Evening star., 1941-04-06

have cost only S40,4OO, due mainly
to the low price of labor and the
abundance of material in the i'm
mediate vicinity, such as the stone
and the timber used in the construc-
tion of the falseworks
! The Lavaur Bridge, in France,
on the line of the Limoges & Brives
Railway, is of the same general
design as the Jaremcze structure
1t has single span of 6.5 meters
(20134 feeD.
The largest span stone arch in
Great Britain is the famous Gros-
venor Bridge over the River Dee, at
Chester, England. having a span
of 200 feet"
In 1852 the name of jefferson
Davis was erased from the inscrip-
tion on the west abutment by direc-
ton OF Caleb B. Smith, Secretary
OF the Interior, but was later re-
stored by direction of President
Theodore Roosevelt.
A short distance beyond the
bridge, the Bobbinger brothers for
many years conducted the Cabin
John Hotel, which, back in the COS,
was one of the most delightful
places to rest and to refresh ones
self after pedaling a bicycle for
about seven miles. But the Bob
bingerS always had plenty of drinks
on hand to quench a thirst, and
this could be lemonade or something
stronger, depending upon the desire
of the customer.
New Resort Founded.
In 1889 the foundation for a new
pleasure resort was laid when the
twin brothers, Edwin and Edward
Baltzley, came here from Philadel-
phia and bought 20 acres of the
farm of William Reading, to the
east of Cabin John Creek, which
they named "Glen Echo-on-the-
Potomac" and referred to the latter
as 'the Washington Rhine" From
the first, at least, it appears that
1t had not been the intention of the
BaltzleyS to make of Glen Echo
pleasure resort, but rather to de-
velop it into a high-class settle
ment.
Whatever may have been the
original idea of the Baltzley
brothers, it was not long before they
concluded to erect on the property
number of large and expensive
amusement buildings at a consid-
cradle cost.
On November 90, 1890, the place
was visited by a destructive fire
and the loss fell very heavily on
the owners, who realized-but not
soon enough-that they had sunk a
fortune in an enterprise which was
planned just little too soon. The
Baltzleys then sold out to the
Chautauqua Association, which got
off to very good start, but also
suffered great loss in the end.
This association began construc-
tive work on the property at once
and by May 81, 1891, the press said:
Since the laying of the corner
stone at Glen Echo, work has gone
steadily forward on the great build
ings. The last arch on the stone
work of the amphitheater is now
completed and the timers and
roofers are making the hills echo
the noise of their hammers as they
push the work through"
The pipe organ was said to be
ready for shipment and the FORE
men in charge of the various lines
of work assured the management
that everything would be in readi-
ness for the opening day.
The news item further states:
"a picnic party of Epworth
Leaguers drove out night before
last, reaching the grounds at about
1890 o'clock. The rain was fall
ing, but it did not dampen their
spirits, as they repaired to the am
pitheater and enjoyed themselves
as only young people can until
nearly midnight, when they started
horaeward. The first hymn to be
sung under the great roof was the
old favorite one, Nearer, My God,
to Thee"