The evening times., 1900-01-03

the interruptions OF Transportation On dC-
count of snow and ice and in part to the
advantage taken OF the situation by
shre-d 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-
treme cold weather. and the bringing OF
sea food and in many cases, vegetables
and fruit TO the city is entrusted To water
transportation. When this fails. at
present. there is a temporary shut of in
the supply and prices usually go up,
according TO he duration and severity OF
the freeze. Arrangements for land trans
portation of many products 10 Washington
are meagre and The market almost imme-
dietely 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. Al the wharves, and just
below, the ice is four inches thick, and
practically 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 channel to accommodate
the Norfolk steamers are kept open. other
wise river transportation is practically sus-
pended
Unless the cold weather abates and gives
the ice on the river d chance to break up
and move downstream there is every prob
ability of a great scarcity OF oysters in the
local market within feW days. Last week
only a few oyster boats were able TO get
up to the city from the bay. and since Fri
day none at all have come in. 4 number Of
the vessels are tied up al their wharyes al
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
wharves are holding back their stock for
increased prices There is as yet no
scarcity as dealers ssy they are able to
procure enough oysters 10 satisfy ali de-
mands at the wharNes and from the supply
brought in by rail. But the prices are
high. Small stock brings 81 cents a bushel,
which in ordinary times. sells for 80 cents
Before Christmas the wholesale price
per bushel al the whaTves was from 90 10
20 cents. with an average of 50 cents. and
during a time when The supply was far in
excess OF The demand. good stock went
down 20 80 cents q hu-hel. Now. large
specimens bring from 81 10 Sl.5o a bushel
with the prices oi choice qualities going
higher. The dealers complain that the
dredEers raise The price d thu.r -,-ch when
they see hat there i- any danger Of the
supply being limited or enJf6g cut of.
Knowing hat the dealers must have oys-
the price may be. the drelgers are masters
Of the situation ar a time like thr present.
Men about the harbur who have followed
the oyster business for many years do not
look for long continuance OF The cold
weather They say here are perhaps 3 oo0
bushsl Of oysters al The Gharves, and IS
many more in vessels Nea her bound be
tween here and the beds. There is no
scarcity. remarked one dealer al the
Eleventh Street wharf today. and
these fellows viii bo selling their stock at
40 c,rts hushol after ne 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 bTOugl, 10 the Washington ma h,t
is ahe section al ua.c- below Col luIal
Beach and in The yiciaisy OF Blackiston
'sj4a, ard -. lohn'- l,aand. T.erc he
dredgors are busy al their work for several
months each year. aud he tungcrS are
allowed 10y laU 10 con iuu somewhat
longer ;han tne Time granted to the
dredgeTS and when all aoudi ions are
favorable The city is supplied crcapiy with
an abundance Of high grade bivalvHs
In rough weather, OF course and when 1t
is extremely cold. the work OF dredging IS
hindered and sometimes stepped. Down 1t
Crisfield. for example and H. the river and
along The islands below thst point, n re
nov intprfereS with taking Oys e-s cit Ter
By dredging or longing. The Iit,fe Anna
messey Rnor is frozen Solidly from shore
to shore and the ice area is already en-
c-oaralug anon the waters Of PokOmgke
ana Tan2ier Sounds. The oyster fleets Of
the chesapeake are mostly tied up in The
harbnrs or chelfeTinG roHes under the lea
of the islands So tha. If the period OF co.d
weather should continue fer a week longer
there would begin genuine otsteT famine.
NOT only in Washington. buJ eisewEe e
BUT il is likely thar Jhe ice viii break mp
within a few days as 2 result OF moderate
Temperature. ard Then the dredgers VIA
hasten TO dispose Of their cargoes IN order
70 reach The beds for more This VIII
throw large supply upon the market, ana
dealers will even things up by reducing
prices below the normal.
R,,, n is not alone the price of oysters
which is affected by the cold weather.
Vegetables and fruits brought 10 market
nv river transportation, as wei as turkeys,
chickens. eggs. and pork, are growing
scarce uDder the shortened supply. WASH
ington obtains many Of these things from
MARYLAND and Virginia the various prod
ucts being brought in by he river boats.
of course, on account of the ice. this source
of supply is temporarily cut OF. aud prices
have been raised in the market
The cost of coal has also been enhanced,
especially by the small dealers who sell
hN the peck or bUShel " hil' the pli'' pei
ion may remain the same, The demand has
, enormously increased on account oil the
cold and advantage has been taken Of this
circumstance to raise the price 10 small
purrhaSers There appears TO b" no fea-
son in The nature of things Tor suen con-
.lifions as rail transportation mas not oeen
seriously affected by the cold. ana the sup
plv of coal is everywhere abundant for al
needs II is apparently one OF the IN
creased burdens put upon consumers by
shrewd distributors in time OF great de-
mand for fuel.
The freezing Of the river has Pot an
embargo upon The running of most vessels.
The steamer Columbia continues to make
regular trips to Alexandria, 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 10 facilitate the transfer Of Southern
freight The Mount Vernon steamers have
suspended operations until the river clears
OF ice The mail steamer Estelle Randall
was disabled yesterday at Fort Foote. try
ing to force lis way through the ice, and
the steamer Wakefield 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
ouired 10 make the trip. which is usually
covered in two hours
There is small likelihood that navigation
will be open within ten days. If there
should be a thaw, some time viii neces-
sarily elapse before the ice will break up
and disappear. And during that time it
would be dangerous for shipping 30 ven
ture out