The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-10-19
Name of jefferson Davis.

After 40 years a great wrong done
TO the memory of Jefferson Davis is
about to be righted by the United
States government, says the New
York Herald In June, 1862, when
highest, a stone mason was lowered
over the parapet of Cabin John
bridge, seven miles above Washing.
ton, and by a few vigorous blows ef-
faced the name of Jefferson Davis
from the memorial tablet commemor-
ating the erection of the bridge un-
der the direction of Mr.. Davis, who,
as secretary of war, had had charge.
1t is the largest single arch stone
bridge in the world. History records
but one bridge of one arch greater
than this. 1t spanned the AIDA, trib-
utary to the Pc, at Trezzo, in north
ern Italy, and is supposed to have
been built in 1880. 1t the year 1927
it was destroyed by the Italian gen.
eral Carmagnolia. This bridge con-
sisted of a single stone arch of gran
ita with a span Of PSI feet. The span
Of Cabin John bridge is only 22O feet,
but it is still the largest single span
stone arch bridge in the world.
The following version of the eras-
ure and its causes is given by Will
liam R. Hutter, formerly chief engi-
neer of the aqueduct, and now of New
York. Mr.. Hutton's statement says:
"In June, 1862, at the request Of
the secretary of the interior, Caleb B.
Smith. to whose department the ac-
queluct had just been transferred,
accompanied the secretary and a
number of members of congress on a
tour of inspection of the acqueduct
by the way of the canal. Opposite
tupill Jollu DlluSc oCNcl oil VI tllC par
ty disembarked and walked to the
bridge for a nearer view. Returning
in hot haste, DO you know said Ga
lusha Grow to the secretary, that
Id rebel, Meigs has put jeff Davis
name on the bridge?' Turning to me,
The first order l give you is to cut
Jeff Davis name off the BRIDGE A
few days later l was appointed chief
engineer of the acqueiuct. Not TAX
ing seriously the secretary's remarks,
| did nothing in the matter. A week
later Robert M. Mcintyre, the con-
tractor, arrived to resume his work
upon the bridge and called to pay his
respects to the secretary. The secre-
tary said to him that they had put
Jeff Davis name on the bridge; he
wished he would cut it off. with the
greatest pleasure. Mr.. Secretary
was the reply, and the contractors
| first work was to remove Mr.. Davis
| name"
Now, however a movement having
it's origin in the north, and supported
by no less than a score of prominent
| senators and representatives, has
taken shape for the restoration of the
name. A few days ago John Barrett
of Vermont, eX-minister to Siam and
now one of the delegates to the Pan
American congress which meets in
Mexico in the fall, visited Cabin
John bridge in company with several
congressional friends. Mr.. Barrett
had never before noticed the erasure
on the tablet, and when he learned
that the erasure was only the unof
fetal act of some one not even con.
Lected with the war department he
| Immediately placed himself on re.
cord as declaring that, in the interest
of history and truth. that tablet
should be restored. 1t may not be
necessary for congress to act, since
the vandalism was unofficial and a
simple order Of the secretary Of wal
would be sufficient