The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-12-19
A Mean Bit of Vandalism.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Imbedded in
the Cabin John bridge, noted as the
largest single span of masonry in the
word, is tablet setting forth that certain
high officials of the United States gov.
ernment participated in the laying of
the cornerstone of the structure which
conveys water to the national capital.
This arch was commenced in the spring
of 1853, when Jefferson Davis was Sec
retary of War, and for four years he
superintended every detail of the great
work, and it was deemed only just and
proper that his name should appear on
the tablet in question, together with that
of Franklin Pierce, who was President of
the United States at the time the work
was inaugurated and who turned up the
first spadeful of earth, an example which
the Secretary of War followed. After
the war had been in progress for short
time it was noticed one day that the
name of Jefferson Davis had been CHS.
eled out of the tablet Of the sandstone,
and there was merely long line before
the title of Secretary of War. Numerous
versions have been given as to who
authorized the erasure, but all have
wound up with the commonly accepted
theory that it was done by order of Ed
win NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War.
General Montgomery G. Meigs, who, IS
Captain Of engineers, was assigned by
Jefferson Davis to duty in connection
with the construction of the Washington
aqueduct, puts an entirely different com.
plexion on the matter, and when ques-
toned on the subject replied that he
remembered the circumstance very we'll.
at will be necessary to digress little"
said General Meigs, "and show what Mr..
Davis connections with The aqueduct
was. In the days when he was Secretary
Of War work was being pushed on the
wings of the Capitol, the north wing Of
the post Office building and the aqueduct.
These matters rightfully belonged to the
jurisdiction of the President, and when.
ever they came up in Congress they were
referred to rs presidential matters. But
President Pierce had too much other
business to attend to, and consequently
he transferred the supervision of these
buildings and works to the Secretary of
War, who was Jefferson Davis. When
he left the War Department in 1857, the
work vas still being performed under the
direction of the War Department, and
this was continued until the war broke
out. At that time it was important for
army officers, and especially engineers, to
60 to other stations and duties, an the
work of supervising the construction of
the civil building and works was turned
over to the Inferior Department, whose
Secretary was Caleb B. Smith, of Indi.
ana. One afternoon, in company with a
party of gentlemen, Secretary Smith
drove up to Cabin John bridge to see
how the aqueduct was progressing, and
the tablet bearing the name of Jefferson
Davis attracted his attention. He re.
marked that such a distinction was too
great for such a traitor as Jefferson Da.
Wis, and next morning a workman was
sent up to cut out the Objectionable
name with his chisel. Upon my return
from trip West in connection with my
military duties I visited the new aque,
duct span aud discovered what had been
done during my absence. 1t did not
meet with my appreciation at that time,
and I have ceased to deprecate the
erasure of the name of an Official who
took such an interest in the aqueduct,
and who, while in the Congress of the
United States, had been foremost in urg.
ing appropriations for the work. By
attempting to obliberate the name of
Jefferson Davis from the tablet where it
had been properly placed, more promi.
nence was given him than was ever con.
templated, for the invariable questions of
visitors to big arch bring out the story of
the dead Secretary of War. ! am only
too glad to bear witness to the fact that
Mr. Stanton had nothing whatever to do
with the transaction, and it was purely q
personal matter on the part Of Secretary
Smith Of the Interior Department.
Baltimore Sun.