Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-01-16
BOARD APPOINTED TO PASS ON
BUILDING OF DEFENsEs OF
THE PANAMA CANAL.
NO FAULTS ARE INTIMATED
Work Of Great Magnitude and Impor-
tance, However, Has Been In the
Hands Of Two Young Engineer
Corps Lleutenants.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Panama canal both at the Atlantic and
the Pacific ends of the waterway, are
among the greatest, II they are not
the greatest in the world. While 1t
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, II 1t shall
come, will be one of deadly import
to the people of the United States.
A seemingly unimportant 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 1t has been strengthened and its
personnel 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
the engineer corps, George r. Goe-
thals and Albert II. Acher. Army men
say that it is probably the first time
III lNe hl5lOfy VI tHc III
Notifications of such commanding i'm
portance that officers of such tender
yeass have been given sole charge of
the 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
defanses upon which SO much depends
were committed wisely to the super
vision of youth, or that 1t 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-
igrated by the secretary of war to
look after the defenses and to see that
things are well done consists of these
officers: Major Gen. Leonard Wood.
Major Gen. William W. Wotherspoon.
Brig. Gen. Erasmus NJ. Weaver. Brig.
Gen. William Crozier, Col. George1W.
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.
1t 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
TO Cnntholc
Acher to a work of such Importance
as that of constructing the sea and
land defenses of the canal. II the
forts on land aud 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 1t was determined, or perhaps
even before the day of determination.
that the Panama canal was to be for
titled board of general officers was
appointed to select sites for fortifica-
tions. The board did its work and
then Major E. E. Winslow of the en-
gineer corps. one of the acknowledged
fortification experts of the service.
was intrusted with the work of design
ing the great defenses.
Youths Superseded Winslow.
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" well 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 he left for home, and
leaving was followed by the announce
ment that First Lieut.. George II. Goe-
thals, son of Col. George w. Goethals.
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
postofiices 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
year rental for each car of this kind.