when a wag in the crowd cried out he had come across a
"hickory root," (allusion to Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory," and their
political campaign).

He then threw down the spade, ripped off his coat, and went to work in
earnest. People on the hills around raised loud cheers until their Chief
Executive overcame the difficulty.

On July 4, 1831, water was let in the canal from the first feeder to the
Columbia Foundry. The loan of $1,500,000 was obtained in Holland through
Richard Rush on the credit of the citizens of Washington, Alexandria,
and Georgetown.

It is said that, with the probable exception of General Washington, he
took more interest in the affairs of the District of Columbia than any
other president. He was largely identified with its material prosperity;
he owned and operated a flouring mill on Rock Creek, but the project he
was most zealously interested in was the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Of
course, Mr. Adams had been here some during his father's presidency,
though he was a man in his thirties then and was much abroad on
diplomatic missions. He was also Secretary of State in Monroe's
administration, and after his own term of office as President, served as
a representative in Congress until his death.

A flouring mill which stood at the point where the canal of the old
Potomac Company entered the river, was owned by the Edes family. The
fish caught there were much larger than those caught elsewhere.

On the bank of the canal opposite the mill, lived Bull Frizzle, noted
for his enormous strength. One time, after there was an accident at the
Little Falls (Chain) Bridge, he crawled under a large beam and prized it
up by the strength of his back, saving the life of the man pinned
underneath.

Chapter VII

_Along Bridge (M) Street_

The bridge over Rock Creek at Bridge (M) Street, was built in 1788, and
one night when a storm of wind and rain was raging, gave way while a
stage-coach was passing over it. The coach was precipitated into the
water but only the driver and the horses were drowned. Ever afterwards
it was said that on stormy nights the ghost of the driver haunted the
spot.

Peter Casanave had a stone house near the bridge and close by was the
house of the French's. Mrs. French had been Arianna Scott, sister of
Mrs. Robert Peter. The house, which is still remembered by many old
residents, was a fine, large brick mansion of the prevailing type at
that time.

It was surrounded by tre