The Columbus journal., 1910-11-30
THE MASTER BUILDER.

afi, rnoon and evening to ourselves.
THE MASTER BUILDER.
TWAS after three railroad engineers
had, for one reason or another, resign.
ed from the big undertaking to which
they had from time to time been
appointed, that the government did
what it might very well have done in
the first place. Wallace, the first
engineer who undertook the work of
constructing the canal, threw up the
job for reasons best known to himself.
He was succeeded by Stevens, who
went the way of his predecessor, via
the resignation route. Shonts was
next to be appointed chairman of the
canal commission and chief engineer
of the undertaking. Shonts resigned.
When the news was brought to Wash
ington, President Roosevelt banged
his fist upon table and announced
with much heat that he would appoint
a man who would stay on the job until
he said he could quit. Thus it came
about that Colonel Goethals, a member
of the engineer corps Of the army, was
detailed for the work. Previously to
his selection for this conspicuous Office
the army man had never emerged from
the obscurity Of everyday work we'll
done. 1t was therefore among the
possibilities that he might prove
unequal to q task which had already
batiied three Of the leading engineers
of the country. But it was a moral
certainty that he would not follow the
course of his three predecessors and
voluntarily abandon it. For, while
army officers have many virtues, res
lgnatiOn Is not one of them.
But the colonel made god. Those
closely associated with him and who,
from a knowledge of his capabilities,
his energy and his sterling character,
had recommended his appointment,
knew that he would. Those of the
canal zone who knew nothing of the
man were soon to make the same dis.
covery, and incidentally a few of them
were to receive some jolts. The first
to acquire knowledge that a new type
of man had succeeded to the control of
canal affairs was q division superin.
tendent. 1t seems that, under previ-
Gus regimes, when the engineer-in-chief
issued an order, there would always be
someone to tell him how the order
could not be executed OF to show him
some better way of doing it. And
perchance the thing would not be done
at all or mayhap the better way would
be essayed. 1t was q few days after
Colonel Goethals had assumed charge
of affairs that he had occasion to issue
an order. Directly appeared volu-
bic division superintendent who came
to tell him how impracticable it was
to carry out the order. The army man
listened while the other argued. Even
tually the vOluble one exhausted all of
his arguments and cheerfally opined
that the colonel had been brought to
his way of thinking. 81 hope sir" he
concluded, that you see the force of
my argument"
But l was not arguing" came the
calm reply. 81 was issuing an order. |
Kindly see that it is obeyed."
The man who has charge of thirty |
thousand men, and on his hands the |
greatest engineering work of the cen.
tury, must needs have many things to
think about. One of the conspicuous
traits of this officer is that he has time
for everything. Not long ago one of
The canal officials sought out the
colonel and represented to him that
he work on q certain building which
Vas under construction in the Canal
Zone, and which was to have been
on September Is, was pro-
seeding so slowly that the work would
not be done before the end of
he year. Get into my carriage" the
colonel said to bis caller: "we'll drive
'ver to the building and see about it."
at the building, the foreman
vas summoned. This house." said
he colonel in his usual quiet manner,
is to be ready on September 18TH"
the foreman called high
'eaven to witness how impossible it
roe a. k>~o H. ,-~.l H. lxlx'