The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-10-08
CABIN JOHNS BRIDGE.
How the Famous Structure Got
It's Peculiar Name.
Story of ~ Mysterious Stranger Whu
Settled Westward of George
town. ID. C.. More Than
Century Ago.
Especial Washington Letter.l


Did YOU ever hear of Cabin Johns
Bridge? 1t is a wonderful place, anG
wonderful bridge.
That is n singular name, isn't it?
The name has history as well as the
bridge, and we may as we'll begin at
the beginning, and tell how the place re
ceived its name.
More than 100 years ago, before
George Washington became president,
ana long before the city of Washing
| ton was ever contemplated, there came
to the city of Georgetown a stranger,
whose name the people never knew.
In those days Georgetown was pros
porous city. located west of Rock creek,
in what is now the District of Column
liza. Big sailing vessels from all parts
of the world used to come up the Po-
tomac river and discharge their cargoes
o. the Georgetown wharves. and re-
ceive other cargoes there. George
town was at the head of navigation of
the Potomac. for just above it are the
Little falls and the Great falls, which
tender the river unnavigable.
The sailing vessels were mostly de-
voted to carrying freight, but they also
carried limited numbers of passengers
One morning q vessei came from Liver
pool, after having been on the ocean
over three months. She had FIVE pas
scngers, and one of them was mystery
10 all on board; just as he afterwards
became a mystery to the people OF
Georgetown and vicinity. He had
E.oney, and bought the best horses he
could find for sale in Georgetown. lie
also purchased saddle bags, and then
purchased two muSkcts. q lot of am
lhunition, and as much bread as his
saddle bags could ho.d. Then, mount
ing his horse, he drove off into the
woods to the westward of Georgetown
aid disappeared in the forest. Nobody
knew where he WAS going, and he an
swered no questions.
The country was full of Indians ia
those days. and yet they were not hos
tile. Two months passed away, anC
the mysterious stranger rode into town
purchased Il supply of bread, bacon
eggs and ham, and again drove off into
the woods. One of the storekeeper:
asked him his name, and he replied:
My name is John" Then the store
keeper asked him where he lived, ano
Ire answered.: In my cabin, ten mile,
west Of here" He would answer no
other inquiries, but bestrode his horse
and entered the forest.
The man was about 40 years of age
and he lived in the woods for near
Nv 80 years; but long before that tins
the country had begun to develop. anC
lie had many visitors from Georgetown
good business. for people will eat ant
drink on such excursions. Unfortu
ia tely, of late years. it has become ;
and points in Maryland. He had gon'
out into the wilderness all alone. hat
felled trees and built a cabin. He his
cemented the seams between the log
with lime plaster made by himself. III
was veritable Robinson Crusoe. FL
made lime by burning the rocks. an.
j.. got his sand from the river banks
lie had n snug and comfortable cabin
ard lived there until his death. in tn
early part of this century. Nobody eve
krew any other name for him thai
John" for he would give no othe
name.
People began to refer to his place a
"John's cabin" but one day he tolt
some callers. who stopped there viii;