Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-11

All tins KIND OIL nav gatlOii mas grown up III
less than hall a century, anu until "ithin
ten wears past, was upon the Potomac, con-
fined to very narrow limits. Now, however,
all the regular lines formerly served by sail
ing packets, are served by steam vessels.
Long before the commencement OF the
present century, humSey invented a steam
boat which ran upon the Potomac III the
neighborhood of iiarper'S Ferry, and proved
the practicabilitv Of steam navigation. But
it was not until long afterwards that steam
er was introduced upon the Potomac, rs
something more than al experiment IA thing
of practical usefulness. rs early us Sep
tember !, lSl2. II meeting ot those interest
ed in the establishment OF Il steamboat be
tween the city oi Washington and Potomac
creek, was held. \ subsequent meeting was
held in this city. on the ii Of January, iS15.
Finally company was organized, ami as
sembled in Fredericksburg, july 18th. loli.
The steamboat WASHINGTON was built ior
the new company, and began her trips on
the river in 1918. subsequently the steam
boat CAMDEN was brought into the river,
and in lSlS-lq, the steamer ROANOKE took
her place on the river, running part OF the
time between Alexandria and Washington.
/
arrived here on Tuesday, the list oi Noyem-
Der, 1920, aud opened steam hno between
Washington. Alexandria and Norfolk. thus
boat remained on the river many years, and
was quite iarorite with the travelling pub
lie In the following year, the steamboat
| pgrERSEvRG, Capt. trockcr, began to run
on the line between the District OF Columbia.
Norfolk, Petersburg and Richmond.
In 1924, the little steamboat SURPRISE.
began regular trips between the three cities
of the then ten miles square. Her hours as
advertised look strangely when compared
with the convenience Of transit now furnish
Ell BY the three Washington ferry steamers
| The surprise left Georgetown at - y. NJ,
| for Alexandria, reached this city in some
| thing over an hour, left here at IL tor y ash
| ington: left Washington at ) tur tins place.
| and Alexandria al / for Georgetown.
| In 1889, the steamboat FREDERICKSBURG
| opened the line between Baltimore and tue
| district cities. and Oh the 18th Of March, IN
| the wear following, the steamboat COLUMBIA,
| Can't. Mitchell. the Oldest Of the now exist
| ING steamerS-was put upon the Baltimore
line. Soon afterwards the steamboat FRANK
LIN, Capt. hewitt, was placed upon The same
route. About the same time, the steamer
INDEPENDENCE came into the river She
WAS of little service, and was sold in 1882.
The river route was orcned IN 1882, by
the steamboat Essen. which ram down for
awhile as far as MattoZ. Oh the Potomac
which was afterwards burnt. The steam
| boat CYGyEr ran between the three cities Of
the district. beginning in 1898, aad the
same wear, the OrsATn>lC, Capt Homes, ran
upon the river roUte.
| In lS34. the steamboat SYDNEY was placed
on the Potomac creek route. About the
same time the steamer CuAArIoN, also took
her place on the Aqua Creek route. The
last heard Of her she was q store boat car
rying stores from New Orleans to ' era Cruz
for the use Of the army. Shortly afterwards
the steamer CHESAPEAKE, Capt. v ll>on, took
her place on the Norfolk route.
In 1888, the steamer JosErH JOHNSON,
Capt. Johnson was placed upon the ferry
route between this city and a>htngton. Her
hours as advertised IN January, 1886, were
as follows Leave Alexandria at , and =.
Leave Washington Ii and ;. The johnson
ran on this route for many wears, DONG good
seryice--turnin@-- was her great quail
ty--rcyY little fuel and paying now and then
a handsome dividend. She was more use.
full than ornamental, however, and all that
remains Of her, may now be seen at low tide
of Franklin street.
In the same year, 1896, the horsc.boat
which had been the connecting ierry-llnk
between Alexandria and Prince George 5
county, was Superseded Ivy the steamboat
UNION. The l:t,lo boat was unfortunatc
she burst her boiicr-the on.} accident ct
the kind ever happening on the Potomac
and killed several persons. !henccioit1
she got bad name; the boys called her tie
"Scald p0t,' and there was 81 end t. her
usefulness. unemployed herself afterwards
as TOW boat, and orce during a breach IN
| the Long Bridge ran On 4 ferry route Ill the
zap. She was succeeded by the ALENAN-
pRiA, which having been worn out, gave way
to that fine specimen OF nautical symmetry
the ALICE Fox.
The steamer PAUL JOKES was placed on
the Alexandria and Washington route in
1897. She was a particular object OF adml-
ration among the boys, owing - woo1rn
soldier. armed with two swords which fought
the wind whenever it blew, and winch --ieh'-
nara Acknowledgement n Il hararrouS
contest as to which hair dresser should have
the most snowy pole, adorned Il barber sign
on Fairfax street. The Paul Jones was
burnt to the waters cc-cc.
Out of her ashes arosc tho i'trNi& winch
having done good s. ry!eo on the ferry route,
was sold. carried awav~--and . month or
two since came back to the surprise OF every
body, and is now running where she ran
| twenty years ago.
The steamer ArGr>rA was placed on the
Washington and Aqua Greek route IN lS,,9-