Evening star., 1900-12-19
ALONG THai RIVER FRONT
A STRUGGLE FOR THE POSSESSION
OF A WHARF.
Change in Schedule of Weems Line
Fish Scarce, Oysters Plentiful
Gcneral md PERSONAL.


N street southwest as a berth for the light
house vessels while in this port. The wharf
was rebuilt by the light house service for
its boats, but the Naval Battalion, D. c. N
c., practice vessel Fern has taken posses.
sion of it, and all efforts to disodge the
local sailor boys have been unsuccessful so
far, though it is stated the Fern will vacate
very shortly. Meanwhile when a light
house tender comes into port it has to
tramp it about the harbor until some wharf
is found to take it in.
Commencing Christmas day the winter
schedule of the Weems line Potomac river
route will go into effect. Under the pres
ent schedule three trips asweek are made
between this city, Alexandria, the lower
river landings and Baltimore by the steam
ers Northumberland and Potomac. The
new schedule withdrawS the first named
boat from the route and makes the steamer
Potomac make but one round trip each
week between mere and Baltimore. After
the 25th instant she will leave here Thurs
day evenings only, stopping at the land
irgS in the lower river and reaching Bal
leaves Baltimore Tuesday and reaches mere
Wednesday night. This schedule will be
run until about May /, 1901.
The supply of fish at the wharf this morn
ing was extremely light, the ice in the
creeks and bays of the river preventing the
catching of river fish. This morning but
twenty packages were brought up by the
Norfolk line steamer, and the steamers
from the lower river brought up only twen-
ty-three barrels to the dealers a the wharf
A number of packages We're brought up for
shipment to Philadelphia and New York
While the supply was light, the demand
was light also: but prices still keep up to
the figures of last week Today trout sold
at 81 to $40 per barrel; white perch, to 12c
per pound pan rock, 10 to 1Sc. per pound;
bailng rock, 20c per pound; bass, 10 to 15c.
md cd n IN CO nay nr
pike, & to Sc. per pound carp, to sc. per
pound; sheephead, &c. per pound; croakers
&c. per pound; small southern muiet, s.
per box; eels and catfish, 20 to 25c per
pound. and winter Shad and river muletS,
l5c per bunch.
The oyster market at the 18th street
wharf, in spite of the near al proach of
the holiday season, remains very quiet, and
oysters are selling but slowly, though the
stock on hand is fine and prices not
extra high. In spite of the dull market
and the large supply of the bivalves on
hand prices remain steady, the smaller
grades selling at from 80 to CSC. per bushel,
and the larger and more select oysters
bringing from 20 to SOC. per bushel. There
were at the wharf this morning twenty
three vessels having on board about 800
bushels. The incoming steamers last night
and this morning brought up about sixty
barrels of oysters for the local dealers. The
arrivals since yesterday have been the
Hazeene, Fannie Shepherd, Reby Sterling
and Amanda Lewis. "a
The Passing Craft.
The tug James o. Carter has sailed for
Occoquan to bring up large raft of piling
for Messrs Carter G. Clark. -t
The longboat Leroy is in port with
cargo of cord wood for the local dealers.
The steamer Dennis Simmons did not
complete the dfscharging of her cargo Of
lumber and shingles yesterday, as expected.
She will sail for Edenton, N. c., today.
The steamer Wakefield brought up a large
cargo Of oysters, poultry and game for the
| local market yesterday evening.
The Addie Dougherty and Little Dora
! have all sailed for The lower river to load
cargoes Of oysters for this market.
The tug Mitchell M. Davis sailed today
| with the barge McIlwain in tow for the
| Rappahannock river The barge will load
| poplar logs for Philadelphia 3.
The steamer E. James Tull and the
| schooner J. =. Robinson have arrived in
port, with cargoes of cord wood for Carter
& Clark. .--,.
last vessels to unload cargo Of ice here.
has arrived at Galveston with IA cargo of
coal.
The Weems line steamer Northumberland
sailed yesterday evening with a heavy
cargo for points along Smiths creek and
Coan and St Mary's rivers ST.,
The Mary Frances having completed the
discharging of her cargo of wood has sailed
70, her loading point for another cargo.
The Standard Oil barge. which was
brought into port on Monday, discharged
her Cargo and sailed yesterday evening in
tow of a Baltimore tug en- route to Phla
delphia, via Chesapeake City.
The two-masted schooner Flying Scud.
| which has just discharged a cargo of lum-
beI here, is at r. W. Riley's wharf loading
cargo of fertilizer for {. bay port.
The schooner Morning Light, laden with
fertilizer which sailed yesterday for Brykin
creek was forced to anchor until this morn
i,,rr i,yt ,bf,tr. Irfo in
OF a want of wind. -
The three-masted schooner ". H. Ohler,
the last vessel that brought ice to this
pert. sailed yesterday in tow of the tug
Davis for the mouth of the river with
cargo of railway ties for Boston.
The pungy Cora McKenney is in the WI
ccmco river loading cargo of oysters for
the Alexandria market. She should arrive
at that port in time for the Christmas
trade.
General Matters.
Quantities OF Christmas supplies are be-
ing taken daily from this city and Alex
andra to the soldiers stationed at Fort
Washington and Fort Hunt. Preparations
are being made at all the steamboat
wharves to handle an unusually large
freight of Christmas packages from points
down the river to parties here.
1t is understood that the Arcadia, the
houseboat belonging to Mr.. Frank Raw
lings, which was nearly destroyed by tire
was not badly damaged by the flames as
1t was at first thought. She will in all
probability be brought here for rebuilding.
The lighthouse tender Maple, Capt. Miles,
will shortly sail from Baltimore sta
tion cruise.
The wrecked schooner s. B. Wheeler,
which went ashore on Hog Island, has been
stripped, and her hull will be abandoned to
be broken up into firewood. The Wheeler
was well known at this port.
The officers of the harbor boat Nigilant
| have for some time past been overhauling
| the bait fishermen and examining their
| permits to catch smelt. minnows and the
! like for fishing purposes. All the permits
| examined so far have been regular.
The yachts May and Smith anchored
| in Aqua creek, with hunting parties aboard
them. } - +
Commodore John r. Sutton, the harbor-
master. is away leave of absence, to
be gone until the first of the year. During
his absence Capt. Russell Dean. commander
Of the harbor police boat Vigilant, Is act
ing harbormaster -
Mr.. Walfred Sy1ven,t supervising engi-
! neer OF the lighthouse service, has sailed
for Europe on a vacation Of several months.
Mr.. Richard H. Diggs of Matthews coun-
ty. Va, has received the appointment to
the assistant keepership of the Seven Foot
1 .~11 1y<vt.l ~ ~