The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-09-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington City,
September. 18th. 10

II perchance you should be in
Washington and have the time to
spare let me advise you to take a
Cabin John car go out to Cabin John
Bridge for it will be highly worth
while to you. Cabin John Bridge is
a historic spot and has a bit of inter
esting history. This Aqueduct or
water-conduit was begun in 1853
during the administration of Frank
lin Pierce. Jefferson Davis was Sec
rotary of War. 1t was completed in
1861 during Abraham Lincoln's Ad-
ministration. Simon Cameron was
Secretary of War. These are the on
ly names that appear on the bridge.
During the Civil War the name of
Hon. Jefferson Davis was erased and
remained off of this historic struc-
ture until the Administration of The
odore Roosevelt. The erudite bril-
liant writer and orator Hon. Benia-
min Blackburn of Atlanta wrote
President Roosevelt a letter in which
he urbanely called attention to the
fact that the passions of War had
blown over, forgiveness had been ex-
tended to both sections, the wounds
of War were healed, that the bonds
of union were as strong as formerly
and asked that the name of the illus
trious Davis be restored, and Mr..
Roosevelt in the spirit of superb A
merican magnanimity complied with
Mr. Blackburn's commendable re-
quest Col Roosevelt has an erratic
nature, is fond of excitement, and is
always promptly in the midst of
whatever is doing but he is as free
from National prejudice as any Twins
man.
The arch in this bridge or aque-
duct, for it is practically a combina-
ton OF both is said to be the most
magnificent in the world. The nat
ural scenery around it is perfectly
sublime. 1t is about one hundred
feet above the little creek that passes
under it | confess that the main
thing that carried me out there was
to see the name of Jeff Davis on the
bridge.
A remarkable incident l will NEIL
ton as | go along is the fact that Lin
coin and Davis were born in the same
county, both names appear on this
bridge, and they both were President
of their respective sections of the
country at the same time Hundreds
of people pass over this bridge daily,
and thousands of gallons of water
pass through it. Washington gets
her water from Great Falls on the
Potomac about twelve miles above
the city. A sluice of water eight feet
an diameter passes through this
aquOauct amply gratifying Washing
tons demand for water. 1t is an alb
the banks of Cabin John Creek and
survey this gorgeous piece of mason
Try, and what l delight in looking at
most is the name of the President Of
the Southern Confederacy. | am not
1Tegretting that the Confederacy was
"a failure. l am just taking the op-
pOrtunity and the pleasure of express
sing my admiration for Jefferson Da-
Wis, the Statesman, patriot, scholar
and orator, When the prejudices
tengendered by that lamentable con-
flict-the last vistage gone-Jeffer-
son will be considered in the reful-
gent light Of what he really was.
The people of the South are due
Mr.. Blackburn and Col. Roosevelt
ssincere hearty thanks in restoring
the name of this great man to its
rightful place upon this great insti-
tuition. / hope Southern people at
least when ia Washington will take
advantage of every opportunity to
go out and see Cabin John Bridge"
Hon. w. IL. Burwell speaker of the
Georgia legislature stopped over in
Washington this week on his return
from New York City. The States
man from Hancock" is in hearty ac-
cord with Senator Smiths efforts in
behalf of the South's staple crop.
When asked how times were down
in Georgia, Mr.. Burwell replied
~'They are pretty tempestuous just
now, l hope however things will be
normal soon"
j asked the gentleman from Han