificent piece of engineering skill. The
jetty project gave the harbor depth of
twenty-seven feet of water and opened it
to the navigation of the world. Major Mil
ler is a man of scholarly attachments and
has written several valuable scientific
works. In 1883 he translated from the
French, Barois' 'rIrrigation en- Egypte."
He is thoroughly interested in the ques-
ton of increasing the water supply of the
District and may be confidently expected
to push the pending project having that
object in view. to prompt and satisfac-
tory completion,