While President Moore was looking for the man he wanted to appoint as
head of the board of construction, Harris D. H. Connick called to
suggest and to recommend another man. Later the president offered
Connick the position as director of works.
Connick had exactly the qualifications needed: experience, youth,
energy, skill and executive ability. He hesitated for the reason that he
happened to be engaged in public work that he wished to finish. But he
was made to see that the new work was more important. He removed all the
buildings at Harbor View, about 150, and he filled in the ponds, using
two million cubic yards of mud and sand, and building an elaborate
system of sewers. The filling in took about six months. On the last day
mules were at work on the new land. And within a year the ground work
and the underground work was finished.