The National tribune., 1907-07-04

The TABLET AL
supplied Washington with about three
times as much water as New
officer in charge of the work was
Capt. Montgomery c. Meigs, who
had been in charge of build
ing the extensions of the Capitol Tho
he had been born in Georgia. he wa-
too loyal man to suit Secretary Floyd
and coterie, who were preparing for
the rebellion, and in 1859 Floyd dis
missed him from all his einployments
in Washington. Meigs was, however.
restored by President Lincoln, and
completed his great work. One part
Of it, which was then regarded as one
of the astounding engineering achieve
nlents of the day. was carrying the
conduit across the deep, wide gorge OF
Cabin John Creek. about Il miles
above Washington. This was done by
a magnificent stone arch bridge 230 feet
long, and much longer than any other
arch before attempted by any engi-
neer in the worlds history. The work
was carried out with complete sue
cess. and is Meigs's finest monument
tho he afterward did magnificent work
as Quartcrmaster-G General of the United
States Army dIring the war.
A tablet was imbedded in one abut-
ment of the great area, setting forth
that it was begun under the Admins
;ration of President Pierce, when JEFF
ferson Davis was Secretary Of War
This tablet became exceedingly Of
fcnsive to loyal people during the war,
and Caleb b. Smith. then Secretary of
the Interior, ordered Jefferson Daviss
name to be chiselcd off.
1t was found one day that Davis's
name was neatly chiseled Off There
are several stories as to this. One is
that it was done in the night by a loyal
stone-masoa. upon his own motion. An
other is that it was by the order OF Ca
icb B. Smith, of Indiana, VINO was Sec
rotary of the Interior in 1S6l-2, and re-
signed to become Federal Judge for In
diana, dying two years later. This
story lacks probability. since the bridge
has been under the control of the War
department. and any order in regard to
it would have to come from the Secre-
tary of War. not Interior
This was particularly ill-adviscd. The
chiselins off made blotch on the tab
let, which was more remarked than il
the name of the arch-rebel had re-
maned. Every one who looked on
It wanted to know what name had
been there. The sensible way would
have been to remove the stone and re-
place it by one properly inscribed.
As a matter of fact. the inscription
was a mere formality, copied from the
old Poman practice of labelling public
works with the names of the Emperors
IN whose reigns they were built.
Neither Presidents Pierce nor Lincoln,
aor their Secretaries of War. had other
than the most technical connection WITH
he great stone bridge The Engineers
prepared the plan. Congress adopted it,
ordered it executed, and appropriated
the necessary money. Capt. Meigs built
Il. There WAS no more reason for Ia
beIing it than there was fer SO inscrib-
ing the Capitol. White House, Treasury
or other public buildings. which has
not been done. On some of them the
architects name appears, but on others
there is nothing.
Much the greater part of the work
on the bridge was done under President
Pierce and Secretary Floyd, but Capt,
Meigs had his own reasons for not in
GLIDING them in the inscription.
The bridge is one of the Summer
resorts for Washington people. Com
parativcly few of the mass of tourists
% Washington ever go out there, and
but few of these ever think of the in
scription, or that it is worth while to
make the rough descent of the side oi
! the gorge to see 1t. If it had beer
placed on the top of the bridge, in plain
view of every enc who passed. it would
have been different.
The matter was of little consequence
then, and would be of even less now
except that the Daughters of The Con
federacy find it thorn with which tc
make ranking sore. 1t is u delightful
| grievance that they can clamor ant
wall over. worlds without end. 1t is ;
red flag that they can flaurt in thu
faces of loyal people and stir them t.
wrath.
They announce their intention o
taking the matter before Congress an,
securing justice" 1t will have to be
IA he
il they secure any hearing at all.
They would regard it as a great tri
umph If they could secure, even in tina
obscure place. a linking together O
lLincoln's and Davis's names.
/ Manila has made an InnrecedenteI