OBITUARY NOTICES. 
379 
he took charge of it. The graceful proportions of the shaft 
largely resulted from the taper fixed by the original builders, 
but those of the pyramidion were the result of his own in¬ 
vestigation, bringing the noble pile to that acme of delicate, 
beautiful simplicity which, combined with the whiteness of 
its material, reflecting the ever-changing atmosphere and 
cloud colors, makes it an object of unceasing admiration by 
all beholders. Such a desirable outcome was not anticipated 
by the public, which hardly knew what the real proportions 
of the monument were to be, until the apex was set and the 
structure finally laid bare to be viewed as a whole. 
The manner in which Colonel Casey carried through this 
particular work is the best illustration of his qualities as a 
man. No man of less tenacity of purpose, force of character, 
energy, and industry could have accomplished it in so short 
a time. Nothing that he ever undertook was allowed to lag 
for a moment. He was uneasy and under strain constantly 
until the point under consideration was settled or the work 
in hand finished. 
He became a colonel in the Corps of Engineers in 1884 
and in 1886 president of the Board of Engineers for Fortifi¬ 
cations in New York city, where he remained until 1888, 
when he was appointed brigadier general and chief of his 
corps, and returned to spend the remainder of his days in 
Washington. At this time Congress was in a dilemma re¬ 
garding the construction of the new building for its library 
on Capitol Hill. The work having been begun was proceed¬ 
ing unsatisfactorily. Uncertainties as to its ultimate cost, 
design, and time of construction had so impressed Congress 
that it was quite on the verge of suspending the operations 
indefinitely when the return of General Casey to Washington 
determined them to place the whole charge independently 
upon his shoulders, one of the highest compliments ever 
paid by Congress to the sound sense, judgment, and real use¬ 
fulness of an individual. The law was promptly passed, and 
on October 2, 1888, he took charge of the work. The office 
was at once reorganized on the simplest business lines, and 
