Union arch.
Chief Engineer, Capt. Montgomery C. Meigs,
U. S. Corps of Engineers.
Esto perpetua.
The tablet on the west abutment contains the following inscription : Washington Aqueduct.
Begun A. D. 1853. President of the U. S.,
Franklin Pierce. Secretary of War,.
. Building A. D. 1861.
President of the U. S., Abraham Lincoln,
Secretary of War, Simon Cameron.
The blank space in this latter inscription originally contained the name of "Jefferson Davis."
ERASED IN 1862.
Although it is still a matter of dispute, it is generally accepted as a fact that the name was cut out in 1862 by order of Caleb Smith, Secretary of the Interior (then in charge of the aqueduct system), at the suggestion of Representative Galusha Grow, of Pennsylvania, afterward Speaker of the House.
The most recent as well as the most determined effort toward the restoration of Jeff Davis' name was made in 1907. In that year the Society of the Daughters of the Confederacy, at Richmond, adopted strong resolutions in favor of the restoration of the name, and W. P. Phillips, W. B. Smith and other citizens joined the movement. Representative Adolph Meyer, of Louisiana, since deceased, took a specially active part in the matter and induced the Secretary of War (Mr. Taft) to have the matter thoroughly investigated.
MAJOR COSBY'S REPORT.
Major Spencer Cosby, Engineer Commissioner of the District, was in charge of the Washington adueduct system at that time. He made an examination of all available records and made a full report of his researches in July, 1907.
