The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-09-30

popular Sunday resort, where people
can go and indulge their alcoholic ap-
petites. There is a photographer there
who makes pictures of people beneath:
and about the bridge, and he has lot
of data concerning the bridge which
people receive and read with great in
terest. He has pamphlet of history in
which occurs the following statement:
In the year 1925 the following lines were
found under a dilapidated grain bin in an
old mill located on the banks Of the Cabin
John:
John of the Cabin"-a curious wight
sprang out of the river one dark stormy
night;
He built a warm hut in a lonely retreat,
And lived many years upon fishes and
When the last lone raccoon on the creek hs
had slain.
1t is said he jumped into the river again.
AS no name to the creek by the ancients
was given,
1t was called "Cabin John" after John went
to Heaven.
When the bridge was built there was
also conduit built from the great
reservoir to Georgetown, and thence
into Washington. Over the conduit
there was constructed splendid road
way, and this is still known as the Con-
duit road. Along this highway there
has recently been built an excellent
trolley electric line, and many thou.
sands of passengers visit the bridge
and restaurant in this manner; where.
as they used to go in buggies, or on
bicycles. These latter ancient modes
Of conveyance are stiM used by hun.
drcds Of people. x ~,r:,
The pamphlet furnished by the pho.
tographer, giving the history of the
bridge. contains the following:
This structure is the stone bridge built
by the United States government over
what is called Cabin John creek The
Cabin John is stream OF, respectable vol
ume, which rises at Rockville, Nd, flows
through most picturesque and beautiful
section OF the country and pours its l;mpid
waters into the Potomac river few hum
dred feet below the point at which, the
former stream is spanned by the xreat
bridge bearing its name-a bridge az ma
llonal renown.
DIMENSIONS OF BRIDGE.
Length of bridge. ..................450 feet,
Aelgnt ..............................
Wiotn ': -; 49,:
Diameter OF water main. ............ 9 ="
The bridge alone cost $237,000
The entire conduit system cost 81, 9O5, 500.
Capacity of water main. rs. 900. 900 gallons
Of water daily.
When the bridge was begun in 1859
Franklin Pierce was president, and JEFF
ferson Davis secretary of war. There
was tablet in the keystone of the
arch containing the names of the presi-
dent and secretary of war, and also
names of Maj. Meigs and of Capts. Hut
ton and Chanler, engineer officers.
When the civil war began Capt. Hut
ton went with the confederacy, and so
die Capt. Chanler. A daughter of the
latter officer, Amelie Rives Chanler, be-
came celebrated or notorious a few
years ago, as all authoress of exceed
ingly erotic literature.
When President Lincoln's admins
tration began he made Simon Cameron,
az Pennsylvania, secretary of war.
Jefferson Davis was then president of
tile confederate states. Simon Came
ron ordered that his name be cut out Of
the keystone tablet. That order was
obeyed and the engineer in charge of
the work also obliterated the names
OF the other officers, including Mai.
Mc:gs, who was supposed to sympa-
tlize with the rebellion, although he
did not participate in it as all of the
others did.
Under that order the original tablet
was so changed that it now appears as
follows:
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT. O.
Begun A. D. 1853. President of the u s..
Franklin Pierce Secretary of War,
- Building A. D. 1861
President of the U. S., Abraham Lincoln.