Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-28
new HEAD OF BUREAU
Harrison Stidham Superin-
tendent Of Street Cleaning.
MAN OF EXPERIENCE
WASHINGTONIAN AND HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATE.
Appointment rendered With Under
standing That He Will Ac-
cept-His Record.

ton High School boy, will be appointed to
the position of superintendent Of street
cleaning, to succeed Warner Stutler, whose
resignation the Commissioners requested
yesterday. The announcement of Mr.. Std
hams appointment has not as yet been
made officially by the Commissioners. but
from information obtained at the District
building today his selection for the position
seems absolutely assured
Commissioner West, who has immediate
charge of the street-cleaning department,
indicated to a reporter for The Star today
his preference for Mr.. Stidham above all
other applicants for the position, and stat
ed that in all likelihood former Washing
ton High School boy will be appointed.
Commissioner Macfarland, when asked If he
would approve the appointment of Mr..
Stidham, had no hesitancy in declaring that
he Is strongly in favor of it, and said he
considers the District will be very fortunate
in securing such man for the position in
question, in view of his experience and
other qualfica tions.
The Commissioners indicate that the
question of Mr.. Suffers successor has been
settled, so far as they are concerned. and
that it only remains for Mr.. Stdham to ac-
eral months ago, shortly after the charges
against Superintendent Stutler were made
public.
Highly Recommended.
Mr.. Stidham has been highly indorsed
by experts and by a number of prominent
men both in Washington and in other cities
for the position of superintendent of street
cleaning He made application for the
position September 80 last, stating that in
the event change were made in the
superintendency of the street cleaning de-
partment, he desired appointment to the
position.
Harrison Stidham was born in Wash
ington about thirty-five years ago. His
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred D. Stidham.
reside in this city at 1925 S street north
west, where they have made their home
for many years, the father being employed
government printing office
Young Stidham attended the Washing
ton public school and later graduated
the Cornell University scholarship. He
graduated from Cornell in 1891 with the
degree of civil engineer and after that
spent two years as recorder and temporary
aid in the United States coast and geodetic
survey in this city. At the close of his
service in the coast survey work, Mr..
Stidham went with Col. George E. Warng
as assistant engineer in sanitary practice,
comprising the sewerage of towns, sewage
disposal plants for institutions and work
VI Inc ClIdIdcteI
Service in New York Department
When Col Waring became commissioner
of street cleaning of New York city, Std
ham entered that service and throughout
Col. Warnings term from 1895 to 1897, Std
ham occupied the positions of foreman, dis
trict superintendent, snow inspector and
assistant general superintendent of the
New York department. AS assistant gen.
eral superintendent Stidham had charge
of all the drivers in the department, and
as Superintendent of snow removal he
had charge of the eleven district superin-
tendentS and all the men under them, COM
priSng several thousand men, and besides
he was responsible for the economical eX-
penditure of about 100000 annually.
In 1898, when Tammany came into power
in New York, Mr.. Stidham resigned his po-
sition and became general superintendent of
the Tubular Dispatch Company, which fur
nished the underground pneumatic tube
service for the metropolis. He served in
this capacity for two years, when he en-
tered partnership for the practice of civil
and sanitary engineering, and later, in
April, 1901, the partnership was dissolved
and Stidham became connected with the
American Bridge Company, with which con-
cern he is now employed
He is associate member of the Ameri-
can Society of Civil Engineers, and from
his statement that when Tammany came
into power in New York he resigned his
official position it is judged that Stidham IS
a republican in politics. However. in his
application for the position here, Mr.. Std
ham states that he desires position in a
place like the District, where political con-
SiderationS are not paramount
Mr. Stidham is married and has one
child. He has a large circle of friends and
acquaintances in Washington, which city
ne claims as his home, having lived here
the greater part of his life.
Some of His Indorsers.
Among those who have written highly
complimentary letters concerning Mr.. Std
ham to the Commissioners are the follow
ing: Frank P. Reside of this city, B. II.
Blood, former superintendent of motive
power, Tubular Dispatch Company, New
York; Capt. F. H. Gibson, deputy commits
sioner of street cleaning, New York; Thorn
as A Doe, treasurer American Agricultural
Chemical Company, New York. and others.
In addition to Mr.. Stidham, Mr.. George
T. Boteler of Georgetown was an applicant
for the position of street cleaning superin-
tendent and was strongly indorsed for the
position by many citizens of Georgetown
and Washington.
1t is understood that Mr.. Stidham will be
notified of his appointment today and that
he will signify his decision in the matter
at once Friends of Mr.. Stidham here
Sta TO that he will accent the position.