The Washington times., 1895-06-27
HIS VOICE IS FOR HAR
From Fort Alexandria Mayor
Strauss DefieS the SCOWS.
COMMANDS A THOUSAND MEN
Two Revolutionary Guns Trained
Upon the Waters of the Potomac.
Account Commodore Dobie's Naval
Expedition.

The sun set at Alexandria yesterday
| evening in q blood-Ted sky, but that was
| as nothing to the IuTid aspect Of the
| whole city as against the scow fleet.
Mayor Strauss is stiII master OF the situ-
! alton and commandant OF Fort Aiexan-
/ dTia, whose battlements stin bristle with
| Winchester, Va, niles, and the two revo-
| Iutionary field pieces wbicn have been
| pressed into service.
The cause OF war has been much ag-
gTavated by the escape OF one OF the
scows on Tuesday night. which. under
convoy of steam tug, got down 10 kintz's
wharf. Another sCow is reported to have
left Washington last night, and a sharp
lookout was ordered for this vessel full
of abOminations, and IL is expected that
an engagement may take place before
morning. Passengers or the Belle Haven
report passing the sCow near Fort Wash
ington.
DOGS OF WAR LET LOOSE
News has been received OF an actual
engagement between the crew OF one Of
the sCOws which took refuge in the Sweeny
reservation, just opposite Alexandria,
and one of the Alexandria fleet in per
sonal command OF Con Umodore Dobie.
This scow was sighted just about dusk
on Monday evening.
The flagship Mayor Strauss" was i'm
mediately padded out by the commodore
in person. The ScOw was lighted only by
a single lantern and the gallant commodore.
thinking that she was commanded by only
two or three OF the garbage pirates, boldly
approached, and was about to throw out the
graphing irons when the whole upper deck
OF the invader was seen to be fairly swarm
with live buZzardS, four men, and the dead
route
Commodore Dobie deeming advisable not
TO attack until reinforced, signaIled to the
shore with Roman candles, and sky rockets
The rest of the squadron, however, con
STRUNG these to be the fire works OF victory
failed to respond.
RETURNED FOR MORE SHIPS.
Commodore Dobie was obliged to return
personally for reinfoTcements. More ships
went out. but in the interim the scow
crew succeeded in retreating into the shallow
water on the Maryland shore. This schOw
having disappeared next morning, it was
supposed, and so telegraphed from here that
it had gone down. That is still believed TO
be the fact as it has not been sighted up
or down the river.
A truce was declared on Monday morn
ing, at whiclI time the contractors Were per
mitted to raise the battered hulk of the
first SCOw that was sunk a tug boat came
down from Washington. and the scOw was
raised. 1t will not be in condition to he in
the garbage service for some months yet.
Several holes were made in the hull and a
part of the turtle-back was completely de-
stroyed by fire.
SEARCHLIGHT IN USE.
1t is not likely that any of the scOws
Will be able to anchor in the Sweeny reser-
vation after tonight. The tower OF the
fort has been furnished with powerful re-
volving search-Iight, which reveals every
thing afloaU from the Baltimore Il Ohio
wharf to Kintzs wharf. and from the
fort to the Maryland shore.
Mayor Strauss, whose headquarters are 4
on King street, is in telephone communica-
ton with the water front. A visit was i
paid there this afternoon. He was found
with the nozzle of street sprinkler in his
hand, and with other evidences of remaining
quite COO! under the exciting circumstances
of this naval war. He said that he was
quite charmed with the accounts of the war
Sent to The Times, and praised their ac-
curacy, and especially the pictorial exacti-
tude OF the cartoon in yesterdays Times.