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President Roosevelt asks Secretary of the Navy Long to report on the status of naval officers at sea and the complaints of insufficient numbers of active army and navy officers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-01-09
Joel A. Hayes writes to Theodore Roosevelt about development projects along the waterfront in Oakland, California. Hayes is concerned that Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson, is allowing the railroads to modify the harbor line by constructing a sea wall and drudging the bay, which would permanently alter the waterfront.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-26
Secretary of War Taft requests Commissioner Shonts forward the following dispatch from President Roosevelt to Chief Engineer John F. Stevens. After serious review, Taft asks Shonts whether to accept a bid for the construction of the Panama Canal under the present contract or to reject all bids entirely. Taft cites that the two most desirable bids, McArthur Syndicate then William J. Oliver and Anson M. Bangs fit all the requirements with exception to “the least expense of the Government.” Taft informs Shonts of the resignation of Stevens, Chief Engineer of the project, and solicits to have him replaced with Major George W. Goethals. In the meantime, Taft requests that the Commission reject the two bids aforementioned. In a typed postscript, Taft informs Stevens that Goethals will replace him as Chief Engineer and Chairman of the Commission. Roosevelt expects him to use every attempt to assists Goethals with “as little friction and as little loss of efficiency” as possible.
After serious review, Secretary of War Taft asks Chairman Shonts whether to accept a bid for the construction of the Panama Canal under the present contract or to reject all bids entirely. Taft cites that the two most desirable bids, McArthur Syndicate then William J. Oliver and Anson M. Bangs, fit all the requirements with exception to “the least expense of the Government” due to the bidders’ desire to split profits with investors. Taft informs Shonts of the resignation of John F. Stevens, chief engineer of the project, and solicits to have him replaced with Major George W. Goethals, who agrees with Taft and Stevens that a new contract must be drafted. In the meantime, Taft requests that the Commission reject the two bids aforementioned.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-23
The creation of Garrison Reservoir will likely impact Verendrye National Monument but Director Drury does not want to make any commitments until the authenticity of the area can be reviewed. At a minimum, objections will likely need to be made to the Corps of Engineers to show that the National Park Service is “reasonable in its policies and attitude.” A statement should be made to the Corps of Engineers regarding the potential impact on the monument, but without mentioning Verendrye’s questionable authenticity.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
1945-12-28
President Roosevelt has learned that the Army Corps of Engineers has been compiling a report on the waterways project from St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico. He instructs Secretary of War Wright that no such report should be made public before it is submitted to the Waterways Commission and receives Roosevelt’s authorization.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-28
President Roosevelt directs Secretary of War Taft to have the Army Corps of Engineers submit all stipulations and specifications related to the approval of dams to Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-15
President Roosevelt notifies Attorney General Bonaparte that he has sent Secretary of War William H. Taft a memorandum requesting that the Army Corps of Engineers submit plans for dams to develop water power to Bonaparte. Roosevelt asks that Bonaparte consult with G. W. Woodruff, who is currently detailed with the Department of the Interior, on the plans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-15
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he believes that Colonel T. W. Symons’s conduct is not sufficient to convince Roosevelt to appoint him head of the Engineer Corps. While Roosevelt disapproved of Symons’s buying a piece of property in Coos Bay while he was a government engineer in that district, that alone would not disqualify him. It has now come to light, however, that while he was a government engineer in a district including Seattle, he accepted employment as a consulting engineer or a company wishing to build a canal competing with the one the government was building at the same time. These together show a lack of propriety on Symons’s part, and Roosevelt is not willing to make him head of the Corps. Roosevelt asks Taft to investigate whether Colonel James M. Marshall has ever acted in a similar way.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-09
President Roosevelt notifies Secretary of War Taft that there are currently many bills granting rights to develop water-power on government-held waterways, but that these do not mention compensation to the government for these water-rights as they should. Until he has more complete information about the effects of developing water power, Roosevelt says he will veto any bills to that do not make this provision. He directs Taft to instruct the Army Corps of Engineers to prepare a report on a number of questions regarding the construction of dams and water-power, which will then be given to the Inland Waterways Commission.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-16
President Roosevelt thinks that T. W. Symons would be a good replacement for retiring Chief of Engineers Alexander Mackenzie.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-09
President Roosevelt directs Secretary of War Taft to form a board to investigate the hydraulics of the Mare Island Straits and approaches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-28
President Roosevelt directs Secretary of the Navy Metcalf to form a board with the purpose of investigating the question of the hydraulics of the Mare Island Straits and approaches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-28
President Roosevelt tells Senator Elkins he believes the construction of the Panama Canal should be overseen by “the biggest man we can get.” Roosevelt is satisfied that until the construction of the Gutan Dam, John F. Stevens can continue in his role as chief engineer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-02
President Roosevelt invites Colonel Marshall to become a member of the newly-formed Advisory Board on Fuels and Structural Materials. The Board will investigate the properties and best methods of using the United States’s fuels and building materials.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-12
President Roosevelt asks Secretary of War Root to look over the enclosed report by the Army engineers against extending the pier line of New York City.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-17
President Roosevelt requests Secretary Moody’s advice on the “case of young Bartlett.” Roosevelt believes it is important to note that Bartlett is an engineer.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-06-30
President Roosevelt would like the request of the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce regarding the engineer department of the army at Pittsburgh to be honored.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-05-29
William B. Ladue explains to Maggie M. Summers that her husband Elisha B. Summers was justifiably removed from his position and that he is on a list of former employees who can be rehired with the Army Corps of Engineers if a suitable position arises.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-13
C. J. Blanchard responds to Theodore Roosevelt’s previous inquiry regarding E. B. Summers, a Junior Engineer recently dismissed from the Engineering Department of the Army. He provides a detailed account of Summers’s quality of work, character, and recent assignment. Should Roosevelt wish to take any action on Summers’s behalf, he should correspond with General W.H. Bixby, though Blanchard request that he not be quoted, as his intel comes from Bixby’s division.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-05-26