The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-01
SHAKE-UP IN CORPS
CHANGES OF STATION FOR UNITED
STATES ENGINEERS.
BLACK ON PANAMA CANAL
VOW COMMANDS THE BATTALION
AT WASHINGTON.

col BIack Has Had Valuable Ex-
oerience in Sanitary Engineertns'
win Have 1t to Supervise az
panama and COIOn-COl. Peter
uoipes Relieved of All His pu-
+ias-Wim BE on the Panam"
r.rd-Vnrfous Changes Among
officers of Southern stations
By r. M. Larner.
washington, March 31.-Several I'M
,,ortanr changes in the Engineer Corps
af the United States army were an
,,o,,nced to-day, and one, at least, is OF
,rraat Importance in connection with
tho construction of the Panama canal
col William NJ. Black, has, on the
recommendation of Gen. Gillispie, chief
Of engineers, been relieved of duty at
tba Engineer School and placed in
,o,,,nand of the battalion at Washing
ton bv Secretary Root, and will be de-
tailed on duty in connection with the
Construction of the Panama canal as
coon as the treaty is ratified by Colon
bia and property transferred to the
United States.
Col Black has a very fine record in
connection with sanitary engineering.
It was under his immediate supervision
that the city of Havana was placed in
its present fine sanitary condition and
yellow fever completely eradicated
Previously to his assignment in charge
of the engineering work in Havana,
he was engineer commissioner of the
District of Columbia. He will have
much sanitary work to do at Panama
and Colon and along the canal route.
Col. Peter Haines, who was a mem
Der of the Isthmian Canal Commission,
and will probably be appoint d mem
Der of the board to construct the Pam
anna canal, was to-day relieved of all
his duties in connection with the EnSi-
neer Corps, and temporarily assigned
TO Washington. He was promoted to
be brigadier general April IL.
Result OF GiIIespie's Trip.
The general shake-up in the corps of
army engineers will be result of Gen.
Gillespie's visit to Charleston, and
other points along the Southern coast.
Orders have been issued. relieving
Capt. ATGO. howell IIOJil QAtJ do
secretary of the Mississippi River Com
mission, and assigning him to Char
lesion, in place of Capt. ]. S. Sand
ford, who goes to Philadelphia, reliey-
ing Col G. W. Raymond. Capt How
elrs transfer to Charleston is ow-
ing to ill-health, and it is believed
that the climate and the duties there
will be to his advantage.
Capt. Sandford's assignment to duty
in Philadelphia is in the nature of
an advancement, as he was not only
in line for promotion, but he is regard
ed as one of the best members of
the corps of engineers.
Col. Haines' place on the Board
of Rivers, Harbors and For
tifications has been taken by Col
Stickney, and his place as division en-
gineer in charge of the work from
Norfolk to Tampa has been taken by
Lieut.. Col Quinn.
Lieut.. Ladue has been transferred
from West Point to st. Louis to sue
coed Capt. Howell on the Mississippi
River Commission and will in turn be
succeeded by Lieut.. NJ. J. McDonough.
These changes will come as a gem
eral surprise to tire service, for they
have not been anticipated or even
speculated upon at the War Depart
ment, except by the Secretary of
War, Gen. Corbin and Gen. Giles
pie.