Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-01

go with the masses and to take the lower
wages which belong to that class. The
high-priced man is paid because he can do
or will do what the others cannot or will
not do"
This has been Mr.. Wallaee's policy
throughout life-to court big things and do
them. This is what has attracted him to
Panama. This job is the biggest of its kind
in the world. and he wants to have a hand
in mastering it,
How One Engineer Rose.
But l am ahead of my story After leay-
ing the government service Mr. Wallace
was made chief engineer of the Iowa Cen
trail railroad, and constructed that line
from Peoria to the Mississippi river When
1t was finished he operated 1t, then begin
ming his first studies in railroad managing
Later on he went into bridge building He
aided in making the big bridge over the
mississippi at keithsburg, and later be-
came bridge engineer for the Atchison
Topeka and Santa Fe. He was also con-
nected with Mr. E. L. Corthell. the we'll
known civil engineer, in terminal railway
works at Chicago, in making the Merchants
bridge at st. Louis, in building belt rail-
roads at New Orleans and Memphis and in
other engineering projects All this work
was done by Mr. Wallace before he
reached forty, and during this time he kept
up his studies of the outside things CON
nected with each work. He not only built
railroads, but managed and operated them:
anu lHS, with MS SluuleS, mas made him
aI-around railroad man and a corporation
business man, with the grasp of details and
the knowledge of executive organization
which those terms imply.
Mr.. Wallace's work for the Illinois Cen
trail began about thirteen years ago, when
he constructed that railroads terminal
facilities for the worlds fair at Chicago
About the same time he was made chief en-
glneer OF the system, and, five or six Years
ago, general manager with charge of all
the constructing and operating depart
ments
Why Wallace Came to Panama.
That position paid one of the best of rail-
road salaries, and there is no doubt
that Mr.. Wallace could have held it for
years to come. Connected with it We're OPP
portunittes to make far more than he could
expect to make at Panama. There was
prospect of immediate promotion, and there
was the surety of a pension at the close
Nevertheless the chief engineer threw UP
that place to take charge of the Panama
canal work, and to come here to duties in
ffnitely more difficult and eXhausting than
any he could have had at Chicago. He
comes to a bad climate and, / might say, to
almost thankless job.
Why does he do 1t? 1t is as I have said
because he likes to fight and conquer the
biggest thing that can come to him. He
did not come unknowing. He was here
seven years ago, when the canal was in the
hands of the French and he wanted to be
the American in charge of the great sue
cess where the French had failed. Indeed,
it was that visit that spurred him on to
cept the proposition of the commission at
Washington. Others who look below the
surface of things say that Wallace is the
man best fitted to have charge of the
canal and handle it. They believe that
Providence, working in His mysterious way.
has put him here because in this place he,
of all others, can do the most for mankind.
He is certainly as able as any of our United
States engineers and, in this age when the
United States leads in all such undertake
ingS this means that Wallace leads among
the civil engineers of the world.
Wallace the Man
But what kind of man is Mr.. Wallace?
How does he look, work and talk? Physical
~ speaking he is of medium height and
build, straight, well formed and full of
vigor He is fifty-two years old now, but
he looks much younger and his step is as
springy as that of boy. He has rosy
cheeks and all the aspects of a quiet con-
science and good digestion. One of the
striking things about the man is his per-
sonal magnetism. He has the ability OF
making every one he meets MS frlend, ana
also that which enables him to refuse a
mans request and still keep him in good
humor.
Mr.. wallace is simple in his manner. He
knows his men, goes about among them and
talks to them. He has wonderful in
fuence over them. and his chief subord-
mates are as enthusiastic in pushing
their work as though the canal were pri-
vate enterprise, and each had financial
interest in it.
Wallace and the Unions.
This enthusiasm for Wallace extends even
to the common mechanics. Many of them
are kickers, but none attributes his trou-
bles to him. Indeed, several of them have
told me that if labor matters left to
Wallace everything will be all right, and 1