Evening star., 1915-06-27

ferry-scow was operated like those
which served the ferries near the sites
of the Aqueduct, Pennsylvania Avenue
and Benning bridges. Somewhere about
1910, the Rambler has not the exact
date at hand, a bridge from the end OF
the causeway to the Virginia rocks was
suspended, not from cables, nut from
chains. Hence it was called the Chaln
bridge, name that has endured. and
has been applied to succeeding bridges
which We're not chain bridges Ihe
Chain bridge was in use up TO the 'lrne
of the civil war. subsequently tan
piers were built along the general
course of the old causeway and an
iron truss bridge was built all the way
from the north bank of the canal TO
the Virginia side. That is the or1dge
which is SO much Travelled today.
On the last pier before reaching the
water span of the bridge there is
ladder bolted into the stone on the
east face of the pier Hundreds of per-
sons. when the fishing is good. climb
through the bridge railing, step out on
the projecting top of the pier and climb
down the ladder to the rocks by the
water side. 1t seems a dizzy feat to
some persons Most of those using the
ladder are fishermen. and from this cir
1diiISlaiitC II HeS Soti4S w ~ N--~
"fsherman's ladder
After crossing the water span ana
coming to the gray-dust road on the
Virginia side. wooden steps lead down
to rocky ledge, and from that I'M
provised steps of rough and irreg ularly
placed stones will carry you down, II
you are sure footed, to the waters
edge. 1t is a favorite place with fisher
Ieople, and a popular place with SWIM
mers. though here among the rocks
md q
good many men and boys have lost
their lives. Here Pmmet run rushes
into the river, not out or the green anu
romantic gorge through which II no"s
for miles, but through the site OF an
old quarry. The palisades have been
gouged out here so that there Is quite
a space between the river and the Tree
topped cliffs. Among the quarry denris
are the ruins of the foundation and
piers formerly supporting a big stone
crushing plant. Down through the
quarry and over the loose but heaFy
rocks Pimmet run foams.
If YOU will climb back to the gray
dust road you will note the steep. hlsh
hill on the right, and past the hrst
bend in that gray road. Whlch is the
beginning of the Leespurg PIKE road,
a-srown in grass and weeds and small
shrubbery, leads up the hill. on the
ton YOU come upon the ruins of bulld,
ing that was a landmark Tor soo"
MANY years 1t was a hotel, or a ROAD.
l,
that character. it had it's golden Gays
and its days of repentance ana SNAP
Illness. Its prosperity waned. 1t be,
came dilapidated old ouilui'is' anu
then it fell a prey to ire
The Rambler was told by man VINO
has lived nearby for a long time tnat IL
was supposed that tramps set II ot.
fire. The ruins are oversroWn win win
trumpet vines and otner cep,ns ,ins
green's and it presents rather pic.
turesoue heap with suggestion of
tronic Vegetation The view from this
hilltop is fine, and the Little Falls roar
to you as you linger there.
Coming down to the pike: two ROADS
invite YOU On the left hand is shady
gorge with stream that seethes ana
tumbles over rocky bed. The road to
the right ascends the hill, leaving the
gorge deeper and shadier on the ieft-
The road to the left crosses the gorge
and passes uphill through splendld
woods to the highlands on which rest
remains Of Fort Ethan Allen, from
which scattered village Q, generalis
pretty homes extends to the electric
railroad from Washington to Great
Falls. The Rambler has been through
this region several times.
The deep green valley of Pimmet
run lies between you and the heights
up which the Leesburg pike climbs and
you can cross the valley if you want
plenty of hard work, but if bent on the
conservation of energy you will go
back to the point where you turned to
the left and crossed the Pimmet run
. bridge. And turning into the pike
and travelling a mile you will come to
| the top of the ridge and stand among