Evening star., 1916-06-04

the fortunes Of that great man to Washington
where he established the Globe. 1t speedily be-
came the national organ of the democratic party
and n prevailing influence at the White House
II the Globe owed its reputation to Mr.. Blair
he Is mainly indebted for his fortune to the in
domitable energy and financial talent of his
partner. John c. Rives, who was charged with
the business concerns of their extensive estab-
nshment. Mr.. Rives is huge. burly figure from
rfdhklin county, the toughest in Virginia. He
has strong. masculine. matter of fact mind
shagg! exterior ana very Drusque manners. He
mace mace great fortune out of the old Globe estab-
hshment ana sun coins money out of the Con-
gressional Globe. He never made but one fail
are; mat was when he bought the Bladensburg
dceilng ground and turned gentleman farmer
Mr. Rives is man of warm and humane heart
Merit in misfortune finds in him steady friend
The view from the cupola of the Ma
tional Industrial Training School is one
of the best to be had about Washing
Ton: "hlle not everybody can conven
iently climb into that great lookout.
nearly everybody who wants to, and
wants to earnestly enough to take the
walk. can climb the hill and stand at
the north tip of the ridge among the
ruins of Fort Lincoln. On a clear day
vast extent of country to the north.
east and west and far to the southeast
and the southwest is visible. All the
landmarks of Washington and its en-
virons can be picked up The military
engineers having in charge the de-
fenses of the capital early in the war
chose this ridge as fort site because
guns there could command the Balti-
more and Washington turnpike, the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad and a
number of roads that converge on Bla-
densburg.
When the system of defense works
was elaborated so that the fire of guns
could command every foot of land over
which an enemy might approach Wash
ington, Fort Lincoln was enlarged and
strengthened and a number of out
works added. The first idea in the
erection of the fortifcations around
Washington was to block approach to
the city by the roads. The chief en-
gineer of the defenses of Washington
Gen j. G. Barnard of the Engineer
Corps, L. S. A. has made the situation
clear in the following words:
While Strengthening as rapidly possible our
most assailabe and at first exceedingly weak
positions on the south shore of the Potomac. 1t
was. though perhaps less urgent. still necessary
to provide some auxiliary defenses to the city
itself against approaches along the northern
shores In the summer aud fall the Potomac is
easily fordable at points not distant from
Washington. The army which had been vic
torious at Manassas and whose advanced posts
were soon visible at Munsons HILL might. it
WAS thought, improve the critical period which
followed. rapidly arriving valunteer reg
iments could be organized into a formidable
force, and while that which had fought the bat
tie disorganized by defeat. was dwindling away
by expiration of three months term of service.
to cross the river and assal us. where the re-
suits of success. even If involving greater risks
would have been the most decisive.
To the emergency, works were neces-
sarily thrown mp without that deliberate study
OF the topography which the establishment
Of such defensive line should IL practicable. be
ba sed The first direction given to our labors
secure the roads. not merely as I'll"
beaten highways Of travel from the country to
the city. but in general occupying the best
ground for the enemys approach.