Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-15
To INSPECT FORTS
50AR0 APPOINTED TO PASS ON
BUILDING OF OEFENsEs OF
THE PANAMA CANAL.
No FAULTS ARE ,INTlMATED
Work of Great Magnitude and impor-
lance However. Has Been in the
Hands Of Two Young Engineer
Corps Lieutenants.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

W dSlID2GCH. l liz iCl tIlLcttO4S
which guard the approaches to the
Panama canal both at the Atlantic and
the Pacific ends Of the waterway, are
among the greatest, if they are not
he greatest in the world While it
is perfectly true that they may never
be called into action for the defense
Of the canal. they are considered by
military and naval authorities as be-
ing absolutely necessary as means Of
preparation for day which, if it shall
come, will be one of deadly import
TO the people of the United States.
! seemingly unim portant order Of
the secretary of war is the cause Of
present great interest in army circles.
Mr.. Garrison has designated a board
Of ranking officers of the United States
army to report on the defenses of the
Panama canal. A board Of this kind
has been in existence for some time,
but it has been strengthened and its
recent official action.
The construction Of the sea and
land defenSes of the Panama canal is
in charge of two young lieutenants of
the engineer corps, George r. Goe-
thals and Albert H. Aeher. Army men
say that it is probably the first time
in the history of the construction OF
Notifications of such commanding i'm
portance that officers of such tender
years have been given sole charge Of
che work
When the board which Secretary
Garrison has designated makes its
final inspection and report it viii be
called upon to say either that the great
defenses upon which so much depends
were committed wisely to the super
vision of youth, or that it had been
better if the original plan of putting
a senior officer in charge had been
carried out
Personnel. of the Board.
The members of the board just des-
ignated by the secretary of war to
look after the defenSes and to see that
things are well done consists of these
officers: Major Cen. Leonard Wood,
Major Gen. William w. WotherspOon,
Brig. Gen. Erasmus NJ Weaver, Brig
Gen. William CroZier. Col. George w
Goethals, Col. Edward Burr Lieut.. Col
William w. Ham, Major William
Chamberlain of the army, and Capt
Harry S. Knapp of the United States
navy. These officers represent, from
the war departments view, the best
thought of the different branches of
fho no NH 81
come under the consideration of the
members
It is useless to make an attempt to
disguise the fact that service men
even before the day of determination,
have been somewhat critical of the
appointment of two such young Off.
GERS as Lieutenants Goethals and
Acher to a work of such importance
as that of constructing the sea and
land defenses of the canal. If the
forts on land and sea meet with the
approval of the officers who have been
appointed to pass Judgment on them
the records of two youngsters of the
service are made.
When it was determined, or perhaps
CfCii DCIOI Z tue idy VI ueLSl Illtt!d LItil,
that the Panama canal was to be for
titled a board of general officers was
appointed to select sites for fOrtifica-
tons. The board did it's work and
then Major Z. E. Winslow of the en-
gineer corps, one of the acknowledged
was intrusted with the work of design
ing the great defenses.
Youths Superseded WnsEow.
1t was expected, so it is said by the
army, that Major Winslow, having
made the plans and having the CON
ception of their evolution" we'll in
mind, would be assigned to the task
Of construction. The major did go to
the isthmus, probably with the under
standing that he was to take up the
fort building work on the islands and
the peninsulas which command the
approaches to the two ends of the ca
nal. The major, however, did not stay
ON the isthmus. but came back to work
in the states and is now at Norfolk.
Va.
Just what occurred in the Zone
while Major Winslow was there does
not appear, but ne left for home. and
leaving was followed by the announce
ment that First Lieut.. George H. Goe-
thals, son of Col. George W. Cocktails,
chief engineer of canal construction,
and Albert H Acher, son-in-law of
Col H n. Hodges, assistant chief en-
gineer of canal construction. would
be put in charge of the building of
the great defenses upon the upstand-
ing of which may depend the safety Of
the biggest engineering job the world
has known.
Uncle Sam May Buy Mail Cars.
Members Of the house committee on
pCstoffices and post roads have voted
an amendment into the postoffice ap-
preparation bill authorizing the pur-
chase of several steel railway mail
cars as an experiment in Uncle Sam
ownership" Heretofore the govern
ment has been paying about $4,000 q
year rental for each car of this kind
1t is understood the members of the
committee think that by eventually
owning all the railway mail cars the
government eau save a lot Of money
While this does not seem to be a
-r~~---0~~O--~-~-o~o-~-~~
Wit Saved the Situation.