Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-25
col, SYMONS TO LEAVE THE DISTRICT BILL
Captain Bromwe Succeeds to Conerees Report Presented
His Washington Duties. to the Senate.
ACTION A SURPRISEtA LARGE INCREASED
FORMER BECOMES MEMBER COMMITTEE $s453 ToI
CANAL BOARD. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS
in Public Building Still in Dispue-De
buildings Grounds Of Agreement
Captain Bromwell Succeeds to
His Washington Duties.
ACTION A SURPRISE
FORMER BECOMES MEMBER OF
NEW YORK CANAL BOARD.
Generally Supposed That he Would
Continue Here in Charge Of Public
Buildings and Grounds.

An order has been prepared at the war
Department relieving Col. Thomas w. sy-
mons, Corps Of Engineers, from his duties
In this city, in charge Of public buildings
and grounds, and directing Capt. Charles
s. Bromwell, Corps of Engineers, stationed
at New Orleans to proceed to this city Ior
the purpose of assuming those duties. This
action follows and is consequent upon the
joint resolution Of Congress- approved
April 20, permitting Col. Symons to assist
the state of New York by acting as MEM
ber Of the canal board Of that state.
The resolution provided that the Secre-
tary of War be- and he Is hereby, au-
thorized to grant Mai. Thomas w. SymOnS,
Corps of Engineers, leave Of absence, with
out pay; and that he be permitted to assist
the state Of New York by acting as mem
Der of an advisory board Of consulting en-
gineers In connection with the improve
ment and enlargement of the navigable ca
nails of the state of New York The per-
mission hereby given shall be held to ter
inmate at such date or dates as the Secre-
tary of War may determine"
Col. Symons Qualities.
Acting in accordance with this authority.
Col. Symons went to Albany, N. Y, last
week and qualified as a member Of the
canal board.
The President, after several conferences
with Secretary Taft and Judge Advocate
General Davis. concluded that as the law
provided that Col. Symons should be grant
ed leave of absence in order to permit
him to serve on the state canal board, 1t
was necessary to have some other oncer
perform the duties of superintendent OF
public buildings and grounds rms con,
clusion was based on the general ground
that the rendition of active military service
could hardly be expected from an officer on
leave of absence" and, at any rate. that
legal complications respecting the expendi-
ture of public funds might arise In such
case.
1t was therefore decided to grant Col.
Symons an indefinite leave Of absence with
out qualification and have Capt. Bromweii
assume the duties of superintendent OF pup
lie buildings and grounds.
The Action Surprise.
This decision was a great surprise to the
people In general. and to Col Symons In
particular. Col. Symons and his friends
seemed to have been of the opinion that
there was nothing to interfere with his
performing the duties Of both offices, as 1t
was not expected that his work on the
canal board would require him to absent
himself from Washington more than a few
days at time at long intervals.
1t Is understood that his salary on the
canal board is $4,000 year, or more than
double his present compensation as an Of
ficer of the army, so that the change Will
not result in any financial loss. Neither
will 1t affect his status In the army.
Col. Symons has held the office of super
intendent of public buildings and grounds
a little less than a year, having succeeded
Col. Theodore A. Bingham April so last.
He proved himself a most efficient officer
and has performed excellent service In
the Improvement and development of the
public parks of the District, as well as hav-
ing rendered great service to the President
in the supervision of the numerous state
and social functions at the White House.
Capt. Bromwell Well Known Here.
Captain Bromwell, who now becomes
superintendent with the rank of colonel
Is well known in this city from his long
service in the Office of the chief of en-
gineers under Generals Gillespie and Will
son. He is native of Kentucky, but was
appointed to the army from Ohio. He was
one of the star graduates of the Military
Academy in the class of June, 1890, and
was assigned to the Engineer Corps.
He reached the grade of captain in Feb
ruary. 1901. He has been stationed at New
Orleans since September 20, 1902, in charge
of important river and harbor works in
Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas He is a
son of ex-Representative Bromwell of the
Cincinnati district. and his wife Is the
daughter of Mrs. Scott, a sister of ex-Vice
President Stevenson of Illinois.