Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-08
HIS GOTH MILESTONE.
Gen. John M. Wilson Receives Numer-
Gus Greetings.

Gen. John NJ. Wilson. U. S. A, retired
who is one of the best known men in
Washington, is celebrating his 9th birth
day today. 1t will be a quiet celebration
owing to the death and burial yesterday Of
Mrs. Duncan. wife of Gen. Thomas Dun
can. who was General Wilson's sister,
None the less there have been great num-
Der of souvenirs. big and little from his
numerous friends in memory of the day.
and scores of letters and congratulatory
kilograms have been received from all over
the country and from abroad, for that mat
ter for General Wilson, so long chief Of
engineers of the army. is known all over
the world and liked wherever he is known
Notwithstanding his retirement from the
army General Wilson is one of the busiest
men in the city. He is the president of
the Board of Trade. president of the board
of directors of the Columbia Hospital and
on the directorate of almost a score of
other institutions. He is native Wash
ingtonian and began his career in public
was thrown in contact with such men as
Clay, Benton and Calhoun. He went west
after four years in the Senate and after
going through California. which was a
very different underta king in those days
from the present time, he finally landed
up on the Columbia. and received an ap-
pointment to West Point from the then
territory of Oregon. He graduated from
West Point in 1860 and was In the prime
of life throughout the civil war He was
twice brevetted for gallantry. once at NAL
vern Hill and again at Gaines Mill On
the former occasion he was also given the
congressional medal.
Genera. Wilson passed through the Indian
wars curing the most L: . :.ied period of
the early west. He was subsequently
brought to Washington and made chief of
engineers. and retained the position until
his retirement for age. But he did not feel
as though he needed to be retired for age.
and kept on. working rather harder than
ever.
Numerous Activities.
AS an evidence of his varied activities the
following may be cited as some of the civil
appointments he has held and is holding:
President Of the board Of visitors at West
Point, member Of the federal commission
Investigating the Slocum disaster, past
president of the Society of Civil Engineers.
member of the American Society of Civil
Engineers, doctor of laws and languages
of Columbia University. president of the
Observation-Disclosures coal lands commission
president of the presidential inaugural COM
mttee of 19O4-5, president of the Washing
ton Board of Trade, commander of the
Loyal Legion of the District of Columbia
Member of the board of directors of the
reform school for girls and president of the
board of directors of the training school for
nurses of the same institution. Director of
the National Episcopal Foundation. Mem
Der Of the Washington Monument Associa-
ton. Member of the board of directors OF
the Corcoran Art Gallery Member of the
executive committee of the Citizens Relief
Associa ton. Member of the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission in 1902. President for the
District Of Columbia of the Thomas JefYer-
son Memorial Association. Member of the
board of directors of the National Geo
graphic Society.
With this multiplicity of duties. Gen. Will
son Is not much buster than when he was
in the War Department. and apparently
no older. And he Is standing refutation
Of the proposition that there is no field for
the activities of a retired army officer ex-
cept life insurance.