John A. Bensel

John Anderson Bensel (August 16, 1863 New York City - June 19, 1922 Bernardsville, Somerset County, New Jersey) was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1911 to 1914.

Life

He was the son of Brownlee Bensel and Mary Maclay (Hogg) Bensel. He graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1884, and became an assistant engineer with the Aqueduct Commission. Then he worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and from 1889 to 1895 was in charge of constructions on New York City's North River waterfront.

In 1896, he married Ella Louise Day. The same year he became Consulting Engineer of the Philadelphia Water Department. In 1898, he became Chief Engineer of the New York City Dock Department, and in 1906 was appointed a Dock Commissioner.

From 1908 to 1910, he was President of the New York City Board of Water Supply. He was State Engineer and Surveyor from 1911 to 1914, elected on the Democratic ticket. In 1914, he was investigated during Charles S. Whitman's graft investigation, but was cleared of all suspicions by his successor Frank M. Williams after the latter inspected the department's accounts in 1915.

As a major, he commanded the 125th Battalion of Engineers of the U.S. Army during World War I.

He died of myelitis.

He was President of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1910.

ources

* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bennetts-bensmiller.html] Political Graveyard
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=990CE3DC113EE033A25752C3A9679C946997D6CF] Appointed Pres. of the Water Supply Board, in NYT on January 31, 1908, with short bio
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C0DE0DF1339E433A25750C0A9679D946196D6CF] The water supply labor contracts, in NYT on November 3, 1910
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F0CE7DE113FE633A25755C2A9679C946596D6CF] Whitman's graft hunt, in NYT on January 26, 1914
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B02E4DF163AE633A2575BC1A9649C946596D6CF] Bensel refuses to waive immunity and does not testify, in NYT on February 18, 1914
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9506E4DD1E3AE733A25756C0A9659C946596D6CF] The Sullivan Committee's graft hunt, in NYT on March 5, 1914
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C0CEED6173EE733A25750C0A9629C946596D6CF] Bensel refuese to waive immunity, the garft hunt continues, in NYT on April 3, 1914
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02E3DF1538E633A25756C0A9679C946496D6CF] Bensel's administration under scrutiny, in NYT on January 5, 1915
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9803E1DB1538E633A25756C2A9679C946496D6CF] Bensel vindicated by Williams, in NYT on January 25, 1915
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=980DE2DB1231EF33A25753C2A9609C946395D6CF] Obit in NYT on June 20, 1922
* [http://www.asce.org/150/presidents.html] Am. Soc. of Civil Eng., Presidents