Evening star., 1901-10-29
New Engineer Commissioner of Dis
trict Meets His Colleagues.
CHANGE In OFFICE TO OCCUR FRIDAY
Friends Of Outgoing Official Call
to Pay Their Respects.
RECORD OF HIS SERVICE

SoluiHbld FTiuty next, dTTlNtu
| the city last night and was a caller at the
District building this morning. Maj. Bddle
was in consultation with Capt. Beach,
| the incumbent, for quite a long time,
| and talked over with him in general way
| matters pertaining to the office. Capt. Beach
| introduced Maj. Biddle to Commissioners
Macfarland and Ross, while Capts. New
conner and Harding, assistants to the En-
gineer Commissioner, and brother officers
with Maj. Biddle, called to pay their re-
spects while the newly designated Commis-
lsioner was in the building.
Major Biddle will go over the details of
| the office with Captain Beach during the
next few days and will then take the oath
of Office at a meeting of the board of Com
| missioners Friday morning. The major is
regarded as one of the ablest officers of the
engineer corps of the army. He has re-
Gently been on duty both in Cuba and the
Philippines, and his detail as Engineer
Commissioner Of the District is regarded
a reward for particular meritorious service
and unusual. ability. For the past three
months he has been travelling abroad, and
his rest, after arduous duties in the island
possessions has placed him in the best of
health and he is ready to actively take up
the duties Of his new detail Major Biddle
is a most affable gentleman
Matter of Regret.
The retirement of Captain Lansing H.
Beach from the Office of Engineer Commits
sioner Friday next, when he will be sue
ceeded by Major Biddie is a matter Of sin
cere regret to an exceptionally wide circle
OF friends and to the citizens at large as a
rule. Captain Beach has the record of be-
ing one of the most successful and popular
Engineer Commissioners ever connected with
the District government. When the orders
for his relief were issued the latter part of
last July expressions of genuine sorrow
were manifest on all sides and his friends
were anxious that some steps might be
taken that would result in his retention in
office. Captain Beach discouraged all such
IDEAS, saying that the department wishes
in the matter were his own. For several
days the captain was kept busy receiving
callers who came to express their regret
that he was to leave the District, while
personal letters and kilograms were re-
ceived by the score
Again this morning Captain Beach's ante
room was constantly filled with callers. The
approach of the time when he Is to leave
being near at hand, his friends have begun
to pay their respects. Among the callers
this morning was a delegation from the
Blaine Invincible Republican Club, headed
by Perry Carson. The members of the or
ganization, clad in their distinctive uni
form, which includes tan frock coats and
broad-br1mmed hats, presented quite a pic
turesque appearance. The delegation pre-
sented Captain Beach with huge bouquet
of flowers, including roses and chrysanthe-
"A moral OF almost equal DrO-
portions was presented by the delegation to
Major Biddle, who was with Captain Beach
when the club called.
Will Go at Once to Detroit.
When Capt. Beach is relieved Friday
morning, in accordance with the orders
from Gen. Gillespie, chief Of engineers of
the army, he will lose no time in reporting
at the post to which he has been assigned
in Detroit. He will leave Washington Fri
day evening at 7:15 O'clock, and proceeding
at once to Detroit, will report by letter to
the Secretary of the Treasury as. engineer
of the eleventh lighthouse district relieving
Lieut.. Col. Thomas H. Handbury of those
duties. The station at Detroit Is considered
to be most desirable billet by the officers
OF the Engineer Corps, and 1t is understood
that Capt. Beach expressed preference for
that assignment when he should be relieved
as Engineer Commissioner.
Capt Beach has made an excellent record
in the District Of Columbia, and he will
take the best wishes of the residents here
with him to his new field of duty. Ills
service in the District government has been
long and creditable, dating from November
8, 1894, when he was assigned to duty as
assistant to the Engineer Commissioner.
While SO serving June /, 1898, he was ap-
pointed Engineer Commissioner to succeed
Capt. w. M. Black, who was assigned TO
duty in the field during the Spanish-Amer-
ican war Capt. Beach's four years of serv-
ice as assistant to the Engineer Commits
ity with the affairs of the District. Com
missioner Macfarland declares that Capt.
Beach's work has been of an especially in
telligent, constructive character. Mr.. Mac
farland says that those who are acquaint-
ed with what Capt. Beach has accomplish
ed realize that he has rendered exceptional
and valuable service, for which the District
ought to be grateful.
His Work for the District.
When Captain Beach come into the office
of Engineer Commissioner it was his idea
to secure the improvement of the main
thoroughfares leading from the city out
into the county. Prior to his administration
1t had been the custom to repair one road
here and another there the work being
done sporadically largely. Captain Beach
decided to confine his attention to a main
thoroughfare and to complete 1t from END
to end II possible. Under this system the
7th street road and the Benning road have
been placed in excellent condition, and plans
have been made to improve other main
thoroughfares as fast as appropriations for
the purpose can be secured from Congress.
Another work to which Capt. Beach has
devoted much of his time and attention is
the removal CT Belgian block paving from
the streets and to replace them with as
phalt. The granite block pavement has
been the cause of many complaints to the
Commissioners in the past. Although ham,
pered by a lack of funds to carry on such
an expensive work, much has been accom-
pISHeu III tnat liue QuTlHS capt. Beach'S s
administration.
Capt. Beach has always taken an excep-
tional interest in Rock Creek Park. of
which he has been the executive officer
and considering the small amount of money
available for the purpose he has accom-
plished highly satisfactory results in road
building in the reservation. The chain gang
has been employed very largely in the
work, and those who have driven over the
roads recently have complimented them in
fattering terms. Miles of excellent drive
ways have been built numerous bridges
erected and the park made accessible from
many points
Purchas@ -ek Rock Qnarry.
+ It was due to the efforts OF Capt. Beach
that the District acquired the trap rocR
quarry at Dickerson, Nd, the tract en-
which It = located conpEiatnG I'VE acres.
The rock quarried here Is crushed and used
tor road building In the District. having
been pronounced by the department Of road
Inquiry to be as fine for the purpose as any
In the country. The quarry IL on the line
Of the Metropolitau branch of the Ralffmore