Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05

engineer It appears from the records OF
the War Department, that the working
plans and drawings Of the bridge. as well
as much Of the detail work, up to the
spring Of 1861. were prepared and perform
ed mainly by Mr. Alfred L. Rives, the as
sistant engineer. At the breaking out OF
the civil war. he resigned his position and
Joined the confederacy. This act upon the
part of his chief assistant greatly grieved
General Megs. and 1t was for this reason
that Mr.. Rives' name never was placed
upon any of the stones or tablets. He is
the father Of Amelie Rives the celebrated
authoress After the resignation of Mr..
Rfves in 1881 he was succeeded by Mr. Will
liam r. Hutton. and in 1852. when work
was resumed under the direction Of the
Department Of the Interior. Mr.. Hutton be-
came the chief engineer. The famous
Washington bridge over the Harlem river,
New York. Is one Of his productions.
Erasing Davis Name.
cat the time work was commenced upon
the aaueduct Jefferson Davis was Secre-
tary Of War. under President Pierce. and
his name so appeared upon the tablet on
the west abutment. In 1862. his name was
erased Much has been said and written
during recent years regarding this erasure
Secretaries Cameron and Stanton Cwar Sec
retaries. under President Lincoln) have
been frequently charged with having this
done. and General Meigs was likewise &C
Aoo-.
General Meigs. several articles were pub
lfshed, charging him with being the author
OF this erasure. AS matter Of fact, at the
time this erasure was made the bridge was
Department and the erasure was done by
order Of Caleb B. Smith. the then Secretary
Of the Interior Department.
"On September g. 1892, Mr.. Montgomery
Meigs. son OF the late Gen. Meigs, wrote
The Washington Star as follows:
Permit me. through your columns. in
the interest of truth. to correct the state
ments lately published in some newspapers
that the name OF Jefferson Davis, as Secre-
airy of War, inscribed on Cabin John bridge
at the time of It's erection, was erased by
the order of my father, Gen. Meigs Re-
ferring to a similar statement published a
year or SO ago. my father said that the
erasure was made without consultation
with him. without his knowledge, and at q
time when he no longer had any control
whatever over the aqueduct'
Mr.. william H. Hutton, formerly one Of
the engineers or the aqueduct, also wrote:
In June. 1862, at the request of the Sec
rotary of the Interior, Mr.. Caleb B. Smith
to whose department the aqueduct had Just
been transferred, I accompanied the Secre-
tary and number OF members Of Congress
on tour of inspection of the aqueduct by
way of the canal. Opposite Cabin John
several of the party disembarked and walk
ed to the bridge for nearer view. Return
ing in hot haste, do you know" said Mr..
Galusha Grow to the Secretary, that rebel
Meigs has put JEFF Davis name on the
bridge7" Turning to me the Secretary said:
1.-THE first order I give you is to cut Jeff
Davis name off the BRIDGE" few days
later / was appointed chief engineer of the
aqueduct. Not taking seriously the Sec
retarys remarks. I did nothing In the mat
ter. A week later Mr.. Robert Mcintyre,
the contractor. arrived to resume his work
upon the bridge. and called to pay his re-
spects to the Secretary The Secretary
said to him that they had put Jeff Davis
name on the bridge. and he wished he would
cut 1t or. with the greatest pleasure, Mr..
Secretary" was the reply, and the contract
or's first work was to remove Mr.. Davis
name
General Meigs. being apprehensive lest
some action might be taken looking to his