Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-05

Inc Stdle dSSeiIUIS he served III the state
senate in New York in 1860 and 1861. When
the civil war started he organized the 18th
New York Volunteers, and was chosen the
first colonel of that regiment. He served
actively in the entire war, and. with his
regiment, was engaged at Gettysburg and
also in Sherman's march to the sea.
For valiant service he received the rank
of brigadier general. with which he retired
was nominated and elected to the Thirty
eighth Congress. He was unable to serve
actively, that election came while the
war was still in progress. For four terms
thereafter he had difficulty and suffered
defeat only in 1872, when John Whitehouse,
democrat, beat him.
Was District Commissioner
President Grant made him Commissioner
of the District of Columbia. which office he
held from 1874 to 1877. He resigned to take
his seat in the Forty-seventh Congress-
From then on, with the exception of the
two occasions upon which he declined to
run after being nominated, he served con-
tinuously as a representative. In the last
election he achieved the distinction of get
ting a greater number of votes in his dis
trict, which includes Columbia, Duchess
Greene and Putnam counties, than Roose-
welt and Fairbanks. He poHed "a T91 votes;
MS TWO opponents got 81 and Dos, respec-
lively.
Next to Gen. Ketcham in point of service
In the House are Speaker Cannon and Gen.
Bingham of Pennsylvania. The latter, while
not having served many terms as Gen.
ketcham, had longer continuous service.
Liked and Esteemed.
The death of General Ketcham was dis
cussed at the District building this morn
ing by some of the older employees, who
were in the District service when he was
one of the board of Commissioners. He
was liked and esteemed by all, and much
regret was expressed at his death. He IS
said to have been one of the ablest and
most aggressive heads of the local govern
ment that ever served the people of the
District of Columbia.
General Ketcham appointed on the
board of Commissioners by President Grant
in 1874 and served until 1877, when he re-
signed to represent his native state in the
lower house of Congress. On the board
he served with the late William Dennison
and Henry T. Blow and his chief work
upon entering his office was to abolish the
local board of public works and uplift the
District from an unsteady and dangerous
position it had fallen into. and according
to those who knew General ketcham then
and worked with him in his reorganiza-
ton of the District business and financial
methods much to the Districts success and
substantial standing at present is due to
his efforts.
DR.. Tindal's Statement.
Possibly no one is better acquainted with
the generals achievements as Commits
sioner than DR. William Tindall secretary
to the Board of Commissioners. In speak
ing of his former chief, DR. Tindall this
morning made the following statement:
Gen. Ketchan was man of extraordi-
nary physical and mental equipment. and
fearless in carrying out a policy his judg
ment approved When he was appointed
by President Grant as one of the temporary
| Board of Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia in 1874 he was at the height OF
! his powers The affairs CT the board Of
| vublc works and the territorial form of
government generally at the time of its
| abolition on June 90. 1874 were in a state
of almost inextricable confusion. ILe
| credit of the District was also at a very
| low ebb. it's paper being hawked around In
some cases as low as As cents on the dollar.
To properly administer upon this state of
| affairs and bring order out of chaotic con-
| ditions required all the power of a master
| mind Fortunate was 1t for all concerned
| that the District found such a competent
administrator in the person of Gen. Ketch-
| am. His two colleagues on the board ex-
| Gov William Dennison of Ohio anu Mr.
Henry T. Blow, ex-minister to Mexico were
men capable enough in their way, but both
| had reached stage of life at which the
| herculean task which devolved upon them
would have been too much for their
| strength. He was ably assisted by Lieut..
| Richard l.. Hoxie of the Engineer Corps of
the army-now Colonel HoXie-who was the
| engineer adviser of the board. In addition
| to General Ketcham's remarkable executive
| capacity was his extraordinary memory
I which held the minutest details without i'm