The Washington times., 1917-01-05
Former Engineer Commissioner
on Trip Here From Pana-
ma Canal Zone.
WILL EXPLAIN ESTIMATES
Successor to Colonel Goethals
lnherits Difficult. Task in
Assuming His Duties.

Bronzed by his stay in the Canal
Zone, erect and military in bearing,
slightly slim, but not bit older look
ing than when he was Engineer Com
missioner of the District, Col. Chester
A Harding, just named by the Presi-
dent governor of the Panama canal,
is in Washington.
II there are two places Colonel
Harding looks upon as home they are
Washington, d. c., and the Canal
Zone. In these two places he has
spent much of his working life.
The slides? Yes, that is the proper
leading question for an interview"
he laughed today. as he squirmed
about in his chair at the office OF the
Panama Canal Commission. A swivel
chair most distinctively does not fit
his wiry frame and active body.
well, the slides are still with US,
but they are causing us no trouble
now" he went on. "You see we had
them well under control before the
rainy season was over. That is the
time when they are most bothersome.
Now that the dry season has set. in
AhCIG 10 lllllc lEOuDlC Win lACAu.
Explain Canal Estimates.
Colonel Harding came to Washing
ton to explain to Congressional COM
mittees the estimates for the canal
There is no particular portion of them
over which any struggle is antici-
pated. They simply provide for the
continuance Of some construction
work, principally dredging, for main
tenance and for Notifications. They
are little more than the amount ap-
propriated for this year. For the
coming year, $25,145, 562.35 is asked,
as compared with $21, ST., 200, last
year.
There are still about $4,000 en-
,ployes in the zone," Colonel Harding
said. at is q little hard to separate
these into the number doing construc-
ton work and those needed for oper-
alton. But do not see how the num-
Der can be reduced greatly for the
next few years"
The commissary department Is to be
continued In the zone; and the n.y.
gienic conditions remain excellent
HIS JOb IL Hard.
IL IuO 4OILuOI 1lBlTICI
sioner VIII fall one Of the hardest Jobs
in the United States. Preceding him
was Colonel Goethals, now a national
hero, and the work OF plotting the
canal through its development period,
commercially, IL considered little less
important, II not 20 spectacular. as
its construction.
It has fallen upon Colonel Harding
to step In and carry out the work
conceived by other men on several
occasions. He followed Col. William
Y. Judson (then Major Judson), as
engineer commissioner and carried on
many Of the big engineering projects
launched by Major Judson.
Monument to Colonel Harding,
The District has one monument Pc
culiarly Colonel Harding's own That
is its municipal building. Back in 1881
he was assigned. to Washington as as
sistant to the Engineer Commissioner
and was put in charge Of the construc-
ton Of the District building. He was sent
10 the Panama canal for the first time
in 1907 and remained there until 1913.
IN March Of that year Colonel Hard
into the Municipal building. and occupy
the big Office on the southeast corner
assigned to the Engineer Commission
er, in the building which Captain Hard
ing had constructed.
Began Utilities Work.
Not so tangible. but farther reaching,
was his work as Commissioner in
launching the work Of the utilities
commission The law creating such a
body here had Just been passed, and
fell to Colonel Harding. as an early
chairman Of the board, to interpret the
meaning Of the rather complicated law
creating the commission
Colonel Harding's particular work in
connection with the canal during its
construction was the building Of the
Gatun locks, the Point Toro break
water, and preparation Of the termi-
mails.
"Of course am still interested in
Washington" he said, but when 1t
comes to what you have been doing
here, well, have been pretty busy.
want to find out for myself what has
been accomplished. 1 hear rapid strides
have been made toward a more beau
tiful Washington"