Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-02

from now on said Gen. Wilson when he
was seen by Star reporter today and asked
concerning his future work. Il want to
describe occurrences in the White House
under both Presidents Cleveland and Har
rison. l will be able to describe a great
many touching and beautiful incidents at
the White House. There will not be
single word in what l write to hurt any
body's feelings. and L will only tell the
truth. l hope also to spend some time in
our great Congressional Library to refresh
my memory of the scenes that occurred
while L was a boy serving as a Senate
page
General Wilson's great interest In beau
tifying this city has had opportunity
to show itself in many ways during the
times he has been here in charge of pub
lie buildings and grounds. He has always
been in favor of opening parks for the
real enjoyment of the people, and he pro-
Yoked considerable criticism at the time
he inaugurated the policy of taking down
the high iron fences from around some
of the parks, but later those who criti
cised him commended his judgment.
The final adoption of plans and the loca-
ton of a site for a filtration plant was
one of the last acts of General Wilson's
duty chief of engineers, and he had
natural pride in having secured the land
necessary for the work on what has gener-
ally been approved as an extremely rea-
Sonable price.
Among other touching tributes to his
long service received DE MIN dlleT Ills re-
tirement was a letter from Julia Dent
Grant. Among the many treasures that
he has in great scrap book General VIII
son values extremely the letter he received
from General w. T. Sherman, written at
11:3O o'clock of the night of the iatter's
retirement, October 81, 1888. This letter
follows:
A Valued Tribute.
HEADQUARTERS. ARMY OF
THE UNITED STATES.
WASHINGTON, d. c., October 81, 1888.
IL: 80 at night.
Col. John NJ Wilson, L. S. Engineers
Washington, d. c.:
Dear Colonel fear L must leave the
city without doing what 1 ought-that is.
calling on you and your good wife In your
home on Connecticut avenue. but am going
to ask you to accept the will for the deed.
along with the assurance of the high re-
spect in which / hold you personally and
professionally. L believe that no general
officer has ever held the engineers in
higher esteem than 1 have. especially when
their usual knowledge is supplemented, as
in your case, with the practical experience
with men in the camp, in the field and in
barracks. 1t requires great knowledge
to take rude blocks Of marble and make of
them grand arch. but still greater to
take mass Of rude men and work them
into skilled army. and when the engineer
can do both well then he Is master. L
believe you to be one of these, and that
you appreciate my efforts to bring the
corps into more perfect harmony with the
whole army, and that you do not under
stand me as thereby selfishly attempting to
enlarge my own authority.
The fact that you have seen service with
the artillery and with army in the field
makes you a better engineer and qualities
you for the command of men. One who
sits down and exclaims. What's the use?"
has not learned the lesson taught by his
tory, for honor and fame will come to him
who is best prepared, the more certain by
reason of the necessity being sudden and
unexpected. Though with the morrow l
will cease to be in authority, yet I will
none the less be Gen. Sherman, and, In
that capacity, will watch the career OF
those who have attracted my notice-men
with brains and muscles and hearts; and
beg you to feel that I regard you as one
OF the greatest promise. that will rejoice
In your success. and will cheer you on to
deserve and reach the highest round Of the
ladder of fame.
Sincerely. your friend.
w. T. SHERMAN.