Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-23
TO FIGHT THE ICE.
What Harbormaater sutton Proposes to DE-
with the Triton.


( what Harbormaaser sutton Proposes to Do
| With the Triton.
Harbormastsr Sutton appeared before the
Commissioners this morning and had q long
talk with them in relation to the breaking up Of
the ice in the Potomac river He said that
while there was no immediate danger it was
1 well to be prepared, and as he had heard moth
ing from the Navy Department as to the use
OF the United States tug Triton he thought the
Commissioners should do something at once
The Commissioners gave Commodore Sutton q
letter of introduction to the Secretary OF the
Navy and he went in person to see what the
department had decided TO do with the request
Of the Commissioners for the use of the tug.
The Commissioners authorized him to have an
ice Flow built to put on the Triton 80 az to
/ prevent its damage and to use every other
means to get things in shape for the big fight
! with the ice which must commence shortly If
the mild weather holds on. Commodore Sutton
stated to the Commissioners that it was his in
tention IL the Triton could not be secured to
get boat from Baltimore. and after armng it
with steel pillow to commence breaking the ice
! from the bay. 1t would be necessary, he
! thought, to plow the channel at least as far as
Quantico before attempting to break the ice
yesterday, he said. had no appreciable effect
upon the ice, and it was solid as it had ever
been.
SECRETARY rRACY's LETTER.
Shortly after noon a messenger from the
Navy Department called upon the Commits
sioners and presented the following letter:
In reply to your communication of the
18th instant, requesting the loan Of the tug
| Triton for use in breaking the ice in the Poto-
mac river, have to state that the matter was
referred to the commandant of the Washing ton
| navy yard for report As to the availability OF
this tug for the service required Under date
of January % he reports as follows:
THE Triton is strongly built for a vessel of
her kind. but she is not strong enough to break
the ice which exists in the river. The ice is
now nine inches thick where the water lie twenty
feet deep, and probably thicker where the
I water is shoaler. If an attempt is made to
break the ice the breaking shonid commence
at the mouth Of the river or at clear water,
where the ebb tide may carry the broken ice
away. II the ice is first broken in the harbor
the tidal current will pills the ice up and hasten
the danger. If the Commissioners will delay
the attempt until the ice is light enough for
small vessels like the Triton to break it she
might be employed. suggest that in this case
the Commissioners make themselves responsible
for any serious injury to the boat, in addition to
supplying the fuel"
The department would be glad to assist the
Commissioners in any way possible and if. in
accordance with the recommendation of the
commandant of the Washington navy yard. the
| attempt to clear the harbor is delayed until the
ice is light enough to be broken by such small
vessel as the Triton it will be very glad to per-
init the use OF this tug, provided the Commits
sioners will supply the fuel and become respon-
sible for any serious injury to the vessel.
As the services Of the Triton will be urgently
needed as soon communication by the river
is opened with Indian Head it must be under
stood that she will only lie used when her SER
vices can be spared by the department.
The department IN its earnest desire to do
everything in its power to contribute to the
| security of the city and harbor has assented
to the proposition Of the Commissioners
az stated above, but it begs to call at
tention to the statement of the commandant
above quoted and to say that it believes that
the result desired could not be secured in any
| appreciable degree by the use Of the Triton. A
powerful iceboat at the lower end Of the ice
would seem to be needed for the purpose.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) B. F. TRACY,
Secretary of the Navy.