Evening star., 1935-10-16
GEN. v. |. S|BERT
DIES IN KENTUCKY
Famed for Work on Panama
CanaI-Body to Be
Buried Here.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
BOWLING GREEN, KY, October
16.-Maj. Gen. William L. Sibert, rs.
soldier and engineer famed for his
services in the construction Of the
Panama Canal, died at his country
home 4 miles from here today after
long illness.
Funeral services will be held at
ChriSt's Episcopal Church here at /
pm. tomorrow, after which the body
will be taken to Washington, D. c., for
burial in Arlington National Gene
terry Friday.
Gen. Sibert had been in a critical
condition for some time from compli-
cations incident to his age. Born Oc-
tober IL. 1860, in Etowah County, Ala,
he observed his 18th birthday ami
versary last Saturday.
Honored BY Congress.
Gen. Silbert had a notable career
extending over period of 40 years.
The Government recognized his serv-
ices in connection with the conStruc-
ton of the Panama Canal when in
1915 by special act of Congress he
was made a brigadier general and at
the same time received the thanks of
Congress.
Gen. Sibert was the last surviving
member OF the Panama Canal Com
mission.
In the Canal Zone, where he served
seven years, he built Gatun Locks and
Dam. West Breakwater in Colon Har-
Dor and supervised the excavation Of
the canal from Gatun to the Atlantic
Ocean.
Headed First Division.
When the United States entered the
World War, Gen. Sibert was selected
for overseas duty ana placed in COM
mand Of the 1St Division of the Ameri-
can Expeditionary Forces. Here again
his services merited recognition by his
Government, which conferred upon
him the Distinguished Service Cross.
That assignment carried with it par
ticular satisfaction for the general be-
cause it enabled him to continue un-
broken the war record Of his forebears,
| that Of having fought in every war in
which the United States had particle
pated from the early Indian battles.
After spending two years at the Uni
versity of Alabama as an engineering
! student, Gen. Sibert was appointed a
cadet at the United States Military
/ Academy at West Point With his
| graduation in 1884 he was assigned to
/ the Engineer Corps as a second lieu
J tenant and was promoted through the
various grades Of commissioned off,
GERS until 1917, when he was raised to
the rank of major general for his as
! signment as divisional commander
in France. He was retired in 1920.
Aided Port # Mobile.
Alabama took advantage Of Gen.
Sibert'S engineering skill and expert
ence after his retirement from Gov
ernment service calling upon him in
1924 to take charge Of its scheme for
the development Of the port Of Mobile.
The work involved ar investment of
Sl0000,000 and was completed with
the energy and dispatch which had
marked all Of the generals engineer
ing jobs.
From 1928 to 1882 he was chairman
of the Boulder Dam Commission. and
from 1s29-30 was president Of the
American Association Of Port Au-
| thorities.
In addition to the honors betowed
upon him by his own Government,
| Gen. Sibert was made commander
of the Legion of Honor of France and
received the degrees of doctor of engi-
neering from the University Of Ne
braska and honorary doctor of laws
from the University of Alabama He
was member Of the American Society
Of Civil Engineers.