Noble, Alfred, 1844-1914

President Roosevelt tells Cassius E. Gillette that it was best to accept Alfred Noble’s suggestions about the six names. Roosevelt believes that Charles Whiting Baker is “a perfect Trump,” and says that if he wants to go down to Panama, Roosevelt will aid him in every way he can. Roosevelt suggests that Gillette write to President-Elect William H. Taft enclosing this letter, and that Taft would happily include Baker if there is still room.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt sends President-elect Taft a number of letters, including one from Edwin C. Burleigh, the former governor of Maine, on behalf of William Wingate Sewall. Roosevelt reminds Taft that Burleigh is a strong friend in Maine, and has informed him that Taft already said that he was going to reappoint Sewall. Another of the letters which Roosevelt has forwarded deals with Taft’s upcoming trip to Panama, and he says that unless Taft objects, he will contact the named engineers to accompany Taft on his trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt thinks that some of the best engineers in the country should accompany President-elect Taft when he goes down to visit the Panama Canal, and makes several suggestions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Alfred Noble was unable to accept the appointment to the Isthmian Canal Commission and President Roosevelt is pleased that the position can now be offered to William H. Burr.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Alfred Noble cannot be on the Isthmian Canal Commission if he will be unable to visit Panama. President Roosevelt hopes that Noble can assist the commission in an advisory capacity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt is reluctant to consider locality when appointing members of the Isthmian Canal Commission. For engineers, Roosevelt favors William Barclay Parsons and Alfred Noble. He is always open to political recommendations but must consider “the way the work will be done.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt believes that William Barclay Parsons and Alfred Noble are the best engineers for the Isthmian Canal Commission. If either does not accept, Mr. Burr will be offered a position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President-Elect Taft telegraphs William Loeb that the engineers President Roosevelt mentioned in a previous letter are entirely satisfactory. Taft hopes Roosevelt will make the announcement from Washington along with the statement that Alfred Noble was both invited and consulted for recommendations for the engineers to be invited.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-28

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

President-Elect Taft assures President Roosevelt that he understood the matter relating to William Wingate Sewall long ago. Taft is satisfied with the names of the engineers who are to accompany him on his visit to the Panama Canal zone. He hopes that Roosevelt will announce the engineers from Washington and issue a statement that Alfred Nobel was invited but was unable to accompany Taft, and that the selected engineers were recommended by Nobel.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-28

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

President-elect Taft has communicated with Secretary of the Navy Truman Handy Newberry, who has offered him two cruisers to travel with. Paul Charlton has suggested that Taft bring Charles Sooysmith with him on his trip to inspect the Panama Canal, but Taft thinks it would be wise to consult with Alfred Nobel before making any decisions on this issue. Taft forwards President Roosevelt a letter from George W. Davis, who has also made suggestions of engineers who should accompany Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-22

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Representative Olcott asks President-Elect Taft to consider bringing George B. Francis along with him on his trip to Panama to survey the canal. Francis is a civil engineer who Olcott says possesses great professional ability, and would do the work admirably.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-22

Creator(s)

Olcott, Jacob Van Vechten, 1856-1940

Cassius E. Gillette believes that the construction of the Gatun dam is the appropriate way of proceeding with the construction of the Panama canal, and comments on the construction of the canal in general. Gillette suggests the names of several engineers to President Roosevelt as candidates to accompany President-Elect William H. Taft to visit the canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-17

Creator(s)

Gillette, Cassius E. (Cassius Erie), 1859-1917

George W. Davis offers President-elect Taft his opinion regarding several engineers who are candidates to accompany Taft on a trip to inspect the Panama Canal. If a change to the canal plans is required, as Davis suspects it may be, it should be done early enough before public opinion begins to be swayed against the canal by a lack of confidence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-15

Creator(s)

Davis, George W. (George Whitefield), 1839-1918

Recipient

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Secretary of War Taft corrects an omission in his previous letter to President Roosevelt regarding the composition of the Isthmian Canal Commission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-01

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Secretary of War Taft sends Isthmian Canal Commission Chairman Shonts his recommendations for Shonts’s board resulting from a conversation between him, Elihu Root, and President Roosevelt. Taft does not think Jackson Smith should be included since he is not an engineer and the board has to include an Army and a Navy engineer. John Ripley Freeman is a good choice since he works well with John F. Stevens. Taft ends his letter by listing potential names for the board.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-31

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

President-Elect Taft forwards a letter from John Ripley Freeman to President Roosevelt concerning the recent trip to examine the Panama Canal. Taft is sure that reports that Alfred Noble has expressed doubts about the dam are unfounded. Joseph Pulitzer is planning to visit the Isthmus with some engineers, “for the purpose of stirring up as much mud as he can.” Taft welcomes this, as he believes that “liars will be at a disadvantage in the end.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-24

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Nicholas Murray Butler congratulates President Roosevelt on the Senate’s vote supporting the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Panama Canal treaty). He hopes that civil engineer William Barclay Parsons is appointed to the Panama Canal Commission instead of William H. Burr. He also comments on the passage of the Education Bill in New York and relays a discussion he had with journalist Walter Wellman about the Republican platform for the National Convention. Butler recommends Hugh Henry Hanna as vice president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-24

Creator(s)

Butler, Nicholas Murray, 1862-1947