Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/132

120 Lincoln's administration. The name is to be restored in accordance with orders given by President Roosevelt on Washington's birthday, less than two weeks before he left the office of Chief Executive. Although the amount of work to be done is. comparatively small and the cost very little, yet it took considerable time to get the orders through the various channels to the officer directly in charge of the work, who at once went about completing the necessary details. The bridge is a high structure and considerable scaffolding has had to be erected where the mechanics will do their work.

The restoration of Mr. Davis' name to the tablet will mark the culmination of many efforts with that object in view, which, however, will finally be accomplished without the immediate appeal of any organization or individual, but by the direct orders of Mr. Roosevelt himself. An allotment of $250 was made for the work by the engineer's office. The specifications asking bids for the restoration of the name read as follows:

"Restoring the name of Jefferson Davis on the granite tablet on the west abutment of 'Cabin John Bridge' by removing the entire face of the stone about five by eleven to a depth approximately one inch or sufficient to form a new, clean, smooth brushed surface and recutting the legend now upon the tablet with the addition of the name, Jefferson Davis, as shown upon the rubbing with 'v'-cut letters. The present ogree marginel border around the tablet is to be bushed to a clean bevel cut one and one-half inches wide."

The stone tablets are built in the bridge, one on each abutment (south face). One bears the inscription: