Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-09

BRHAKMa Ur or fax RivKR-The Ice In
the river has for some days past showed signs
| OF dissolution, and on Saturday was % much
weakened that the Powhatan steamboat Was
able 70 cut her way through to Alexandra
and back, making the round trip In about
| forty minutes. The thickest ice found was
| opposite the Arsenal Yesterday, the rapid
thaw had occasioned q great rise in the river,
and the various points overlooking It were
| occupied during the day by crowds OF specta-
| tors, attracted by the sublime spectacle pre-
| sented. Gazing at the sweeping tide OF thick
| foes of ice coming down from the upper Poto-
! mae, il needed little exercise Of the imagi-
\ nation to imagine ones self in those Arctic
regions depicted by DR. Kane
The immense power OF this moving body Of
| Ice made itself felt upon the Long Bridge from
it's start early in the morning, and before 3
\ o'clock p m it had made its mark by carry-
| ing away a considerable portion of the old
| wood work at the Georgetown channel. The
portion completed under direction of Commits.
| sioner Blake remains uDmoved, though an i'm.
mense weight of ice is lodged against it. The
heaps of ice piled upon the fats protect the
remainder Of the structure, and il is believed
that no further damage will be done. About
l2O feet of the bridge on the District side of
the Georgetown channel is gone, and as much
more shaken and out of position. The draws
are uniDjured.
We learn that the inclined plane at the
Little Falls bridge was carried away yester
day; also that the ferry boat at Georgetown
was swept down the river The high north.
west wind which prevailed yesterday. and on.
Grated so disadvantageously to the long bridge,
was doubtless the saving Of Georgetown, pro.
wing the truth OF the saying, " It's an Ill wind
that blows good to nobody"
TIE FAIR OF THE MECHANICS INSTITUTE
The interest which this z air Is exciting abroad
lsshown BY the following circular Of the Rhode
Island Society for the encouragement of do.
mestic industry:
PROVIDENCE, January 20, 1857.
Sir: The Metropolitan Mecha nies institute
propose to hold an exhibition at Washington
city, commencing on the ID day of March and
ending on the Both of the same month Thew
have invited the co operation of mechanics
and manufAeturers in all parts of the Union in
this exhibition. Their invitations in this State
have not only been to individuals by an agent
dispatched for the purpose, but also to this
Society to use its influence on its members and
others. The standing committee Of this Society
on the 20th instant passed the annexed reso-
lutions:
ResoLoed, That in the opinion of this board,
1t will be highly advantageous to the manu-
featuring and mechanical interests of this
state that an extensive and varied exhibition
Of the products of our own industry be made
at the approaching exhibition at w ashington
under the auspices Of the Metropolitan Me-
chsnics Institute
ResOtued, That the Secretary of this Society
forward copy OF the foregoing resolution to
such OF the manufacturers and mechanics
members OF this Society and others, as will
take an interest in having the industry and
skull of this State duly represented in said ex.
hioifion, together with such inform alton as he
may obtain relative to the transmission of ar.
ticles TO Washington.
ReSOlred, That the several members Of Con-
gress from this State be requested to act as
agents OF the manufacturers and mechanics of
THIS state Who may send contributions to said
exhibition, In taking oversight Of such arti.
cies while there, and relative TO the return of
the same to their several owners
hsso!Tsd, That the sum Of fifty dollars be
appropriated to defray the expense which
may be incurred by the Secretary in this mat
ter.
trust it will require no argument to in
duce you to serve your own interests, and sub
serve those Of the State, by forwarding some
specimens of your enterprise and skill In
fair held the manufacturers and mech anics of
Rhode Island need fear no competition The
circular of the IL NJ Institute can be seen at
this office, and will be enclosed you if you de-
sire it
Ihsve been informed by the Superintendent
can De forwarded by way of Boston free of ex.
pense Very respectfully,
W. X STAPLES, Secretary.
An lEToLERABLE NUISANCE We are in
formed by a citizen of the Fourth Ward that
nearly every Sabbath evening the corner of
Fourth and l streets is occupied by a gather
ing Of young men, who make that neighbor-
hood almost impossible by their disorderly
Fnndnet ard thr.a ,,xIn
passing that point, when young man (whose
name We with hold, hoping that this notice will
deter him and the others congregatng there
from repetition of their conduct threw.
with much force, a stone at the crowd of his
companions, missing whom, it glanced from
the pavement. and struck with much violence
one Of the young girls mentioned above We
hope our police force will give this section a
little more Of their attention We understand
that this crowd has been dispersed more than
once by the officers having charge of this Sec
ton.
NOVEL SIGHT Many persons, interested in
mechanics, have lately visited the machine
shop on the north Of the Capitol extension in
order to see the novel sight Of large column
shaft of Italian marble, twenty feet In length,
being turned in lathe. By simple attach
ment to the lathe the ordinary gearing of the
slide rest and ways is made to guide the tool,
so that the delicate curve of entasis Of the
shaft is perfectly formed, and the huge mass,
weighing ten tons when first put into the lathe,
is reduced to the form Of the gently swelling
shafts of the most admired columns Of anti
guilty. Upon another lathe in the same shop
may be seen block Of marble that is being
turned into base for the column. These col
umns are for the extension Of the Post Office
THREATS AND ASSAULT. Turnbridge and
II. O'Brien were arrested on Saturday by Off,
Ger King, on the oath of Miss Ann Cunning.
ban, who charged them with assault, threats,
&c. 1t appeared that the accused were sub
tenants under complainant and, becoming OBJ
noxious to her, she, in order to rid herself of
them, took occasion, when they were absent, to
put their goods and chattels out of doors Up7n
the return Of one Of them, he found the door
locked, and to regain possession he forced it
open hence the suit The case was TAX en-
before Justice Dom, but was not prosecuted
the accused agreeing to leave the premises
MILITARY VISITORS seventh regiment
Of National Guards Of New York citv num