REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC 



ROADS. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Public Roads, 

 Washington, D. C, October 15, 1010. 

 . Sir : I liaAe the honor to submit herewith the Report of the Bureau 

 of Public Roads for the fiscal yaw ended June 30, 1919. 

 Respectfully, 



Tiios. II. MacDonald, 



Chief of Bureau. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



WAR ACTIVITIES. 



NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES IN MILITARY SERVICE. 



At the time the United States entered the war there were on the 

 rolls of the Bureau of Public Roads 189 men. Of this number, 79, 

 or 42 per cent, had entered the militaiy service when hostilities ceased 

 in Xovember. 



There was also one woman from the bureau who entered the naval 

 service as a landsman. 



Of the total number who entered the military service, Gl, or 32 per 

 cent, have returned to the bureau. There are 4 who gave their lives 

 for their country: 



Harris E. Petree, who was a clerk in the bureau, went into the 

 aircraft service as a private, was promoted to first lieutenant, and 

 killed Avhile making a flight back of the German lines on September 

 2G, 1918. 



Percy A. Rideout, a junior highway engineer, entered the service 

 as a private and war; promoted to first lieutenant. He Avas killed in 

 action on the Verdun front, France, October 8, 1918. 



Willis E. Comfort, a drainage engineer, was appointed as a lieu- 

 tenant with the first expedition to be sent to France in 1917. Later 

 he Avas promoted to captain and was killed in action near Soissons on 

 July 18, 1918. 



^Villiam Brown, auditor in the district office at Portland, Oreg., 

 was called for service in June, 1918, and died of influenza at Camp 

 Meade. Md., October 2, 1918. 



The bureau is honored that these men were among those who went 

 out from its service, loj^al and unafraid, when the call came to the 

 greater service. 



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