The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-08
WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT. Begun A. D. 1853. President of the U. S.. FRANKLIN PIERCE.
 Secretary of War. JEFFERSON DAVIS. Building A. D.. 1861, President of the II. S., ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
 Secretary of War. F. SIMON CAMERON.

Then the war broke out and little over A wear later the name of Jefferson Davis was cut out of the tablet by some enthusiastic Northerner leaving deep white gash, unsightly and curious look ing which has been one of the interest," ing points visited by tourists who come to Washington. The. tablet attracts in finitely more attentnio. now Tn its pres ent condition than would ever nave been the case had the name remained intact.
 Owing to the great excitement or the period. it was impossible 10 ascertain with any assured success. just now the name was cut of and by whose order. DiIigent research on the part or officials of the War Department has Tailed to nnearth any order directing the mutlla- tion of the tablet It has been supposed that the tablet was cut by order Of Lieut.. Meigs. the engineer who became quar- termaster general during the war but this was aiwavs emrhatically denied by Gen Meigs and his friends. when Gen. Meigs died in 1892, the story was again revived but his son; MontgIery fathnr wrote Meess member of my family that the erasure was made without consultation with him. without his knowledge ana at une when he no longer has any control over the anueduct.
 and It's causes. is given by Wnham K. acoueduct and now a distinguished civil engineer of New York. MT. Hutton s statement, made to the son or General "@ @i6 June 1862. at the request of the Secretary of the Interior the Hon. Cdiee R. Smith. to whose department tha aoueduct had just been transferred l accompanied the secretary and a mum Der of members of Congress on tour of inspection of the aqueduct by way ot the canal 0ppUstt s.Ttv caRn SSnI anG walked to the bridge for nearer view: Returning in hot haste, Do you know said the Hon. Galusha Grow to the Sec hat q MpiRE Jeff Davis name on the bridge? Turn ing to me the Secretary said; The llrst order give you is to cut Jen Dayis avs nasmg I Was GI appointed @ sGhief Ensineeer of the aqueduct, Not taking seriously the Sec retary's remark, I did nothing ip the Intyre, the contractor, arrived to resume his work upon the bridge. and called to pay his respects to the Secretary The Jeff. Davis name on the bridge; he wished he would cut it of. With the greatest pleasure. MT. Secretary was the reply. and the contractors frst worb was to remove MT. Davis name"
 There is no record whatever of any
 There IS no record whatever of any the name of Jefferson Davis, so it is considered as an unofficial act on the part of the Secretary.
 The question of restoring the name to It's proper place has been agitated at times by Southern Congressmen and Senator's but never vigorously, because there was such a strong agnostic senti- ment toward the South still remaining from the Civil War. It was only natur- al to expect that the South would wish the name restored.
 Now, however. a movement having It's origin fin the North, and supported by no less than a score of prominent Senators and Representatives. has taken shape for the restoration of the name and justice to the memory of the dead ex-Prestdent of the Confederacy. A few days ago the Hon. John Barrett of Vermont. cx- minister to Siam. and now one of the delegates to the Pan-American Congress, which meets in Mexico in the fall visit ed Cabin John Bridge in company with several Congressional friends, MT. Bar rett had never before noticed the eras- ure on the tablet. and inquired the req son. ItSsquired some little research be fore his curiosity was satisfied, as it ap- peared that the members of the party were no wiser than he. Upon his return to the city he made inquiries at the War Department, and when he learned that the erasure was only the unofficial act of some one not even connected with the War Department, which has control of the bridge, he immediately placed himsolf on record as declaring that. in