The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-03
OYSTER TRADE AFFLICTED
The Freezing Of the Potomac Ham
pers River Navigation.
The Local Market Largely Dependent
Upon Bonts for Supplies a Few
Vessels Tied Tp mt the Wharf.
stocks Held for BETTER Prices.
Coal and other Products Higher.

coGrC Of snow and ice. and in part to the
ac'an-sge taken of the situation by
shrrwd traders to raise prices on the
strength Of anticipated scarcity
Washington harbor is what is termed an
open port That is 10 say, it is not blocked
with ice. except for brief periods in ex-
IRENE cold weather. and the bringing Of
sea food and i'm many cases. vegetables
and fruit to the city is entrusted 10 water
transportation. When this fails as at
present there is a temporary shut of in
the supply and prices usually go up.
according TO the duration and severity OF
the freeze. Arrangements for land trans
pOr,atiOu Of many products TO Washington
are meagre. and the market almost imme-
dia ely feels any cessation in the regular
running OF boats on the river.
During the freeze OF the last ten days
Ice has formed on the Potomac from the
city TO Maryland Point. nearly fifty miles
down the river At the wharves, and just
below. the ice is four inches thick. and
practically a blockade of the port has en-
sued. The river boats are all tied up at
their wharves and only the ferry route TO
Alexandria and q channel TO accommodate
the Norfolk steamers are kept open. other
wise river transportation is practically sus-
pended.
Unless the cold weather abates and gives
and move downstream. there is every prob
ability Of a great scarcity OF oysters in the
local market within few days. Last week
only few oyster boats were able to get
up To the city from tho bay. and since Fri
day none az all have come in number Of
the vessels are tied up al their wharves at
the foot of Twelfth Street and many more
are down the bay unable TO break the ice
The captains of the oyster boats at the
WnaTEgg Pa holding hasi fhgir
increased prices. There is as yet no
scarcity, as dealers say they are able to
procure enough oysters 10 satisfy all de-
mands at the wharyes and from the supply
brought in by rail. But the prices are
high Small stock brings 81 cents a bushel
which. iu ordinary times. sells for 80 cents
Before Christmas the Wholesale price
per bushCl az the wharves was from 90 to
40 cents. with am average of 90 cents. and
during a time when the supply was far i'm
excess OF the demand good stock went
down 90 80 cents q hu-hel. Now. large
specimens bring srom 81 TO $50 a bushel
with the prices Of choice qualities going
higher. The dealers complain that the
dredCers raise lie Itice 80 tu.ir stock when
they see that there iS any danger Of the
supply being limited OF entirely cut of
Knowing that the dealers must have oys-
tiers on hand FOR their customers. whatever
the price may De. the dredgers are masters
OF the tl.'It' ron ar q tune Ike IN. IEeEt
Men about the harb0r who have followed
the oyster business for many years do not
lOOk FOR long continuance of the cold
weather They say here are perhaps 1900
bUsh,l of oysters aJ the Uharves. and 8s
many more iu vessels Wsa her bound be
tween here and the beds. There is no
scarcity remarked one dealer at the
Eleventh Street wharf today. "and
these fellows will Doe selling their stock no
40 cents q hushgl after the river breaks up.
The captains are taking advantage of the
weather, and that is all there is OF IT,"
The principal source of supply for the
oysters brought 90 tine Washington market
is ihs =e,,,.u of wafer below Colonial
Beach and In he vicinity of Blackistou' s.
'-.fu. sud -. Iohu'- Island. There he
dredgcrs are busy at their work for several
months each year. and lh. tongcrs are
allowed boy iav To- con iuur somewhat
longer thau the time granted Co the
dTedEers. and when all eordi. ions are
favorable jhe city is supplied cGc.p,y with
an abundance OF high grade bivaIvas.
In rough weather, OF course. and when IL
Is extremely cold the work OF dredging s
hindeTed and sometimes stopped. Down %
Cririirld. for example. and IN the rivers and
along he islands below tina. point, n &c
now iute~feres with taking oysters cit FER
by dredging or longing. The Little Anna
messev River Is frozen soIidly from shore
croaclrug upon the waters Of Pokomoke
and Ta-Eis Sounds. The oyster fleets Of
tho Chesapeake are mostly tied mp in the
barbors rr rh"lfeyiuE coycs under the lea
Of the islands So that if the period Of cod
weather should continue for "a week longer
there would begin genuine osster famine,
not ONLY 'u Washington but eisewEe 20.
But 90 Is likely that ihc ice Viii break mp
within q few days as a result Of moderate
tempcraturc and then the dredgers will
hasten to dispose Ci their cargoes IN order
10 reach che beds for more. This viii
throw a ?. rye supply upon the market, and
dealers vi even things up by reducing
prices below the normal.
But Il is not alone thC price Of oysters
which is affected by the cold weather.
Vegetables and fruits brought 10 market
bv river transportation, as well as turkeys,
chickens. eggs. ana pork are growing
scarce under the shortened suppl" Wash
ington obtains many % these tmngs from
MARYLAND and Virginia. the various prod
ucts belLa brought IN by the river boats
OF course. on account Of the ice this source
OF supply Is temporarily cut on, ana prices
have been raised in The market.
The cast OF coal has also been enhanced,
especially by the small dealers who sell
nv ~. peck OF bushel. While the price per
ton may remain the same the demand has
. enormously increased ON account OF the
cold and advautag, has been taken Of this
circum stance To raise the price TO small
purchs sers There appears TO D" no rea-
son in tho nature of things for such con-
dition' as rail transI rr alto has not been
seriously affected by the colt and the sup
My OF coal is everywhere tnHndmI for All
needs j. Is apparently one of the in
creased burdens PIT upon consumers by
shrewd distributor in time Of great de-
mand for fuel.
The freezing Of the river has out an
embargo upon the running Of most vessels
TIL steamer Columbia continues to make
regular trips to AIeNa ,dria, but takes
nearly three hours for the trip over and
return. Communication between Shep-
herds and Alexandria Is also kept up by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tug SO
as TO facilitate the transfer of southern
freight The MoUat Vernon steamers have
suspended operations until the river clears
OF ice. The mail steamer Estelle Randall
was disabled yesterday at Fort Foote, try
inR to force its Wav through the ice and
the steamer Wake cid is delayed some
where down the Potomac. ice is reported
very thick at Indian Head by the steamer
Harry Randall and FIVE hours were re
auired 10 make the trip. which is usually
covered in two hours.
There Is small likelihood that navigation
will be open within ten days. = there
should be a thaw, some time viii neces-
ssrily elapse before the ice viii b. eak w
and disappear. And during that time il
would be dangerous for shipping 20 ven
ture out.