Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-23

TeroNkc AND TIE EaY-rHE DANGERS OF A
Hood rEoFLE ALONG TIE HANEs or THE
RIVER TAXING PRECAUTIONS TO SAVE THEIR
TFFEcrs.
The ice on the Potomac river shows no sign
o., breaking. aud the snow on the hills and
mountains along the banks Of the river is deep
sud Ia melted but little during the past week.
While there has been warm rain or hot sun
O. nell the snow and ice and start Good, the
river men are extremely anxious about the ice
brcaGng time. when they fcar there will lie
disastrous doo,L IN that case boating instead
ot sisighirg VII be the order OF the day on
rcnn-yIyania avenue Congress has appropri-
ated the 5000 a-srd upon the recommended
tiou % Ua-born1s-er SGttou. The money is to
b. used IN breaking up tho ice with icebOats
in cl=s ~ an emergency. Some Of the river
men say The work II breaking the ice should DO
commenced a. once. and the start should be
Inair u-lr ths mouth 81 the river, IN order 10
clear Inc ehaarel gvI give the Ice IN this sec
tiOu o chance tp make IT. way 10 the bay.
srr1u SHEET OF 1CT.
There Is 4 spid coating across the river clear
60 It, mouth. and even in the bay about Norfolk
the zee u - thicS tina: boats are unable TO make
suy heldvay IN ;he harbor All the boats there
ury now I,iJ up with tho exception % the ferry
bo1is which run a--o-- the Elizabeth river be
taesu Norfolk unl Portsmouth. \ channel l.
Kept opcu by keeping the beats in operation all
tBr SINE r.-il.- these ferry b0a'- the heavy
NrE lork steamers run 20 Cape Charles tity
ard their voyages made through some heavy
see The b..tts are always several hnurs late.
Thee are iE' only bnat- that are able To- make
auv hrHdSny about Norfolk and Portsmouth
The long cold speli has caused great amount
81 s..fsrigg among the poorer classes In Nor
fnLk rui among then are the families OF several
buu,'-cd oyster sLurkrrs whose occupation Il
gone.
sUTTEEIva A. NORFOLK
Some Of the OYSTER packers employ a. many
a- 80 men and thew have been feeding the
men and their families. The packing hoases
have been turned into immense kitchens and
Nlcsrt- Of rlch sonp a. well A. loaves of bread
hty, bsea dispensed without money and with
yut price.
During the latter part Of last week an at
tempt vas made g. get ia the oysters from the
vo-=sls cut in the ice-covered sea. The oysters
L4t been caught before the ice came. but the
captains were caught by the Ice. Shedding
Yagtic- were forJlod and many OF the bivalves
were brought ashore.
Mr. Harry Love. the OYSTER dealer. who made
a visit % Norfolk last wees said To a STAR re-
Co-tsr that h. had been IN the oyster bushes
for twenty-five year and lie had never before
seen anything 20 equal the present cold snap.
The suffering among the oyster shuckers. he
sand. was intense. and - was pitIful sight TO
:
In the lower counties along the line Of tho
river a great dead Of suffering il reported.
here a., many persons IN the counties who
depend upon clustering for a livelihood, and
now that they have no work May OF them are
unable 10 buy food Some 81 the large supply
stores. however. are crediting the men, and
preventing some suffering in that way.
TuE sEvEREsr ToR THIErY-sfX YEARS.
This il the -everest spell Of weather that we
have had since 1861" laid a riyer man to a
reporter.
tie -aii that the ice was thick enough at
BackistDn Island 10 permit Walking across to
'oiouial Beach something that has not been
done On uianv years
SJsaAing ~ the likelihood OF a food he said
that there more ice ON the river and snow
along she country and on she mountains than
there has been for thirty-siT wears. warm
rain OF a sudden thaw. he thought, meant a
food u the money appropriated 20 prevent
ar tee inn - % b. expended he thought II
should b. used at once. and The start should be
INSIDE % the mouth Of the river.
The chances for fooi are much better
than thew were n few wears ago. he said. be
csn-e the fats above the bridge are much higher
nov than then and the outlet IL not 80 Wide. The
water j. bound 70 md it, level ard should there
be 4 fool Jackson City will be the FIRST place
under water. and the chances are that every
house "a that place Will be- swept away"
burug the severe freeze IN lS56 81 he said
NJ boats were able To run down the river for
rsvcutv-five dave. He remembered when a car
va- pat on runners and drawn over the ice by
twelve horses. lhs sight wns novel one and
fully go persons, men and BOYS, had hold of
the rope.
The oulv place On the river where the ice is
reported 10 have broken up j. in the vicinity of
smith Point. where. IS reported IN Saturday
SRA. tn light house vas carried away. smiths
Point l. not FAR down the moIth Of tho river.
The occupants - In. house we're compelled 30
leave u and -e,s a place 81 safety on the shore.
rkKtNa Precautions.
Precautions are being taken by persons living
in the districts which would DO affected by q
hoo4 A onS the line Of the river above George
town persons whose houses are near enough to
The shar- % BE- in danger are moving their
horsehoid effects. The same - being done by
suulc q the merchants IA the city. Notices
have been issued 90 the members Of the boat
eluh- u1tifying them - the danger and adyis-
ing them o. hook out for their boats.
The officials u tie Chesapeake and Ohio
canal are also on the anxious seat heavy
food az tai- time. 10 u thought. would wreck
the canal and might Tut 10 IN such bad shape
tha- the company would not make another
effort 20 pat u in rnnning order. ~ they have
rot fully recovered from the effects ~ the last
flood. such an event would be followed by
sudsrins ong the many families who now
occupying their boats. Most Of them own their
hns'. and wOuId be sp-ivcd 81 their means Of
obtaining livelihood should their boats be
wrecked.