Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-25
Efforts to Keep Captain Beach IS
District Commissioner.
AND SORROW 1t ORDER
Rumors That Asphalt Contracts
Aided Transfer.
EXPRESSIONS OF REGRET

ir gton and several senators and represen-
tatives in Congress to have President Nc
Kinley reconsider the order issued from the
War Department yesterday relieving Capt.
Lansing H. Beach as Engineer Commis-
sicner Of the District of Columbia, to the
extent at least of postponing the date at
which the transfer shall go into effect.
The order announcing the proposed trans
fer of Capt. Beach from this city to De-
troit came as a great surprise not only to
the District officials and the residents at
large, but to Capt Beach himself. The
captain knew nothing of the departments
action until he arrived in Washington last
night about 0 o'clock. He was in Philadel-
phia all of yesterday and, accompanied by
DR.. Woodward, the health officer, inspected
the municipal hospital, the almshouse and
the morgue there. The information thus
CLEANED, it is intended. shall be employed
in the preparation and consideration of
plans for similar institutions in the capital
city.
Capt. Beach was first apprised of the
order which has been sent to the Pres
dent for approval, by his secretary. Capt.
Beach stated that he had endeavored to
get copy of The Star on the train, but
none was to be had. He little suspected
the important news the paper would have
conveyed to him.
Natural Regret Mt Leaving.
In speaking of his proposed transfer to
Detroit Capt. Beach declared that he
would feel very sorry to leave at this
time the many important projects which
are being handled by the engineer depart
ment. These projects include the abolition
of grade crossings and a supervision of the
terminal plans of the Pennsylvania and
Baltimore and Ohio railroads, an expen-
sivo sewage disposal station at the foot of
New Jersey avenue, the preparation of
al al
house, a morgue, street extensions and
nomenclature and many other matters
Capt. Beach said no officer of the en-
gineer corps would be so little Interested
in his work to want to drop 1t at once,
and therefore 1t was but natural that he
should feel sorry to leave unfinished the
many important undertakings into which
he had entered. Capt. Beach said he had
never asked the War Department to make
an order or to revoke one. He has always
accepted the department wishes as his
own.
1t Is understood that Capt. Beach ex-
pressed a preference some time ago for
an assignment to the engineering work al
Detroit when he should be relieved from
duty as Engineer Commissioner So 1t will
be seen the department has respected his
wishes in the matter Of detail, although
the captain did not know the transfer was
to come SO soon.
Great Crowds of Callers.
When he came to his office at the Dis
trict building this morning Capt. Beach
was besieged by callers. All expressed
their regret that his relief had been pro-
posed. and hoped the President would see
fit to disapprove the order and allow him
to remain. 1t is said the President is
quite familiar with Capt. Beach's work,
and has expressed adnira ton for his ad-
ministratioH Of affairs. Capt. Beach has
proved to be one of the most popular of
Engineer Commissioners. The engi-
neer officer, having charge of all public
work, building permits, etc, is brought
into close contact with the public, and is
oftentimes compelled to deny requests.
He Is called upon to take decisive action
In many more matters than the other Com
missioners, and is consequently more open
to criticism than his fellow members of
the board from those to whom he has been
compelled to refuse favors
Those residents who have announced
their intention Of petitioning the President
to retain Capt Beach Engineer Com
missioner beyond next November declare,
when approached on the subject that they
are not taking such steps In the interest or
Capt. Beach, but for their own welfare
and the general interest Of the District. 1t
Is known that Capt. Beach is too strict
disciplnarian, too good a soldier to permit
any such action in his behalf and he has
not been consulted in the matter.
There have been many rumors at the Dis
ttrict building suggesting reason for what
Is considered the rather sudden determlna-
ton Of the War Department to relieve
Capt. Beach as Engineer Commissioner.
The officials believe that the department
simply considers that the captains tour of
duty Is ended, and that it wishes to COM
pliment Major Biddle in assigning him to
the important post here.
Interesting Rumors.
One rumor which has been persistently
circulated Is to the effect that Captain
Beach's transfer is due to some political
influence which has been brought to bear
against him. 1t is boldly asserted that the
Commissioners action in the award of the
asphalt paving contracts was prime fac
tor. For many years past the paving con-
tract has annually been given to the Bar
Der Asphalt Company commonly known
nowadays as the asphalt trust" This
the Warner-Quinlan Asphalt Company of
Syracuse, N. Y. The prices quoted by the
company, supposedly mot in the trust"
were lower than those Of it's competitor,
selves as to the quality of the material to
be furnished and the work to be done,
awarded the contract to the "outside" firm.
The street paving, being under the direc-
tton of the Engineer Commissioner, It was
mainly upon Capt. Beach's recommenda-
ton. and those under him, that the award
was SO made. The rumor has 1t that the
asphalt trust." " headed by Gen. Francis v.
Greene of New York, who was grand mar
shall of the last inaugural parade, brought
the necessary influence to bear to have
capt. Beach transferred. Not many placed
any credence in the report. 1t was but
one of many straws in the wind this
morning.
Another rumor at the District building
was to the effect that the transfer of the
Engineer Commissioner had been made
through the instrumentality Of Senator
James Mcmillan, chairman Of the Senate
District committee.
This rumor probably was founded, how
ever, upon the fact that Major BiddIe, who
has been selected to succeed Captain
Beach. halls from Detroit, which Is Sena-
tor McMillan's home
His Departure Will Be a Loss.
Commissioner Macfarland, president of
the District board, is sincerely sorry that
the transfer Of Captain Beach is contem-
plated. In speaking of the matter and of
Captain Beachs service to the District to-
day he said:
'"rhe departure OF Commissioner Beach
wilt mean, believe, loss to the District.
His four years service as assistant to the
Engineer Commissioner gave him that
comprehensive familiarity with the az
fairs Of the District and the operations of
the engineer department that It would be
we'll for every Engineer Commissioner to
have. so that the work he has done AZ