New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-28
COCKTAILS DINNER GUEST
President Sends Letter Prais-
ing Him to Lehigh Club.

Colonel George ". Goethals. chief engi-
ncer Of the Panama Canal, was the guest
of honor at a dinner given by the Lehigh
University Club. OF New York. last night
IN the Hotel Astor.
Among the guests present were John A.
Bensel, State Engineer; James Gayley, Of
the United States steel Corporation; j. j..
Carty, chief engineer of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company; Mel
son P. Lewis, chief engineer of the New
York City Board Of Estimate; Professor
Frank p. McKibben, of Lehign Univer-
sity: DR.. Mansfield Merriman, formerly
of Lehigh University: Alfred Noble, con-
sulting engineer: William II. Hulick, pres
ident of Lafayette College Club, Of New
York: j. Waldo Smith, chief engineer OF
the New York Board of Water Supply;
| William r. Wilcox. chairman of the Pub
lie Service Commission. and President a.
lC. Humphreys, of Stevens Institute of
| Technology.
| A letter from President Taft was read
| by President Drinker of Lehigh in which
President Taft expressed regret at being
unable 10 attend the dinner. lie paid trib-
| ute 10 the work of Colonel Goethals, at
/ Panama, aud referred TO his recommen-
| dalton TO Congress that Colonel Goe-
( thals receive as "A reward for his services
/ the rank and pay OF a major general IN
the army" President Taft's letter was as
/ follows:
/ | thank YOU very much for your kind
! invitation 10 attend the dinner that your
! New York Lehgh Club is going 10 give
| Colonel Goethals on the eve OF his de-
| parture Tor Panama, on the 9th of this
: month, as a testimonial to his great WORK
| in the construction of the Panama Canal.
| | regret exceedingly that my engage
ments are such as TO make II Impossible
| for me 10 be in New York at that time.
! 1t is a source Of special pride TO me
| that | recommended 10 President Roose-
welt the appointment OF Colonel GOetthals
as chief engineer of the canal. 1t is diff
| fcult to overstatc the work OF OrganlZa-
| ton ard the obstacles which Colonel
l GoethalS has had 10 meet and has sue
cessfully overcome in the construction
OF the greatest engineering PROJECT OF
! five hundred years,
Before Colonel Gocthals went to tn,
! canal the authorities at Washington were
! in a constant state of excitement over
! the difficult problems which arose i'm the
! organization of the force and the carry
| ing on of the work With the advent on
the canal however, OF Colonel Goethals
and his fellow army engineers, the duties
! OF the officials responsible for the work
J in Washington have been light. There
| has been close co-ordmation' between
| all the machines and all the laborors fol-
/ nifty miles. from one ocean TO the other
| have recommended 10 Congress that
Colonel Goethals receive as a reward for
| his services the rank and pay of a major
| general in the army. The conditions are
[ so peculiar I'm Congress to-day with refer
epce TO the recommendations of the Exec
/ utive that We cannot expect this recon-
mendation TO be adopted into law al once.
! but | have no doubt that the force OF pub
| lie opinion among the American people
viii compel the next Congress to recog
nize the justice OF the suggestion and 10
! give 10 Colonel Goethals the rank he de-
serves.
| Please present TO Colonel GcAitals my
compliments and congratulations.