The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-21

neefs tnrOuBnout many couhtrles or tue world have written letters to him about it. He also prepared number of papers for various engineering soci- cites and IS one of the foremost au- thorities on certain phases of engineer ing. Just before becoming member of the General staff years ago ne was one of the professors in the war col lege at Washington. Inus this engi- neer has had all sorts uf experiences In every one of his many commissions ne has acquitted himself with such slg- nal apility, given such eminent satis- IactIon to the authorities which ap- pointed him, that ne IS known us u man ntted for great undertakings.
 The Alabama Member.
 William L.. Slberl halls from Ala bama. 1t is a singular coincidence that he and Major Gaillard entered West Point in the same class and graduated together While at West Point they were room mates. Both graduating among the first five, they were assign ed to the engineers.
 Major Sibert's most conspicuous ser vice as engineer is that which he has just rendered, and which he left to take up the new work. He was in charge of the Pittsburg District of the Rive and Harbor Work. But he has had mode to do with canal construction on large scale than either of the other two. hav- ing been one of the engineers in charge of the construction of the Great Su- same Marie Canal across the Michigan Peninsula This is the greatest canal work which heretofore the United States government has undertaken, and 1t is for his connection with this work in large part at least, that Major Si- bert is now a member of the Canal Commission.
 Major Sibert Is distinctively a prac- tical engineer. He has great faculty for governing men. and for the tactful management of affairs where a large number of men Is concerned. He Is a large stronp man, giant almost, with big body and big head. He is very genial, easily approached, affable in his manner, and frank in his expressions. But he is commander of men. and es- pecially insistent that every man un- der him shall do his duty. He Is kind but firm.
 Major Sibert, just after graduating at West Point. was made the recorder of the Board of Engineer Officers on Dridge at Cincinnati across the Ohio River. Afterwards. he held similar position on another bridge across the Ohio at Louisville. He was then a mem- Der of the Board on the construction of a bridge across the Green River. Next he was in charge of improvements on the Green and Barren Rivers in Ken lucky.
 work on the ..akes.
 He was in charge of the construction of one-half of the great ship canal, the Susanne Marie Canal, connecting the waters of the Great Lakes, and his work on this was SO conspicuously successful that he was immediately stamped one of the great executive en- gineers of the army. He was then sent to the Philippine Islands on the staff of General Schwann. He was in command of a company of engineers working in connection with the army of General Otis at the same time.
 Among the most important works done by the army in the Philippine ls- lands, perhaps the most lasting was that of the typographical survey Ma jor Sibert made very complete maps of all the territory round about Luzon. Up to that time there were very beautiful maps, drawn by very fancy draughts- men in the Spanish Army. For hang ing on the walls and for exhibition Tn the museums, schools and elsewhere and for framing in the souvenir gall leries of army officers, these maps wore very excellent; but for giving anything like an accurate idea of the country which they purported to describe, they | were absolutely worthless. Major Si bert replaced these by the only service | able maps which had up to that tim I The army officers, those in command in the Philippines, say that Major Si- bert's ability as an engineer, his cap | tivating and impressive personality, and his general resourcefulness as an army officer, made him most valu- able factor in the prosecution of the Philippine campaign. He was my right hand man. says General Schwan.
 Made for Responsibilities. Major Sibert is one of those men who seems made for responsibilities He Is not afraid of responsibility and he does not try to shift 1t upon the shoulders of others. Last spring. while he was in charge of the work on the Allegheny River, it will be recalled that dangerous flood threat l near Pittsburg There was Govern ment dam just above one of these | factories There was great fear on the part of the owners of the property and those who lived in the vicinity | Major Sibert saw that the property could be saved only by removing the 1 dam Ordinarily, an army officer or | any other official on the scene would have taken the matter up with head quarters quite extensive telegraph ing and telephoning, or a going to and | fro with much confabulation, would have resulted, the flood would have risen and the factory would have been | destroyed with probably large num- Der of lives Major Sibert did not telegraph to anybody. He simply or dered his men to stick few chunks | of dynamite underneath the darn and l blow it up 1t was an $SO,O0O da'n, but he saved several million dollars worth of property. Congress imme- diately made an appropriation for he- building the dam; it might have been diately upon for an appropriation to repay the factory corporation If the l dam had not been destroyed.
 The work on the rivers about Pitts burg is one of the most difficult az well as one of the most important of all the rivers and harbors work of the | Government The fact that Major Sibert was put in charge of 1t is tribute to his ability, and he has car. ried if out with such success that the only regret that the engineer chiefs | had when he was assigned to the Pan- anna Canal was the great loss which l the Pittsburg district must suffer-
 MONDAY SPECIAL.
 Full barrel Best Patent Flour, regu- |