Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-06
The lee Emparse in the Potomac.

The lee Embargo I'm the Potomac. 4
NO BRKAK Up FRox THE STORM. So PAR,
FIFTY VESSELS LOCKED IN.
Considerable apprehension was felt yesterday
among the river men as to the effects Of the rain
storm ON the ice, but unless the snow on the
mountains has been melted, which Is not at all
likely 20 take place. The signal service OBJ
server at Harper's Ferry teiegraphed from there
yesterday At $40 a. m, as foTws:
Shenandoah has risen thirty-eieht inches since
last report, and stu rising. Bulk of the rise oe
CURED since o'clock. "BRowN, Observer
.,.i telegram ,a received 2, o'clock last night
rise, unless continued for some time, can have
but little effect here. The ice this morning ex-
tended from shore to shore Of the Potomac, but
has been much weakened by the mild tez pera-
ture and the rains. There has been a coRlplete
ice embargo as far down the river as Cedar
Peint since last Tuesday, that being the day the
ferry-boats ceased running between this city
and Alexandria.
Business along the river front has come to q
dead lock, except the traffic in wood and coal
which seems to be lively enough. Yesterday
morning STAR reporter took a strell, or rather
shuttle over the line of wharves between the
Long bridge and Arsenal wharf, all covered
where, and nothing looked genial but an i'm
mense manure heap Water street, between
eth and 9th streets, which was steaming like
volcano.
"oUT IN THE COLD woRLD"-How A LOCKED
OFT HUSBAND WARNED "HIssELF."
On passing this point the head and shoulders
side of the miniature Tesuvius, and the first
thought that darted through the reporters
brain was "another murder item.' An oblique
bee line through the slush brought him to the
pile, where was seated a forlorn colored man
about half buried in stable straw and manure,
but he wasn't dead.
Reporter--..why man 1 thought You were
dead. What the ID are you doing here in
the dri zzle?
Colored man raising his eyes without moving:
"I'm warmin myself"
R.-"Have you no other place, no home?''.
G. M.-Yas sur"
R.-.Then why are You here?'
c. MIN a warmin' myself"
R.-"Where do You liver"
G. M.-"Fredercksburg."
MISUNDERSTANDING, Virginia, or Fredercks-
burg q s% over ~ street,. SST!
R-'YOu mean in this city?" l-
q. M.-"Yas, sur"
R-"Why don't you go homer"
R.-"Why not?''
C, M-"COs 1 was ont late last night, and got
R.y,'served you right; but when did you
c. M.-"This mOrnin'."
r R.-"Oh, then you was out all night before
G. M-"Yas, sur"
R.-"Are you cOd?"
c. M was when come here; but am all
R.L.'well, you'd better try again, may be
she II let yOu in now.''
c. M.-'Yas, sur; I'm goin' to try it again.
the straw of Gmped away.
HALF HUNDRED VESSELS SHUT IN.
About fifty sailing vessels and steamers were
counted between the arsenal grounds and Long
bridge, and among them some large schOOners,
all with cargOes discharged and ready to sail
whenever the channel opens.
In q conversation with Capt. Shekell, it was
ascertained that the schooner General Grant,
from Philadelphia, with coal consigned to this
city, was cut through by the ice nearly two
Denty's tug Atlantic had her in tow at the time.
A sand schooner is reported to be aground and
frozen i'm at Boyd's Hole, on the Virginia side of
There is general complaint among captains
and pilots who navigate the Potomac, at
THE MEAGRE LIGHTHOUSE FACILITIES
afforded on this river, Cedar Point, Piney Point,
Blacbwells Island and Point Lookout being the
only ones from the bay to the head of naviga-
ton, leaving long distances between them in
which are very dangerous bars to cross.
Disasters have been quite frequent during the
past year, and heavy losses sustained by indivd-
uals and insurance companies, which would
have been averted had there been more lights.
The points most complained of as being danger
GUS are Maryland point, Matthias point, and
Ragged point. The last named is a long bar,
running Obliquely from the Virginia shore, and
on dark knights pilots so dread il that they 90
from eight to twelve miles ont of their usual
daytime course to avoid it. There is a buoy
only be seen by daylight. These mariners saw
that while the Hudson and other rivers north
and west are lighted up from mouth to head like
a street, the Potomac, which is becoming yearly
more difficult to navigate by reason OF the CON
stantly-changing sandbars, is left in almost To-
tai darkness.
Late in the day, yesterday, the tugboat Joe
Denty broke through the ice from QaanticO to
this city.
TO-DAY.
No perceptible rise has been observed In the
river at Georgetown up to noon to-day, and
none was anticipated, as the main body of wa
ter from the rain was supposed to have passed
without starting the ice.
The ice in Rock creek had nearly all fOated
down at the hour named, considerable GUAM
tity lodging under the bridges, but no danger
was anticipated. Precautions had been taken
by merchants on Water street by placing their
goods out of reach of the water.
Enforcing the Building Regulations.