Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-01-16
6 INSPECT FORTS
kppolNTED TO PASS ON
S0N ,,, DING OF DEFENSEs OF
the PANAMA CANAL
W FAULTS ARE INTIMATED
D # Great Magnitude and lmpor-
~" .,ooe, However, Has Been in the
y.,ds Of Two Young Engineer
Corps ueutenants.
Nv GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
-r.,binoton. - The Notifications
W. euard the approaches to the
WIZ r,a canal both at the Atlantic and
F'DT paoifc ends of the waterway, are
~ .ng the greatest, if they are not
''.'1 nToatest in the world. While it
~ .rfoctlv true that they may never
oiled into action for the defense
thn canal. they are considered by
aitorv and naval authorities as be-
absolutely necessary as means of
~. .ororation for day which, if it shall
r ,o will be one of deadly import
:, tbe people Of the United States.
seemingly unimportant order of
,o secretary Of war is the cause of
,,psent great interest in army circles.
L, Garrison has designated board
a,,anking officers of the United States
s-nv 10 report on the defenses Of the
panama canal. A board OF this kind
~, been in existence for some time,
n,t II has been strengthened and its
oorsonnel somewhat changed by the
recent official action.
The construction Of the sea and
land defenses of the Panama canal is
IN charge Of two young lieutenants of
Ap engineer corps, George r. Goe-
-bss and Albert H. Acher. Army men
say that 1t is probably the first time
N the history of the construction of
notifications Of such commanding i'm
,Ortance that officers of such tender
Years have been given sole charge Of
he work.
When the board which Secretary
Garrison has designated makes its
final inspection and report it will be
called upon to say either that the great
defenses upon which so much depends
we're committed wisely to the super
vision of youth, or that it had been
better if the original plan of putting
senior officer IN charge had been
carried out.
Personnel of the Board.
The members of the board just des-
ig1ated by the secretary of war to
look after the defenses and to see that
things are we'll done consists of these
officers: Major Gen. Leonard Wood,
Major Gen. William w. Wotherspoon,
Brig Gen. Erasmus M. 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
the service on the subjects which will
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,
nave been somewhat critical OF the
appointment Of two such young OFF,
GERS as Lieutenants Goethals and
AcheF to a work of such Importance
q mat OF constructing the sea and
ana defenses OF the canal. If the
0fls on land and sea meet with the
approval Of the officers who have been
'VpOlhted to pass Judgment on them
ue records OF two youngsters of the
service are made
"Aen 1t was determined, or perhaps
'ep before the day of determination,
aa' lne Panama canal was to be for
1ueu a board of general officers was
agVOlnted to select sites for fortifica-
,V@ The board did it's work and
Ien Major E. E. Winslow OF the en-
sutef corps, one of the acknowledged
",uacatiOn experts of the service,
"a, ,aS la'rusted with the work of design
~s The great defenses.
''uths Superseded Winslow.
Il was expected, SO It is said by the
MY my mat Major Winslow, having
nov. a'ue ne plans and having "the con-
,'FlOn Of their evolution" well in
= ~ would be assigned to the task
j. obstruction. The major did go to
g', SOnmus, probably with the under
NJ ing that he was to take up the
4. uuliolng work ON the islands and
,,. Pelihsulas which command the
=, sY'UScAes to the two ends OF the ca
mh me major, however, did not stay
n s ~ 'Sthmus, but came back to work
u 4' states and is now at Norfolk,
,s s1N What occurred in the Zone
M 'S major Winslow was there does
s,vi Sppear' but he left for home, and
nsrt !, was followed by the announce
hal . mat First Lieut.. George H. Goe-
6,s, son Of Col. George w. Goethals,
ma Engineer I. of canal construction,
O. y HOeFt H. Acher, son-in-law of
gs,ss N, hodges, assistant chief en-
h m, VI canal construction, would
Ia ~ aS IN charge of the building of
be 81 ss 81. aefenses upon the upstand-
o. hin ""ieh may depend the safety of
US Known. ''Hs JOY the WORM
Newhse Gam May Buy Mail Cars.
Aso@Ss OF the house committee on
Il ANS ms and post roads have voted
p'opriSaument into the postofice ap-
ssss % y. Dill authorizing the pur-
ss :. !" several steel railway mail
eseeTs,a'A experiment in Uncle Sam
Aept sAip' Heretofore the govern