Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-21
Capt, Gaillard to Assist the Engineer
Commissioner.
FAMILIAR WITH LOCAL NEEDS
Has Been at Work on the Water
Supply System.
LIEUT.. HOFFMAN COMING

Engineers. was today assigned to duty as
assistant to the Engineer Commissioner
of the District of Columbia. Capt. Gail
lard for the past few months has been
assisting Col a. NJ. Miller, the officer. in
charge of the Washington aqueduct, in
the important work of providing for an
increased water supply for the District
Of Columbia by the repair of the Lydecker
tunnel and its accessories He will be
succeeded in that duty by First Lieut.
George NJ Hoffman, Corps of Engineers
now on duty with the battalion of engi-
neers at WiIlets Point, n. Y.
Necessity for siore Assistance
The engineer department of the District
government has been short handed ever
since Engineer Commissioner Black retfr-
ed from the head of the department at the
beginning of the Spanish war to enter
upon active service in the field.
His successor, Capt. Beach, served almost
entirely unaided for many months, when
capt. William E CraighiIl, Corps of Engt-
neers was detailed to assist him. Under
the law the District Engineer Commis-
sioner is entitled to three assistants. but
the quota has seldom been supplied In
recent years there have been but two as
sistants to the Engineer Commissioner,
and. as already shown, Commissioner
Beach has had but one, and that one only
for a short period. The magnitude of the
work devOlving upon the office is recoS-
only since the close of the Spanish war
that it was found practicable to detail
engineer officers to the District govern
ment.
Acquainted With Local Needs.
Captain Gaillard. the new assistant is one
of the brightest and most energetic young
officers of the Engineer Corps, and will I'M
doubtedly prove a decided acquisition to
the local engineer department. Through
h. To-, +ha a
AQueduct he is thoroughly familiar with
the water system of the District. During
that time he also had opportunities to be-
come acquainted with the general condition
and needs of the District government.
He is a native of South Carolina, and was
graduated from the Military Academy June
10, 1884. and on account of his high class
standing assigned to the Corps of
Engineers He served with the Battalion
of Engineers until 1887 and was with Capt.
Black on river and harbor duty in Florida
for eight years. From November, 1891, to
November. 1896, he served asa member of
the international boundary commission for
the locating and marking the boundary be-
tween the United States and Mexico.
Work in This city.
After a short service at Fort Monroe. Va,
he came TO this city and was in charge of
the Washington aqueduct from December.
1895. to May, 1898. During this time he act
ed as recorder and disbursing officer to the
slider questions relating to an increased wa
ter supply for the city of Washington.
He was commissioned captain, Corps of
Engineers. in October, 1880. and was IN
charge of the survey of Portland channel,
Alaska. in the fall of 1896
During the Spanish War.
At the outbreak of the Spanish war he
applied for active service in the field, and.
after a short service on the staff of Briga-
der General Wade, commanding the Sd
Army Corps, he was appointed colonel of
the Sd United States Volunteer Engineers,
He organized that regiment In the south
west and served with 1t successfully at
Jefferson barracks, Missouri; Lexington,
Ky; Macon, Ga, and at Cienfuegos. Cuba,
He chief engineer officer in the de-
partment Of Santa Clara, Cuba from Feb
ruaTy to april, 1859, and was mustered out
with his regiment May II, 1899. since which
time ne has been on duty in this city as an
assistant to Col Miller.
Lieut.. Hoffmnn's Record.
Lieut.. Geo. NJ. Hoffman, who succeeds to
his work in connection with the Washing
ton aqueduct is a resident OF Pennsylvania
and was graduated from the Military
Academy IN June, 1896.
His first service in the engineer corps of
the army was as an assistant to Capt.
Derby at New orleans, after which he was
stationed at the engineer school and bat
talon at WiletS Point until May IL ISgS
on which date he left there with Company
c, Battalion Of Engineers. for duty with
the army in the field. For time he served
as acting ordnance officer and acting quar-
termaster. engineer troops. with the 9Th
Army Corps. at Tampa. Fla He was sub
sequently on duty under Lieut.. Col. Derby,
chief of engineers United States volun-
teers. on the staff of Maj. Gen. Shafter
United States volunteers during the Sam
tiago campaign.
He served in the same capacity at Camp
Wikon, Montauk Point. n. Y, until Sep
TENDER. 1895. when ne resumed duty with
TWH1m1ipany D. e, Battalion of Engineers, at
"HIetS Point. N Y. where he has since
remained with the exception of a short
term of service with the battalion at Camp
Meade. Pa. He reached the grade of first
lieutenant corps Of engineers. July ), 1898.
VIII Be First Assistant.
Capt GailIard is senior to Cant
Craighill, and will. therefore be the first
assistant of the Engineer Commissioner.
The assignment Of the duties of the two
assistants will devolve upon Commissioner
Beach
Capt. Beach Informed
Captain Beach, the District Engineer
Commissioner. stated to a Star reporter
when informed that the order had been is
sued detailing Captain Gaillard as assist
ant to the Engineer Commissioner. that
he had known that Captain Gaillard was to
be detailed for that duty
But he stated that he hardly exnactS
capt Gaillard to report at the District
building until about the 10th of September.
as ne understands the captain has leave of
absence from the 10th of next month mill
that time.
When Capt Gaillard reports Capt Beach
VIII nave him and Capt. w T. Craighiu
VINO haS been an assistant to the Engineer
Commissioner for some time select the va
rious departments of the engineer office
over which they would like to have i'm
mediate supervision. and they will be given
such departments
Capt Gaillard is said to be the senior of
Capt CraighIll. and WILL therefore. act as
Engineer Commissioner in the absence of
capt Beach. The new assistant is well
known TO many of the employees of the en-
glneer office OF the District and they pre-
dict that he will be a most popular assist
ant, as Capt. Craighill proved to be-