The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-03-05
HAS Seen NOTABLE SERVICE
in Twenty Eight Years He Has Served
the Nation in Many Fields and Won
High Praise for Work as Sanitation
Expert in Reconstruction of Havana.

The most recent formal order of the
war department. Of the United States
government announces the promotion
tie the rank of major of the cavalry of
Charles J. Symmonds of Kenosha.
Major Symmond's appointment has
been confirmed by the United States
senate and he was in Kenosha on Tues
day spending a few hours with his
relatives before leaving for Washing
ton to receive his first assignment I'M
der his new title. Major Symmonds is
a son of Captain Robert Symmonds Of
Ashland avenue and he has been con-
nected with the army for the past
twenty eight years. In this long
period of service he has seen nearly
every department. of army life.
Major Symmonds with his family is
row living at Laurel, Md, but in an
other month he will be regularly as
signed as major and Will return to
the routine work of the army. Dur
ing the twenty-eight years his service
has all been with the Seventh and
Twelfth cavalry and it is possible that
he will be in command Of one of the
battalions of these regiments. Major
Symmonds is now due for foreign
service as all of his work in the army
up to this time has been given either
in the United States or in Cuba.
Major Symmonds was one of the old
Kenosha school boys and at the com
pletiep Of his course at the HIGH school
in $50 he obtained ali appointment to
West Point from which school he was
graduated in 1890 with high honors.
He was at once commissioned a lieu
tenant and his first service was with
the seventh cavalry on the Texas bor-
err AT that time service on the Dor
der was exacting and there was lot
of work for the army to do. There
were Indian reservations to be pa
trolled and later when they were open
ed there was plenty of work for the
army to maintain peace in the new
territory. AS lieutenant, Mayor
Symmonds saw his full mead of service
on the border and at the forts located
In the western part of the country
Major Symmonds was not engaged in
the active movements of the war with
Spain but as lieutenant he was Sc.
lected by the heads of the army to 90
into Havana after the war with Spain
was over aud have charge Of the work.
OF reconstruction there. He found
Havana rocking with disease and YER
min and so thoroughly unsanitary in
all its arrangements as to make it un-
fit for dwelling place for civilized
people. He started to work on the big
problem Of making Havana clean
city During his work there he was
advanced to the rank of captain and
after year and half he returned to
the states with one of the most notable
records as an apostle of reconstruction
ever given to any army officer His
next notable service was at James
town where he was in charge of the
troops at the Jamestown exposition.
Later he went to Washington where he
was stationed for a short time in the
quartermaster generals department
For three years he served in quarters
at Jefferson barracks at ST. Louis and
recently he had been in command at
TT. Robinson in Nebraska.
Major Symmonds was not even win
ing to hazard guess on whore his
first assignment as major would be.
but like a real soldier he declared that
it did not make great deal Of diff.
ference to him. His work in Cuba has
put him in line especially as a SAM
tary expert and many of his friends in
Kenosha think it possible that he win
have part in the work of the army
in Panama during the coming wears.
With a service of twenty-eight years
Major Symmonds is nearing the time
when he will be entitled to retirement.
1t now seems certain that even with
the various fortunes Of the army of
icer and the many breaks in the line
for advancement that Major Symmonds
will reach the rank of colonel before
the thirty years which entitle him to
retirement have passed.
Major Symmonds has already an
nounced that when he retires he will
return to Kenosha to be permanent
resident at his native city.