Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08
toNG THE RIVER FRONT
SPANISH STEAM LAUNCH
OFFICIALLY USED ON POTOMAC.
Warn Weather Richards Oyster Sea-
son-News of Vessels and
Traffic.

The steam launch Mercedes. formerly on,
of the tenders of the Spanish warship RENE
Mercedes. which was sunk by the Spaniard:
in Santiago harbor to block the channel, :.
now the launch of the War Department of
ficials here, replacing the launch Pieasan
ten, which had become too small Tht
Mercedes arrived by rail at the navy yart
yesterday and was taken from the car.
and put overheard. The Pleasanton towet
her from the navy yard to the boat house
of the harbor masters wharf. The launch
IS thirty-three and half feet long. eigh
feet beam and four feet deep. Her engine
is about twenty-five horse power and tho
boat is said to be quite fast. Capt Car
penter and Engineer James Nash are now
at work getting her ready for service. The
fact that the Mercedes was a Spanish boa
has added much to the interest taken ir
her. She is quite a handsome little vesse
and Is splendidly fitted up.
Yellow car No. 104 on the Water stree
line of the Metropolitan railway yesterday
evening struck the wagon of a colored mar
named Washington. at the corner of StE
and Water streets southwest, and broke
the shafts and otherwise damaged the We
hicle. Neither the two men who were fr
the wagon nor the horse was hurt. The ac-
cident occurred as the team was being
driven from the Randall line wharf, and
the car was upon 1t before the driver could
get across the track. 1t is claimed by
river front men that the cars travel along
Water street at an extremely high rate
of speed and much complaint of the danger
Is made.
The Norfolk and Washington Line steam
er Newport News this morning brought up
seventy-eight barrels of saltwater fish
from the fisheries about Norfolk and Cape
Henry. Mackerel sold at 1Oc. to 11c per
M fitch nd fofl So md
trout. So to SIS per barrel. and butter fish,
$3.50 to So per barrel. Six barrels from the
nets in the river were brought up by the
steamers Harry Randall and Northumber-
land. Rock are selling today at 1Oc to 12c.
per pound, and white perch find ready sale
at 1Oc. to 15c. per pound.
No changes in the price Of crabs are
noted About forty barrels were received
from the river steamers.
There have been no arrivals of water
melons at the wharf since yesterday, and
less than 5000 are now in the boats there.
The demand has slightly increased, and
prices have advanced, culls selling at S.
to So per hundred: primes, 50 to S12 per
hundred, and the few selects on hand
bringing $14 to S15 The watermelon sea-
son is now rapidly closing.
Oysters and Black Bass.
The warm weather makes the sale of
oysters very slow, and prices continue low.
One little sloop, with no name is the only
arrival at the oyster wharf this morning.
She has in seventy-five bushels of oysters
from Persimmon Point.
The crew of the schooner Normandy,
Capt. Charles Adams. now discharging a
cargo of ice at Alexandria, report having
sighted a school of three or four whales
off the coast of Massachusetts while on the
trip from the kennebec river to this port.
Black bass are biting very freely at the
hook and line about Gunston and Glymont
wharves. a few days ago a fisherman at
Gunston wharf hooked and landed thirty
fine large bass in less than an hour In
usually large catches of white perch are
also reported.
A large raft of piles, in tow Of the Balti-
more tug Sandow, bound from Urbanna,
Va, for Chesapeake City sunk in the bay
week. AS the raft is now breaking up, it
forms a dangerous obstruction to naviga-
ton to vessels from this city bound to
Norfolk. Baltimore or bay points.
The launch Greyhound left this morning
for Blackstone's Island with supplies for
the launch Alert belonging to DR.. Rauter-
berg.
Whereabouts of River Craft.
The schooner Charles Baker, at Rileys
lumber wharf, foot of 9th street completed
the discharging of cargo of Virginia pine
lumber and sailed for the lower river.
The schooner Ellen NJ Colder Is at VIM.
A Smoot & Company's, at Alexandria TAX
ing a cargo OF 5000 railroad ties for
Boston. Mr.. ]. W. Grigg of this city is the
shipper.
The steamer Dennis Simmons, with a
cargo of lumber and shingles from Eden
ton, N. c., for merchants in Georgetown
and Alexandra, arrived in port yesterday.
After discharging portion of her cargo In
Georgetown, she went to Alexandria to
finish unloading al Field & Co.'S
The schooners j. F. Wright, Ivy L. Leo
nard and the bugeye kathlene all sailed
yesterday evening light for the lower river
to reload.
The bay schooner William Oliver, with a
cargo of fertilizer for the Armour agency in
Alexandria, is anchored in the stream off
that town.
The schooner James w. Dagger arrived In
port yesterday evening with a cargo of lum-
Der.
The steamer e. James Tull came into
port yesterday evening with a tow of about
$50 pine piles. The raft was several hum
dred feet long and was taken up the branch.
The schooner John r. Ehrman has gone
to Alexandria to be hauled out upon the
Marine railway for examination of bottom.
caulking and painting.
The steamer Kent, which has just been
withdrawn from the river route, is having
her decks and other woodwork overhauled
and repaired.
The schooner Mary Elvis has been hauled
out at Benefits boatyard foot of 18th
street to have an overhauling.
The big mainsail of the new sloop-rigged
yacht Francina II has just been recut to
make more perfect fit.
The steamer Harry Randall Yesterday
morning brought up a large cargo of live
stock and country produce for the local
market
The Father and Son arrived this morning
with cargo of cord wood for Carter &
Clark.
The schooner O.. D. whitehall. which
sailed from Bath. Me-, on August %, with
a cargo of twenty tons Of ice for this port
Is due here and her arrival is looked for by
the officials of the American Ice Company
at any time.
The schooner Sidonia Curley is at the Alex
andria shipyard for some minor repairs
Personal Mention.
Mr. George w. Gait. president Of the At
lantic. Pacific and Gulf Dredging Company
which has the contract to complete the
dredging of the Georgetown channel, was in
the city yesterday on business connected
with the contract The work will be begun