Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-14
The Departure of Major Richie.

Not since Major Alex Mackenzie,
so long in charge of the Office of the
corps of engineers in charge of up
per Mississippi river improvements
in this city, gave up his duties to ac-
cept the post of assistant to the
chief of engineers of the engineer
department of the United States
army, which led later TO his eleva-
ton TO the position of chief of en-
gineers from which he afterward re-
tired with the rank of major gem
eral, has there been so much genuine
regret as that attending the transfer
of Major c. S. Richie from Rock Is
land to Detroit.
The feeling is not confined to Rock
Island, but extends through the Miss
issippi valley from st. Paul to the
mouth of the Missouri river. At
many points the news of the trans
fer has been attended by protest,
one of which has resulted in an or
der from the engineer department
reserving to Major Richie the charge
of the Des Moines river survey, a
rare honor bearing witness to his rec
ognized worth and ability.
While all who knew Major Mack
enzie were grieved to have him leave
because of the attachments that had
been formed for him, his removal
was accepted in a philosophical way
as inevitable and involving in the
course of events deserved promotion.
With Major Richie it is different.
1t is an accepted belief that his trans
fer is the result Of an intrigue. 1t
is not to be denied that it has come
at a time when he is in the midst of
a work OF great value, so far as
waterways are concerned. AS was
stated in The Argus at the time the
first information came of the action
of the engineer department, there is
a we'll founded conviction that the
CLIQUE of railroad lobbyists at Wash
ington has succeeded in accomplish
ing his removal because of the en-
ergy and earnestness with which he
has pushed work of permanent in
land waterway development as a
commercial lever in the control of
transportation rates. The facts he
has presented from time to time in
the frank and perfectly proper dis
cussion of his views from the stand
point of an engineer have not been
pleasing to the railroads, and hence
the same influences that had him
removed from the Galveston station
after his remarkable achievement in
restoring the sea wall there after the
food, have again got his scalp. The
major, in other words, is not fig
ure head. E-e is a workman, and,
understanding the work Of the de-
partment to be the development of
the natural highways of the land, in
order to keep a check on the great
transportation corporations, he has
gone diligently about his task. This
has incurred the displeasure Of the
railroads, which have regarded him |
as an obstacle that should be taken !
away And they have succeeded |
temporarily, at least.
Naturally Major Richie has declined |
absolutely to discuss the why's or
wherefors of his removal. His only |
comment has been that he has had this |
station five years, has enjoyed every /
minute of his work on the Mississippi, |
and because Of this he leaves with re-
gret, but being military man. it is /
his duty to go wherever sent without |
murmer, and this is his position now.
he will, therefore, take up his new
iuties with the same zeal that he has
Exercised here. That is as much es ne
las said on the subject. It may be
repeated In this connection, as was
ltated at the time of the majors re-
noval, that whatever discussion has
seen INDUCED IN anent his departure
hom the city, there has not been the
east disparagement OF his successor,
aajor Charles Keller, who was for
nerly connected with the corps here,