Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-12

Brig. Gen. William T. Rossell this morn
ing relieved Brig. Gen. William H. Bixby
at the War Department Of the duties OF
chief of engineers of the army. There
We're no special ceremonies connected
with the transfer Of the Office. Gen.
Rossell subscribed to the regulation oath
of Office and received the officials of the
bureau. including all the engineer OFF,
GERS on duty there These officers at the
same time took official leave of Gen.
Bixby. who made the introductions to the
new chief. No other changes are expect
ed to follow the induction Of Gen. Ros-
sell for the reason that his incumbency
will continue only until October II next,
when he will be transferred to the retired
list on account of age.
No one yet has, been sslected IS perma-
nent chief. OF engineers from that date:
Col. Dan C. Kingman is next in line of
promotion with Col. William NJ. Black. for
merly Engineer Commissioner of the Dis
trict second in line Lieut.. Col. William
l.. Sibert. one of Col. G0ethals' chief as
sistants on the Panama canal, who stands
number eighteen in the corps, has strong
backing for the prospective vacancy.
Col. Goethals is eliminated from the
of the general belief that his great work
on the Panama canal is to be recognized
in some other way, possibly by appoint
ment as major general of the line.
Gen. Rossell's Record.
Gen. Rossell is quite well known to the
citizens of the District through his former
service with the District government.
He is from Alabama. and was graduated
number two in the class Of 1873. in which
Gen. Bixby was the star member. The
new chief Of engineers reached the grade
OF colonel Of enginet rs in February. 1908,
and was the senior officer of that grade
when promoted to his present office. He
served five years with troops. part of the
time In the capacity of captain of :.
company and instructor, and for a while
as commanding officer of the Engineer
School of Application in its formative
stage. He also served four years QS16-
oO) as instructor and assistant professor
of civil and military engineering at the
West Point Military Academy. He was
member of the lighthouse board when
principal lighthouse district and the
lighthouse general depot, Staten Island,
for five years, from 1901 to 1906.
He served as assistant to the Engineer
Commissioner of the District of Colum-
bia for one year and as Engineer Com
missioner for two years uS90-1S93.) He
was the senior member of the engineer
department fertilization board, and Of the
New York harbor line board for the past
four years; a division engineer in the
supervision of river and harbor districts
for six years, and an active member OF
the Mississippi river commission for six
years Q9Otcl912), part of the time Its
acting president Most of his other serv.
ice was devoted to important river and
harbOr work in various parts Of the coun-
try.
Commended by Gen. Bixby.
In retiring voluntarily four months
ahead of his allotted time, Gen. Bixby
made strong and successful plea for
the promotion of Col. Rossell to the
vacancy. If careful attention to duty,
said Gen. BiXby. "and valuable services
under all assignments of past duty are to
be considered as meriting retirement as =
brigadier general. consider Col. Kossei
especially entitled to such reward.
Repeatedly and almost constantly, ever
since his gradua ton. he has been called
upon to take charge of work requiring
qualifications more than ordinary. and
in all cases the response has been prompt
and full. even when already burdened
with more than one mans proper allow
ance OF work.
Considering the duties which have
| fallen to him. the thoroughness with
which they have been performed and the
less than average recompense which he
has so far received from the govern
| ment for the same. his promotion tC
brigadier general at the present time
would not be more reward than the pro-
| motion Of officers In the regular service
at the present time to the grade OF lieu
tenant colonel or colonel.
/ His ability. efficiency and faithfulness
to duty have always been such that
| had he been originally assigned to tn.
infantry or cavalry service. l feel sure
that he would have been promoted sew
eral years ago to q brigadier general
ship. with good chances OF being consid-
cred now for a major .generaiship''