New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18
REMARKABLE DOINGS IN GUAM
NO OBSTACLES DAUNT GOVERNOR LEARY
AND LIEUTENANT LEOPOLD


AND LIEUTENANT LEOPOLD
Washington. Feb. It (speciaD-From the latest
reports OF Captain Leary. Governor OF Guam. II
appears that the welfare of that isolated com
munity has been greatly enhanced through the
energetic ingenuity an officer belonging to that
corps or the service which the Navy Department
is trying TO oblterate by far fetched interpreta-
uons Of the personnel ANA ga ma ton law. all re-
cent rulings OF the officials having been directed
against the practical technicians Of the service
For a time the autocrat of Guam contented him
self with appeals to Washington for ice factories
dstilling apparatus, libraries and such reinenents
Of civilization as were needed when he took posses
sion TO I'll demands created BY mis- occupation
These acquisitions consumed a month or more in
transit and more than twice as long in hlIing and
nothing that he has asked for has actually reached
him Yet except the small distillng plant from
Manila
But fortunately he has discovered Jewel in
Lieutenant Harry G. Leopold. Of the Engineer
Corps, who il described by his colleagues in Wash
ingtOn queer fellow eccentric but brilliant
and one Of the best al-around men IN every branch
Of his profession He was just the man for Guam
where all the officers helpless without 4 navy
yard stOrehouse draw from for every little ac-
custOned luxury necessity that had been for
gotten when their ship left New-York The first
catastrophe that stared the Governor IN the face
the lack Of steam launch Leopold found
an old Spanish scow built a boiler and hrebox out
OF odds and ends in the scrap heap. fixed up a
little cid engine that might once have driven
blower and soon turned out one Of the most com
modious and comfortable steam cutters In the
United States naval service--a vessel that has
higher equation for trustworthiness than for
speed but which has the characteristic of AR
irving so notable IN her builder.
Then ne erected the cooperating plant sent up
from Manila to provide the urgent needs OF
the garrison for potable water, which was practi-
Cally unknown at Agana and San Luis d Apra-
With his economical engineering instinct he quick
- came 70 the conclusion that distilled water
would. in the long cost than beer and
perhaps as much as champagne, as every drop OF
Of rCaIr ,ror. -F,r
all the way from Cardiff Philadelphia or Norfolk
Va. So he reconnOtred the hills around Azana
and found pools OF water collected from rain and
dew. He dug trenches connecting several OF these
ponds, and then gathered together all the old pipe
Re could find in the machine shop and aboard the
golfers and transports that visited the port and
laid water main composed OF odd sizes OF every
kind OF boiler tubing and gas piping. which led the
a couple Of miles and gave the town a fair
supply OF fine fresh water. which. however. did
not All the demand until he drove a number OF
tesian wells and added them to his waterworks
Then he turned his attention 70 sewerage. and
improved the sanitary condition OF Ciuan's capital
such extent that the epidemic OF typhoid
fever among the natives was rapidly waning and
all the Americans in the hospital were GONZALES
In addition to the public works he has estab
Hshed. Lieutenant Leopold has drilled the natives
in the science Of ditChtug and convinced them OF
the advantages OF specializing their labor that
the good work may be continued under the imme-
date direction Of superintendent OF his own
teaching, while he devotes himself TO other essen
tials such as putting the ice factory into opera
ton as soon as possible after II arrives The
Yosemite. the station ship at Guam. is equipped
rished sIIficienr ice nart Ct the time for the sr
in the hospital ashore and for the commandment
most inopuortune times particularly at periods OF
aggravated drouth and the coming OF the Ave ton
ice plant is eagerly awaited
According 10 the Governor Lieutenant Leopod is
a verita bic Pooh Bah, being not only steam. civil
and assistant in all practical matters 10 the Gov
ernor. Well as 20 the chief surgeon