Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-26

. James M. Wood, superintendent OF
street cleaning. was removed from ONCE
by the Commissioners today.
j. w. Paxton, a civil engineer OF Nor
folk, Va, was appointed in his place.
and until Mr.. Paxton arrives. February
/, the street cleaning department will be
directed by Assistant SLpt. Robert f.
Doyle, who has been Mr.. Woods right
hand man for several years.
Mr.. Paxton, who will succeed Mr.. Wood.
is now an officer of the Southern States
Engineering and Equipment Company OF
Norfolk. He has the warm Endorsement
of several Washington engineers. He
has done some large engineering work.
recently. One Of his most recent achieve
ments is the constructing of three steel
bridges across Albemarle sound. the trio
costing $4,000. He has been engaged in
railroad engineering, and has also been
connected with the building OF large
gas plant in Norfolk. He is about forty
years OF age.
Removal Long Contemplated.
The order removing Mr. Wood, and
signed by the Commissioners. states that
the action is taken for the good of the
service" 1t takes effect Immediately. As
soon as it was out of the typewriter DR..
William Tindall. secretary to the board
of Commissioners. hastened with copies
for the street cleaning department.
Mr.. Wood was at lunch. Mr.. Doyle.
now acting superintendent in charge o.
street cleaning, was there and helped
Dr. Tindall look for the Keys to Mi.
Woods Office. Commissioner Johnston
had told the doctor to get the keys. Not
finding any. Dr. Tindall stayed to serve
the notice on Mr.. Wood when he came
back to sign a lot Of correspondence that
waited for him.
1t appears today that the idea of re-
moving Mr.. Wood is several weeks old.
but to Mr.. Wood II is almost an entire
surprise. The first intimation he. had of
the fact that he was slated for removal
was the announcement in The Star of
January "a after the Commissioners had
held their annual meeting and had trans
ferred the street cleaning department to
the engineer department.
Seeking Successor to Wood.
At that time Commissioner Judson had
been in communication with several civil
engineers trying to get one OF them to
take the place about to become vacant
without the knowledge of its incumbent
at that time.
Mr. Paxton, the Norfolk engineer. sig
nified willingness to take the place I'm
a telegram received at the District build
ing yesterday. MIR. Wood was given un-
til 10 IN. today to resign IL he wanted
to. He decided that he had nothing to
resign for and did not do so.
Bright and early this morning Charles
c. Lancaster called on the Commissioners
in protest against the threatened re-
moval'' of Mr.. Wood. He asked that at
he friy
He was told, practically. that protests
would be Of no avail.
No Specific Reasons Given.
No reasons for Mr.. Woods removal
could be obtained from the Commission
ers this morning. except the general .ea-
son in the order. 1t has been known.
however. that Commissioner Johnston has
been watching the street cleaning situa-
tion with q great deal of concern ever
since he came into office. and he has ex-
pressed his dissatisfaction with several
phases of the situation at various times
One of the most recent caues for cissatfs-
faction was the way In which the depart
ment struggled with the double layer or
snow in the recent pair OF bhzzards that
made the streets impossible until the fre
and water department had to he called to
the aid Of the street cleaning department
Over Six Years in Department.
James NJ. Woods ucceeded John T. Two
hey as superintendent of street cleaning
October 90, 1903. He had been connected
with the department four years.
At the time of his appointment Commits
s,oner West had fifty applications for the
lob before him. and although he had an
other appointment In mind. IL is under
stood that Mr.. Woods Endorsements were
40 strong that the Commissioners gave
him the place. Engineer Commissioner
Morrow did not vote on the proposition.
Mr. Wood is q resident Of the northeast
section of the city. and is prominent as a
member Of the Northeast Citizens Asso-
ciation and a delegate from that body To
The Federation of Citizens Associations.
TIE was born in Addison, N. Y. In 1860,
attended school at Big Rapids, Mich. Fol-
loving his graduation he engaged in
n.wsnaper work until 1884. when he en-
tered the War Department as q clerk.
He served there until 1891, when he re-
entered newspaper work as editor and
nublisher' of the Suburban Citizen until
i0O2. From 1902 until 1904 he WAS editor
of the East Washington Sun, q post
which he resigned to become an inspector
In the street cleaning department at
81 600 o year.
Trouble With Stidham.
Mr. Wood came near to severing his
connection with the District government