Evening Star Newspaper, June 30, 1929, Page 93

i was received by residents for salaries and the like, and the usc of the few improved streets made so by Congress strictly for its own use and benefit. W!TH Alexandria, the breaking point ecame in 1846, after it had become completely snowed under with debt, due to its investments in its end of the canal. This was in part due to an error—for which Alexandria was not entirely to blame—-in estimating for the erection of the Aqueduct Bridge, which was originally to have been construcied of wooden plers at a cost of $300,000, the change to masonry adding $950,- 000 more. It is said that Congress encouragsd this grand scheme, which was (o pour the golden results of 1 vote of 66 to 26. Georgetown ook the guestion up in 1819, bui the people veted against it. , even years later, retrocession was car- ried by one vote, and in 1840, the matter went so far -as to urge the Maryland Legislature to permit the return of Georgatown to that State, . but through no fault of Georgetown, the State Legislature tabled the proposition. § to keep the bridge from floating rry the canal over the Potomac old Washington newspaper of \lu-me‘ltouutsute!or. THE SUNDAY Q'I /\R WASHIN! .’[ ON, JUNE At one of the locks in the old days. There were 75 lift locks and two guard locks between Georgetown end Cumberland. May 28, 1835. The writer says: “We have never bad an opportunity of inspecting a more re- markable triumph of art than the operation of bullding massy stone piers in the bed of the River Petomac, now going on near Georgetown, at the expense of the Alexandria Canal Co., under the direction of Capt. Turnbull of the United States topographical engineers. We yes- terday paid a visit to the work, and found it to surpass our previous conception of it, as well in regard to the magnitude of the enterprise as to the imgenuity with which very formidable obstacles have been overcome. These piers, the reader must understand, are to support an agueduct, or canal, being a branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which is to cross the river in this manner on iis way to Alex- andria. It is truly a stupendous undertaking, with ne parallel in this country, and, we be- lieve, scarcely equaled in any other. The pier which is begun is the second from the Alexandria (or Virginia) shore, the first being the next to be built. The foundation of this pier is on the bare rock, and the structure is of solid masonry, formed of very large blocks of excellent stone frem the Falls guarries, skillfully laid in water- cement. To accomplish this object, a vast cofferdam has been constructed, the interior of which Is about 80 feet long and nearly 30 wide. The depth of water to be shut out by this dam s 18 feet, and the depth of mud below that depth of water, which mud it was necessary also to remoye, was more than 17 feet. so that the building was begun at a depth of 37 feet below the surface of the water. Nothwithatanding which, so successful has been the preparation for resisting the vast external pressure of water, that the rocky bottom was lald bare to the whole extent of the area in- closed, and even swept clean and dry with !92‘)‘1" \RT e 9 brooms before the cement was applied, in which, a few days ago, the first course of stone was laid. The length of the pier building is, aé the base, 66 feet, running in its length with the current and the tide; its precise breadth we do not remember, but it must be someéthing oved 15 feet. The mason work of the pier is go- ing on rapidly and successfully. It had yester- day reached above 10 feet in height from the bottom. The whole number of these piers (some of .them even larger than this) is to be eight, besides the end piers or abu‘ments, and upon - | them the canal is to be carried, at an eleva- tion of 30 feet above the level of the river. “WE have given this sketch of a very remark~ able work, in our immediate vicinity, first, because it is remarkable; secondly, to express our admiration of the spirit of the fown of Alexandria in preserving mn this undertaking of here im defiance of all obstacles; and, thirdly, that we may give the credit due to the ac- complished engineer who has labored so un-- tiringly in carrying on this operation and has now the gratification of rejoicing in its success. He is ably assisted in this duty at present by Lieut. Ewing of the Artillery, now on topo- graphical duty.” Competent judges landscape beauiy to any similar stretch of country in the Eastern part of the United declare the territory | through which the canal passes as equal in States. A few years ago the writer took several : of his friends from out of town, who were at-" | tending a convention in this city, up the Con- duit road to ses Great Falls, one of the chisf attractions of this part of the East. And the trip proved to be interesting in more than one x: way, for while ail hands were the beautiful Falls, wondering what could have caused such a great upheaval, a thunderstorm of an unusually copious nature, burst wide open and drenched us all to the skin. The only other man in the crowd—for some reason I have never been able to learn, unless it had been just packed in his traveling grip—had brought aslong a bathing suit, which he wore home in- stead of his wet clothing, the rest of us having" to make the return trip as wet as if we had been under the very falls themselves. forgets, and when possible I take my friends there, and, of course, tell them of the gold to be found in the surrounding rocks, but which the geologists tell us can never be obtained in paying quantities. In other words, it is somewhat like finding oil around Washington, which has occurred more than once, but which never has, and undoubtedly never will be, found in anmy- thing like profitable amounts. An incident oc- curred here back in 1885, when oil was “struck™ at Eleventh and P streets northwest, when ex- cavation was being made for a large building, but one would only be using bad judgment to buy this property as oil land. The Most Dramatic Incident o f American History BY E. W. DAVIDSON. HE most dramatic incident in the history of America took place approximately one hundred and fifty-three years age within the old State House at Philadel- phia. On July 4, 1776, a group of men representing the American people had assem- bled to take final action upon the Declaration of Independence. Ouiside, the streets were thronged with those awaiting news of the ac- tion of Congress. While up in the belfry waited the old gray-haired hellman ready to proclaim abroad the news of freedom from British rule, as soon as the final vote was {aken. By the side of the old bellman stood a little bright-eyed boy whom he lifted in his arms and kissed. He told this boy to go below and the instant word was given out that the final vote had been given, to give the signal that he might peal forth the joyful news. It was expected that the final vote would be ‘taken at once, but houwrs passed and no report came from the men gathered in conference. Alarming rumors ran about the streets to the effect that those inside were plotting in secret to set up a monarchy te make the second som of George III King of the United States. The old bellman leaned over "the belfry side, his heart heavy. He feared the little fellow had forgotten his instructions. Finally, the door of the hall opened and a voice said, “It has passed.” Immediately from ount of the crowd came the shrill, high-pitched voice of the child, “Ring! Ring!” The old bellman, electrified into life by the news, seized the iron fongue of the bell and hurled it back and forth with a clang that stirred like the call of a bugle the heartbeats of all those who heard it. The bell was heralding the motto which had been engraved around it when brought from England more than twenty years ago—Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitanis thereof.” Al- though the clanging of the bell had sounded over the city many times, the proclamaiion en- graved thereon had never been spoken aloud. “That old State House bell is silent Hushed is now its clamorous tongue; But the spirit it awakened Still is living—ever young; And when we greet the smiling sunlight On the Fourth of each July, We will ne'er forget the beliman Who, betwixt the earth and sky, Rang out loudly, ‘Independence,’ Which, please God, shall never die.” The Declaration of Independence stands to- day as one of the most remarkable state papers in the history of the world. Drafted by Thomas Jeflerson, who was selected from a committee composed of Jefferson, Adams, Pranklin, Sher- man and Livingsion, it was presented to Con- gress under the title: “A Deeclaration by the Represeniatives of the Unled States in Con- gress Assembled.” On that memorable July l. 1776, this Declara- tion was signed by Johm Hancock, President of Congress. On August 2, 1776, by order of Congress, an engrossed om on parchment was prepared and flcned delegales from every The Signing of the Declaration of Independence Approximately 153 Years Ago in the Old State House at Philadelphia. The Declaration of Independence has met with many vicissitudes and has been a wand:r- €r in many States. Its first removal from Phila- delphia, its birthplace, was to Baltimore. This was occasioned by the advance of the British upon Philadelphia. In 1777 it was taken back to Philadelphia, but soon thereafter. the ac- tivities of the British caused its removal o Yeork, Pa. On its return it remained in Phila- deiphia for five years, but was again moved, this time to Princeton, N. J, when Congress agjourned there. In 1800 it was brought to Washington. Dur- ing the War of 1812 it was taken to Leesburg, Va., for safety. After the burning of the Capitol amnd White Houss in 1814, it was brought back to Washington and deposited in the Patent Office, where it remained until it was taken to the ecntennial at Philadelphia in 1876. After its return to Washingion, it was placed in the State Department. There it remained until September 30, 1921, when President Harding, at the suggestion of Secretary Hughes, affixed his signature to an order fransferring it, together with the Constitution of the United States, from the State Department to the Library of Congress, which was considered the proper piace for both documents. For nearly three years they remained there, in a light-proof safe, until an appropriation by Congress made pos- sible & besutiful marble shrine which was es- pecially designed to express the dignity and honor in which these hml-nanul documents of the Nation were held. The sbrine, which was designed by Prancis the two plates to exclude the actinic rays of light and prevent further fading, were made ready, and on Pebruary 28, 1924, in the pres- ence of President Coolidge, the Secretary of State and & representative group of Congress, installation - “I believe that this day will be cele- brated by stcceeding generations as a great anniversary festival. It ought to be cemmemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Al- mighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illumina- tions from ome end of the continent to the other, from time forward, forever.” For many years thereafter the celebrations consisted of meaningless, nerve-racking noises. Yankee ingenuity developed all sorts of noise- producing devices, until the Fourth of July be- came a day of pistols, toy cannons and giant firecrackers. In 1908, the casualty Mst of the United States had reached the appaling total of 5623. Dur- ing the entire War of the Revolution the Ameri- can lcsses were only slightly more than twice that number in killed, wounded and missing. Protests were finally broadcast throughout many parts of the country that a “safe and sane Fourth” should be inaugurated. The Dis- trict of Columbia, in 1909, determined to ex- ° perim=nt in this direction. The celebration of the year before had been marked with so many accidents and fires that local protests against the indiscriminate use of fireworks were made. forbidding the sale or discharge of fireworks within the District. Provision was how- ever, for éelebrations. Special permits might be obtained, defining time, place and storage, and - such other considerations to be . might be deemed necessary for public safety. President Taft cxpressed his written approval - of the new idea. The Commissioners procured thenhmury.ndenmmmdthe- members of the Board of Trade and of the Chamber of Commerce. Public sentiment was also strongly in favor of this procedure. Two - committees were formed for providing public en- tertainment. In the morning was the reading of the Declaration amd appropriate addresses. In the evening, a fine display of fireworks upon the ellipse south of the White House. Punds for this were supplied by public subscription. During the day there was also a floral automobile parade, prizes being offered for the most beauti- ful and effective decorations. One very pertinent feature of the success of first celebration of a safe and the District’s sane Fourth was strikingly shown by the ab- sence of a single casualty on that day. On the same holiday the year pravious, 104 persons were treated at various hospluls for injuries sustained from explosions, fires and other ac- cidents occasicned by the activities of the day: Has Many Uses. MICAhu.lmle nam2 but a long et of uses. In addition to the employment of sheet mica, the scrap has been ground up for use in wallpaper, fancy paint, ornamental tile, concrete facing, hibricant for auto tires, axie grease, annealing steel, dusting agent for rolled roofing, Christmas tree snow, insulator for pipes and boiler covering, fireproof paints and “gther uses 'too numerous to mention.” Peace By Wilfred ]. Fzml A green, evening hush: Peace Far around the hills: : Some distant, drowsy sound. All's still. Listen— wide-wandering A thrush that thrills tlw sdena into song And fills the neighboring vale . Full to its purple rim with melodies That suddenly cease: Silence creeps up the hill. %4 Dear God! 1 think no night Was ever quite so clear, = 3% So filled with hth Here on this vekvet green, stretched at full Irnqth 3 AlmostI feél . Sl The imperceptible soft rise " and fall Of nature’s breast At rest Until the morrow. A