Evening star., 1921-02-13

\ JAGGED line of gray rocks
~ reaches from Analostan ISL
and to the Rosslyn shore
These rocks can be plainly
seen when the Potomac is at low tide,
ana at high tide you will mark by
the disturbance of the water as it
flows above the rocks that there is
an obstruction there. Seen from the
AQueduct bridge or from the city
streets that are high above the nortn
END OF the bridge, you think that it
is a narrow line or ledge of tumbled
rocks which links the isla nd and Vir-
gina, but if you should get a nearer
view, either from the island or from
point on the river shore below ROSS
lyn, you would See that the belt of
rocks is as wide as an avenue. Once
these rocks, set symmetrically by
maSonS. formed a roadway thirty feet
vide and six feet above extraordinary
hlgh tides, and on each side of the
roadway was stone wall four feet
high. 1t was cauSeway from Ma
sons s Island to the Virginia side of
the river and it was also a dam. 1t
was built primarily as a dam, but it
was also causeway, or paved road,
because the owner of the island nd
of the land on the Virginia side-Gen.
John Mason-in agreeing to the build
ing of the dam stipulated that it
should be causeway. And the Ram
bier will bring out all these facts
when he presents to you the deed
from John Mason to the corporation
of Georgetown.
That branch of the Potomac river be-
tween Anaiostan Island and Virginia
is Little river. 1t has been said that
ii is the natural channel Of the Po-
tonac. and it has been said with an
enual SbnW n ri int hot
the natural channel of the Potomac
When her Analostan Island was cut
on from the mainland on the west
side of the river or from the main
land on the east side of the river, or
was left as an island between two
branches when the great flood of
waters seeking the low level of the
seas crashed and ground half-mlle
wide chasm through the rocks and
secured a valley through the softer
sedimentary Foundation, is something
that no one seems to know 1t may be
tnat II Is unknowable.
Many scientists have thought and
talked on this subject. and perhaps
some Of them have talked on it with
out thinking much about it. How
ever. if you want to settle this ques-
tion for your own peace of mind and
happiness of spirit, go to it. The
island. the river and the manila nd
shores are there, and perhaps you may
be able to read the geological history
of Analostan Island. The Rambler
will give some quotations on this
subject before we get through with
the series. This island was in the
Potomac when Capt John Smith and
the Rambler came to these pats. "
was probably the Potomac river be-
fore the American Indians came to
this continent from Asia. or wherever
they did come from. and set up their
villages here. This island may have
been created at the time the inland
ocean broke through the Blue Ridge
al Harper~ Ferry and washed the
crust of the earth away until it
uncovered the basic rocks of gneiss
at Great Falls. Difficult Run. Scott's
Run. Little Falls and all the way
down to AnaIostan Island. And that
was probably before man came upon
the earth. So. though the Rambler's
recollections appear sometimes to ex-
tend back to the time Of the settle
peans-a trifiing matter of three hun
he retains no memory Of that time
when Analostan Island was not.
The dam, the relics OF which your
attention has been called to, was be-
gun in 1905. In 1904 the citizens Of
Georgetown petitioned Congress to
permit the city of Georgetown to
make a certain improvement in the
Potomac river. The petition set forth