Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-03-09
A Modern Suburban Resort.

well-known property at Cabin John Bridge
on the Conduit road, six miles from Wash.
lngton. Some time ago the Messrs. Bobin.
ger entered into an agreement with Mr..
ii. Livingston, who established and con-
Quoted the suburban resorts at Chestnut
Hill and Woodside, near Philadelphia, to
transform their place into first class amuse.
ment resort. Since then Mr.. Livingston has
been making plans and at the same time &C.
complishing a large amount of other pre-
limlnarY work. Hundreds of trees in the
ravine and along the canal and riverside
have been cut down, Howell & Taylor, of
this city, engineers, have been busilY en-
gagged in surveying and laying out sites, and
Architect j. j. Smithmeyer has been direct
Ing the general theme OF design. Within a
few days an army OF laborers, mechanics
and expert artisans will be engaged.
Ii is the purpose to make at Cabin John
a suburban resort second to none in the
country and equip it with novel features
and high. class modern amusements.
There will be new entrance to Cabin John
for those who do not go In carriages. This
will be by means of highly ornamented
steel promenade bridge, which will be con-
structed over the ravine through which
Cabin John run flows. 1t will have a can.
tileVer effect in appearance, and will be 576
feet long and fourteen feet wide, with an
ornate railing of intricate design. At regu
lar intervals on either side balconies will
extend out and over the raVine, and these
will contain iron settees Tor strollers. There
will be seven OF these balconies on either
side, fourteen in all, and arising from each
will be double arches, crossing the bridge
diagonally, upon which vari-colored elec-
trio globes will be set. This bridge, Tor
which the contract has been awarded to the
Berlin Iron Bridge Company of East Berlin,
Conn, will cost about $4,000 when con-
structed and equipped and will be placed
about 100 feet below historic Cabin John
Bridge, toward the river, and on level
with it On the farther side of the ravine
it will rest on the bluff near the rear of the
hotel.
South of this few feet will be erected
pavilion so by 80 feet in dimensions, two
stories in height and OF attractive design.
The ground floor will be devoted to a res
taurant and the upper story to the starting
point of a gravity and scenic railroad, which
will run at commanding height above
ground a distance of 800 ieet straight away
from the Potomac. The cars will be pro-
PEELED by electricity generated by lOO horse
power engine, situated in power house TO
be erected nearby, and the road equipped
with the block system. Along its route will
be scenic tunnel with electric features.
The contract tor this pavilion and railroad
has been awarded to l.. A. Thompson, of
New York, for $4,000, and the contractor
is already on the ground and at work.
South of the hotel and near the edge of the
bluff overlooking the Potomac carousel,
or merry 90 round, ninety feet square, VIII
be erected. The contract for this has been
awarded TO q. A. Dental, oil Philadelphia,
at his bid OF $4,000 The horses and ami
mails on this whirligig will he stationary on
the outer edge and have looping motion ON
the inner tier. East OF the merry go round
u Ferris wheel, fifty leet in diameter, SO ar
ranged that riders will be afforded view OF
the river, will he erected, and To the west
will be theatre with capacity of seating
1000 persons.
Cabin John run will be held by dam to
be constructed near the canal, and its waters
will be formed Into lake covering large
part of the bottom of the ravine, and being
several acres in extent. Electric launches
and rOwboats will be placed in the lake,
and boardwalk eight leet wide, protected
by a rustic cedar fence, will be built along
It's edge on the west bank.
A bridge will be thrown over the canal to
the river bank from the bluff west of Cabin
John run, and steps will lead down to the
waters edge. A boat landing will be built
on the north bank Of the canal, where an
electric boat which is to run on the canal,
will arrive and depart.
The contract tor the promenade bridge
calls for its completion not later than May
%, and the contracts for the gravity and
scenic railway and carousel call for their
completion not later than May 20. Wherever
hsar in autl
ions erected on the lake cliffs and river bluff,
and music stand will be built Tor the &C
commodation of an orchestra.
West OF the main grounds will be pony
track for little ones, and swings and other
amusements will be provided for them.
The grounds will be laid out in wide walks
OF broken stone base topped with packed
gravel, and Cincinnati landscape gardener
will arrive Monday TO prepare for numerous
flower beds and parterres Three hun
dred settees will be distributed through the
grounds
Electric features will play a prominent
part in the general scheme. There will be
electric lights everywhere, even in the cedar
trees, and arrangements have been made
with the Washington Traction and Electric
Company Tor special service, and special
machinery has been ordered TO supply 1t.
An automobile charging plant will be es-
tablshed in this connection.
General Superintendent f. l.. Hart, Super
intendent Il. E Lee and Engineer Upton, in
charge of the suburban lines OF the Wash
ingLon Traction and Electric Company,
spent several hours Friday afternoon con
sidering the terminal facilities Of the electric
railroad. The wooden bridge across the
ravlne Immediately east of Cabin John is
to be replaced with a steel structure few
yards above, the abutments for which are
now being constructed. The cars will cross
over this and run In loop around TO the
entrance TO the promenade bridge and re-
turn. Here large platform will he erected.
part of the present track system at the
terminal system rs now situated Will be used
to park cars and track room Tor forty cars
will be provided, so that crowds can be
quickly brought To the city. The entire
Great Falls line is being doubled tracked,
and this will be completed by May 10. All
the wooden bridges and trestles, fifteen in
number, will be replaced by steel bridges,
and cars will run from l4th and East Capt.
tol streets 10 Cabin John Bridge without
change.
81 have been long convinced" said Mr..
Livingston Saturday to Star reporter, who
VISITED Cabin John TO learn about the propos'
cl improvements, tnat W aShlhBtoh "VuiN
support suburban resort where high class
modern amusements would be provided,
aud am equally sure the wisdom OF the
big investment here will be proven. The
natural advantages here are unrivaled Tor
the purpose, and every one Of them will be
utilized 10 the best effect | estimate that
we will have at least 100000 people out
here this season. - WASH Star Of Monday.
suspects ArFested.-A dispatch from
Boyd's, dated March 9th, says;
John W. Williams, special officer, and
Deputy Sheriff White arrested this after
noon, near Boyd's, John Braxton, alias Geo.
johnson, on a charge Of THEFT and being an
escaped convict from the Maryland House
OF Correction. Braxton, it is also claimed,
~ al