Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-16
GEN. KNIGHT TAKES
OATH OF OFFICE
Sworn In as Engineer Com
missioner of District to
Succeed Col. Kutz.
Mr.. BROWNLOW's TRIBUTE

With elaborate exercises, Gen. John G. .
D. Knight, U. s. A., retired, was today
sworn in as Engineer Commissioner of
the District Of Columbia and member
Of the public utilities commission, at the
District building.
The exercises, which were held at 10
by heads of departments and scores OF
clerks. who packed the room. Commits
sioner Louis Brownlow acted as chairman,
following which he was elected chairman
OF the public utilities commission, and
Commissioner Oliver P. Newman, now In
training at the officers reserve camp,
Fort Myer, was elected president of the
board of District Commissioners. He
was not in attendance at the exercises,
Brownlow.
Tribute to Col. Kutz.
In opening the exercises Mr.. Brownlow
paid tribute to Col. Charles w. Kutz, the
retiring Engineer Commissioner, and also
to Gen. knight. He said:
Gentlemen Of the District service, we
are here this morning to say goodbye to
the man who has served as one of the
Commissioners of the District Of Colum-
bia for nearly three years, whose term
OF office has been marked by many ad-
vances. by many good things and that has
been characterized, SO far as he Is con-
cerned. by building up among the en-
ployes OF the District of Columbia and
the citizens of the District of Columbia a
confidence in him as a man and an ap-
probation and admiration for his ability
as an engineer, with the result that when
he goes he goes with the good wishes Of
all Of US who serve the city and all of
those citizens whom we serve.
mo one possibly could regret his 1eav-
Ing more than !. came to this service
a little more than two years ago myself
equipped only with a lively interest in
municipal affairs and an honest determi-
nation to do my best in an administrative
capacity, but I was conscious Of a lack
of administrative experience, and I soon
found that when l had a knotty problem
to settle I sought the help of Col Kutz
and he would soon cut the knot and my
way would be cleared.
II have leaned upon him heavily
and now that he goes I have greater
confidence in my ability to do my work
because of association with him and
the great deal that have learned from
him. In his work as chairman of the
public utilities commission II and a
more arduous service than that was
not performed by any of his predeces-
sors-he has conducted the hearings SO
as to gain the admiration of technical
men who have come from all parts of
the country to participate in these
hearings before that commission.
A Lasting Monument.
II believe that his work in getting the
public utilities commission under wav
In the District of Columbia is a lasting
monument to his memory and a lasting
testimony to what he has done in the
service OF the District. He is going
because he is needed elsewhere He
Is going because the government now
at war, needs abroad the very best men
that 1t has, and when Col Kutz lands
IN France the army will be strength
ened. because then 1t will have the
service OF as good an engineer and as
upright man as there is in the En-
gineer Corps, which Is the cream of the
service of the United States ARMY and
not to be excelled by any army in the
world.
Il do not believe the citizens of the
District of Columbia realize how much
there is in the act of 1878
which detailed a member of the En-
gineer Corps permanently as a member
District Of Columbia. And in bidding
Col Kutz goodbye we have only the
consolation that under the operation
Of that wise law another nah is com
ng to US who is himself a product of
that splendid corps and who has proved
here In this country and in the Philip
pines-at home and abroad-hts great
capacity as an engineer and as an
officer. I am sure that
although we lose Col. Kutz we need
not fear that there will be any diminu-
lion in the good work of the Engineer
Department OF the District of Columbia
because we have Gen. knight"
Letter From Mr. Newman.
Following the address Commissioner
Brownlow read a letter from Commits
'ioner Newman. who expressed regret at
not being present. He bade godspeed to
Col Kutz and extended a welcome to
Gen. knight.
Col Kutz. who spoke next. said he was
Continued on Second PaIe.)