Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-01

die Is to be transferred from the engineer
commissiouership of the District" said C. c.
Glover, president of Riggs National Bank
Col Biddle is personal friend of mine,
and / win miss him.. and know the en-
tire District OF Columbia will feel his loss.
He has been great friend of all plans for
Increasing the areas Of parking in the ma
ttonal capital. and he has impressed all
with whom he came in contact with the un-
falling uprightness and honesty Of his ad-
ministra tion."
AT the same time I am glad to know
that Capt. Morrow Is to succeed as Enef-
neer Commissioner, and the District Is
fortunate In thatra man who is Thoroughly
familiar with its needs is to continue in
Engineer Commissioner John Biddle has
been good officer and an efficient one"
declared James L. Parsons, prominent local
builder and contractor for the new munich
pal building. HE has filed the position
as head of engineering affairs in the Dis
trict satisfactorily, am sure"
1T comes as great surprise to me-"
said Capt. James F. Oyster, president Of
the Business Mems Association, when he
was informed over the phone OF Col. Bid
dies retirement. '.He is an able man and
an attractive man. and regret very much
that fret Is to leave uss',ss sssf. g:
Mr.. Macfarland's Views.
Commissioner Mcfarland. when seen.
said:
Il am exceedingly sorry that Col Biddle
is going, and exceedingly glad that.
since he has to go, Capt. Morrow is to
succeed him. Col. Biddle has served
longer than any other Engineer Com
missioner. his term having been extend
ed at the request Of the. District and
without his volition and his service has
been greater. than that Of any other
Commissioner.
HE has served in the great municipal
building period, and his work has been i'm
portant and valuable In the union station
and railway terminal work, both while the
legisltiOn was being enacted and since,
while the plans were being approved by
the Commissioners, his work has been of
the highest order. He represented the
District. in conferences with the railway
engineers, and always held his own. and
the Commissioners have never regretted
any of the decisions made in the course
Of the execution of that SIS 100000 project.
$50 in the construction of the other great
projects notably the sewage disposal sys-
tenn and the District government building.
In the general affairs OF the District Col.
Biddles counsel was always wise. and his
execution always effective. Personally we
shall miss him greatly.
Capt. Morrow's experience as assistant,
and often as acting engineer commissioners,
fairs and prepared him for great useful.
ness. He has shown wisdom, courage and
a real interest in the national capital, and
will worthily continue the honorable tradi-
lions Of the Engineer Commissioners"
Capt. Morrow Congratulated.
When the news began to spread around
the District building today Of the change
Can't Morrow. acting engineer commits
soner in the place of Maj Biddle who is
inspecting school buildings in New York
and Massachusetts in the interest of the
District. was besieged with visitors, who
called to congratulate him. Capt. Morrow
stated that he has no idea who his successor
as assistant engineer commissioner will be.
It is the consensus of opinion among the
officials of the District building that Col.
Biddle is one of the ablest and most
efficient engineer commissioners that ever
served in the interest of the District. He
has the distinction of serving in that po-
sition for longer period than any other
officer and during his six years in that
capacity he has supervised some of the
largest and most important engineering inn
proVementS ever constructed in the Dis
frict.
He has been expecting his transfer for
several months, in view of the fact that
he will be promoted to lieutenant colonel in
August, and it has been the custom of the
Secretaries of War in the past to assign
only majors and captains of the Engineer
Corps to the position CT Engineer Commits
sioner.
The promotion of Capt Morrow means an
increase In pay Of $1,SoO.
What Capt. Morrow Says.
Capt. Morrow, who succeeds Major Bid
d. stated this afternoon that although he
had not been officially notified of the
change he heard of it several days ago. He
expects that the official order will reach
him tomorrow, and that it will read to
take effect in about ten or fifteen days. in
order to give Major Biddle time to pack up
and make the necessary arrangements for
his departure.
Capt. Morrow is native of Pennsylvania
and is thirty-eight years of age. He was
graduated from West Point in 1891. and
has seen service in Cuba and the Philip
pines 1t was while on duty in the Phil
ippines four years ago that he was ordered
TO Washington to take u-) his present post
as assistant Engineer Commissioner of the
District. -
During his connection with the local gov
eminent Capt. Morrow has demonstrated
his ability as ain engineer and an official
of sound and precise Judgment, and the
Commissioners and other offic ais of the
District consider themselves fortunate in
having him succeed Maj Biddle instead of
an officer unfamiliar with local affairs.