FRED M'CONNEL
     PASSES AWAY

Prominent Engineer
Of Caldwell For
Many Years

     Fred H. McConnel, a prominent citizen of Caldwell for many years, passed away this morning at a local hospital after a short illness.  Born June 2, 1876, in the Dixie community, he was the son of one of the first families to locate in that part of Boise Valley.
     His youth was spent on a ranch known as the McConnel Island at the mouth of Boise river, and most of his early years were spent in the saddle.
      As one of the first graduates of the University of Idaho he claimed, among his college mates Admiral Ghormley and William E. Lee of the Interstate Commerce commission.  An April 10, 1907, he was married to Ellen Harmon.
             Famed as Engineer
     For a generation he has been considered as one of the best known and most versatile engineers of the intermountain area, having laid out the towns of Minidoka and Rupert.  Under Governor Morrison he served at State timber selector, and under Commission J. H. Lowell, as the first water master of Boise River.  At this time he was also placed in charge of the distribution of the waters of Raft River.
     Associated with Kuhn Brothers, he designed and made preliminary surveys for the Gem Irrigation district.  His work included the installation of water systems at Parma and Shoshone and the sewer system at Glenns Ferry.  During the first World war he built the market road from Challis to Mackay and supervised the construction of the Gem district and Dixie drainage works.
     For many years he served as an able engineer for the city of Caldwell and for Canyon county and as engineer for the Farmers Cooperative Irrigation Co.  He was a member of the City council and in 1929 to 1931 he served as Mayor.
     Of importance to the whole of southern Idaho was his excellent and untiring efforts which resulted in securing the I. O. N. cut off.  Practically all the field pioneering in running preliminary surveys of possible routes were his, and perhaps more than those of any other person, his sustained efforts on behalf of this road finally led to its construction.
     He designed and supervised the construction of the swimming pools in Caldwell and Nampa.  And in recent years he supervised the construction of two new school houses in Caldwell.
     He is survived by his widow, Ellen Harmon McConnel; one son, Captain Roger McConnnel, now stationed at Camp Tyson, Penn.; one grandson, a brother, Brig. Gen Mervin McConnel of Boise; three sisters, Mrs. J. L. Isenberg of Caldwell, Mrs. Joe Watkins of Parma and Miss Margaret McConnel of Boise.
     The body is at the Peckham chapel.  Funeral arrangements have not been announced.