New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-02
STUDYING RECLAMATION
Army Engineer Board to Report
to President.
GREAT PROJECTS I'M WEST
Long Experience of Men on
Whose Verdict Expenditure of
S20,000,000 Depends.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington. Aug before Congress
meets in December President Taft will have
in his possession a comprehensive report on
the reclamation projects owned by the gov
eminent. Five army engineers are now in
the West to examine the thirty-two govern
ment projects. and On their report 70 he
President will depend in what manner the
proceeds of the $4,000. 900 bonds authorized
BY Congress sEall be expended.
The law provides that no part Of ths
$50 0GN, 900 snail be expended on any rev
project. nor Is my portion Of IL 70 be ex-
pended on any existing project until the
engineer officers of the army make re-
port and the President approves the project
as feasible and practicable Mr. Taft is
anxious that work on the feasible To-
clamation projects shall go forward with all
possible speed, and accordingly the army
engineers have been directed ~ lose = -
time in making their Investigations They
will spend the entire summer and fall II
the field
In the debate N the bond issue bill SEM
tor Carter. chairman OF the Committee ~
Irrigation. expressed DOUBT as to tho pTac-
( ticabiIity Of four -eclamatio projects. l.
Garter said he had examined all the prof
ectS and had reached the conclusion that
il would be inadvisable to sxpend any NOR
money on the -wo IN North Dakota and one
. in Kansas. fourth project. In New Mex
90. he rega rded as precarious- The army
engineers will study these projects win
special care. On part of their inspection
tour they will be accompanied by Frederick
II Newell. director and Arthur ?. Davis.
chief engineer of the Reclamation Service
The Army Engineer Board.
In selecting army engineers for this i'm
portsut work the President designated
men who have had experience in engineer
ing problems In the West The president
of the board Lieutenant Colonel John
BiddIe was engaged in surveys in Dakota
and Montana from 1884 to 1881 For
seven years he was in charge Of lock and
dam construction on the Tennessee and
Cumberland rivers Later he had charge
Of road construction and harbor develop
nent at Manila He directed the building
or some of the most important bridges in
the District Of Columbia including the
Connecticut avenue and Anacost1a bridges
Since 1907 Colonel BiddIe has been in
charge of all river and harbor work on
the Pacific Coast and the Hawaiian Isl
ands. including the food control of the
Sacramento. San Joaquin and other rivers.
Another member of the board is Lieuten-
ant Colonel C W. Langftt. who from 1885
10 1888 was engaged in river and harbor
work in the Galveston district and from
1893 TO 1895 I'm the Cincinnati district, the
latter including work on the movable
dams in the Ohio River. He was chief
engineer with the army Of pacifcation in
Cuba served on the board Of engineers
for rivers and harbors, was comnanddnt
Of the engineer school at the Washington
Barracks. and at the time of his appoint
n7ent to serve with the reclamation board
was in charge of the water supply OF
Washington
After his graduation from West Point
Major William Wright Harris took a post
graduate course III civil and military en-
cheering. including hydraulics, waterworks
and sewerage. After service at Newport
r. /, and Cincinnati he was assigned 10
duty in Cuba at the outbreak Of the war
with Spain Later he was detached and
sent 10 St Augustine for duty in placing
submarine mines At Portland, Ore, he
completed the north jetty at Coos Bay and
portions of the Cascade locks in the Co
Iurnbia River. In 1901 he served in the
Philippines in charge OF road and bridge
laid out Fort William Mckinley near
Manila. Major Harris was the executive
dtsbursing officer Of the California Debris
Commission in 1903, and in 1901 was placed
in charge OF improvements on the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers.
Major C. W. Kutz is now in charge OF the
Seattle engineering district He is a post
graduate Of the engineer school. and from
1903 to 1906 was assistant 70 the chief OF en-
gineers He served as a member OF the
board OF engineers for rivers and harbors-
and in 1896 investigated power development
and water diversion at Niagara Falls From
1905 TO 1898 he was an instructor in practical
military engineering at West Point
The Youngest member OF the board, Major
Harry Burgess, was graduated from West
Point in 1895 In the Spanish war he vas
on submarine mine duty. and after the war
was an instructor in engineering at West
Point. He served in the Philippines fer a
YEAR, being assigned 70 the work OF con-
strrcting military roads and bridges