Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-20
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT
| THE LIGHT HOUSE SERVICE YES
Sells WITHOUT WHARF.
Probable Effort to Have the Fern Dis
pOssessed-Fish and Oyster
Trade-PersOnal.

Several months ago the light house service
officials rebuilt the old Inland and Seaboard
wharf at the foot of 9TH street. 1t was
stated at the time that the design was to
provide berth for the vessels of the light
house establishment when they should visit
this port, and 1t was used. About two
months ago the United States ship Fern,
the practice cruiser of the Naval Battalion.
District of Columbia National Guard, took
possession of the wharf and since that time
the light house vessels have again become
'tramps.' finding a wharf wherever they
could. This condition Of affairs has caused
considerable discomfort among the light
house force, and it is stated that the mat
ter has been brought to the attention of the
light house officials and an effort to have
the Fern moved will be made, it is said.
Commodore Sutton. the harbor master,
has been making quite extensive improve
mcnts at the harbor office, looking to the
comfort of his force the coming winter. He
has had fitted up in the rear of the harbor
boats office a large room for the exclusive
use of the crew of the Nigilant, where they
can retire when they wish to read or write
and be free from intrusion. The commodore
has also had the Nigilants wharf fitted up
with electric lights, making 1t much easier
for the force in rescue work at night. what
is now needed, it is said, is a large engine
for the Nigiant.
The Norfolk and Washington line steamer
this morning brought up "A barrels of fish
for the dealers along the river front from
the shores about Ocean View. Virginia
Beach and Norfolk, and the steamer Harry
Randall brought up II barrels from the nets
In the lower river. The market this morn
ing was rather poor the demand being
light. Prices were about the same as those
quoted yesterday. trout selling at $500 to
St. per barrel; sea mullets, &c. to &C. per
pound; black bass, sc. to SC. per pound
pan rock, sc. to Sc. per pound; boiling rock
15c. to 2Oc. per pound; white perch &c to
Zoe. per pound; spot, 4c. per pound; pike,
bluetish and tailors, 4c. per pound; catfish,
1Oc. to 2Oc. per bunch; eels, l5c. per bunch;
winter shad, 10c. per bunch, and river null
let's, Zoe. to 15c. per bunch.
The glut of oysters at the wharf Is the
worst that has occurred there this season.
and is largely due to the fact that twelve
o. fourteen boats lowed up Sunday night
arriving at the wharf all In bunch ana
overstocking the market. The oysters now
at the wharf are of a superior grade, and
under ordinary conditions would bring good
prices. This morning they were selling as
low as 30 cents per bushel, less than they
cost at the beds. The larger oysters brought
from so cents to GO cents per buShel. Ihere
are at the wharf about 100 oushels'
enough to supply this market for ten days
or two weeks if no more vessels should ar
rive.
The river men have a large number OF
signs to tell what the weather is to be IN
the future but the one sign in which the
larger proportion of them believe is that
the weather that prevails the Thursday be-
fore the new moon will be the kind that
will be experienced during at least two
thirds of the ensuing month. This IS
vouched for by a steamboat captain who
has followed the water for more than forty
years He claimed that it was infallible,
and other river men of long experience
make the same assertion.