Evening star., 1901-02-12
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT
ANNUAL INSPECTION OF STEAMER
ESTELLE RANDALL,
License to he Renewed az Result of
ExaminatiOn-FIsh and
Oyster Markets.

| The annual inspection of the mail steam
er Estelle Randall of the route between this
| city, Alexandria and Glymont, Nd, took
| place Saturday last. The inspection was
conducted by Mr.. Charles +. Wright, chief
| inspector of hulls, and by Mr.. Michael
| Stanton, assistant inspector Of boilers. All
| the requirements of the steamboat inspec-
tion laws were found to have been COM
piled with. and the steamer passed a sat
| isfactory inspection. Her license will be
| renewed for another year as soon as Mr..
Edwin White, the inspector-in- chief of boil
| ers, RECEIVERS from an attack of the grip.
| The new steamer Norfolk of the Norfolk
| and Washington line was expected to be
much faster than the old Norfolk, but she
| has far exceeded anything that was ex-
| pected of her, easily distancing the most
| speedy boats on the bay without driving
| her at all. 1t IS claimed for her that she
| is now faster than the steamer Newport
| News of the same line, which for several
years has been the fastest steamer out of
Norfolk. AS a coal burner the Norfolk
| is much more economical than ever before,
| and the managers of the line are more than
pleased at this 1t is expected the improve
| ments to be made in the new Washington
will make her faster than the Norfolk.
There is still good supply of oysters on
| hand in the eighteen or twenty vessels
| lying at the oyster wharf today, nine ves-
| sells with fresh cargoes having arrived up
since Saturday. The market was fairly
| brisk, a number of wagons being engaged
| in loading for the uptown dealers, who are
! laying in stocks for fear of general freeze.
| Prices this morning were about the same as
| the latter part of last week, ranging from
| 20 cents to 10 cents per bushel for the small
oysters and up to 90 cents for the larger
ones. The recent arrivals are the j. j. on-
derhill, 4. r. S. Dougherty, Emmet Arthur,
| Mary E. Candy, Ruth and Ella Col. John
B. Seth, Centennial, Agnes and the John w.
Smith
There was A fair attendance of buyers at
the fish market at the 11th street wharf
this morning. but the supply Of fish
very scarce, only three packages being
brought up by the Norfolk line steamer for
the dealers at the wharf. and only two
being brought up from the lower river.
Twenty packages were also received by rail
from northern points. shipment of her
ring came in this morning from South Car
olna, and brought from s. to $3.50 per hun
dred. This morning rocktish sold at II to
10 cents per bunch; pike 6l2 cents per
bunch; black bass, IL to 10 cents per
bunch; white perch, II cents per pound;
roe shad, 81 EACH buck shad, 40 to % cents
each: catfish, % to 80 cents per bunch;
sand perch, 30 cents per bunch, and yellow
perch, 20 cents per bunch.
The Freight Handlers.
The pungy James Beach has arrived ut
Alexandria with cargo of oysters for the
dealers there.
The revenue cutter Window has returned
to Baltimore from an extended cruise on
Chesapeake bay and tributaries.
The schooner Russell has completed the
loading of her cargo of fertilizer for Nor
folk, but will not sail until navigation is
more open.
The Maggie Smith has sailed from the oys-
ter wharf for the lower river and will load
back to this port
The tug Carmella arrived up from the
lower river yesterday with tow of three
oyster-laden vessels.
The Martin Wagner and George B.
Faunce. having completed the discharging
Of their cargoes of oysters, have sailed
for the lower river to reload.
A tow of light coal barges will leave port
en- route for Philadelphia. via the Della
ware and Chesapeake canal. If the ice is
found too heavy 1t is thought they will be
taken into Baltimore.
Barge No. II. Standard Oil Company,
from this port, has arrived at Baltimore.
The tug Stella. with Standard Oil barge
No. IS in tow, is in port. Part of the cargo
Of oil will be discharged in Georgetown,
and the remainder at the works on the
Eastern branch.
Four light coal barges in tow Of the tug
Mitchell NJ. Davis have sailed for Nor
folk
The tug Moher is engaged in towing stone
laden scows from the Virginia quarries
above the Long bridge to Georgetown. The
heavy ice above the bridge is interfering
somewhat with her work.
lu0 Aud f3dllGHSer mas SdllSu lOT IHe
lower river from this port and will reload
oysters.
The schooner Sidonia Curley. now at the
Alexandria shipyard will said for the lower
river for cargo of lumber as soon the
ice will permit.
There are several cordwood vessels in
port, waiting for the ice to get out of the
river before sailing for another cargo.
The w. H. H. Bixter and Edith Muir are
light at the fish wharf and will sail for
the lower river.
General Matters.
The officers of the incoming steamers re-
port the ice in the lower river to be quite
heavy, particularly about Fort Washing
ton and Glymont. where 1t has jammed to
the depth Of several feet. Between this city
and Alexandria ice gorges are constantly
forming against the wharf at Buena Vista
and at Shepherds landing. The ferry
steamer Columbia broke it each time it
formed and kept the ice moving with the
tide
Navigation through the Chesapeake and
morrow OF Thursday. Among the vessels
waiting to get through are several barges
from this city.
The wharf just west of Johnson & VIM
salts lumber yard, at the foot of 18th
street southwest, was sold at public auc-
ton yesterday evening by Mr.. Thomas
Dowling to Mr.. John Miller for $1,000 1t
ia understood that Mr., Miller will use the
wharf for q sand and brick business.
Large quantities of flour in barrels. beans
and other supplies are being taken to Forts
Washington and Hunt by the river steam
ers for the use of the soldiers In the bat
teries stationed there.
The heavy ice floating up and down the
river with the tides is cutting the spar
buoys badly. Between here and Alexandria
every sign Of paint has been worn from
the buoys and large pieces OF the wood
have been broken or
The work of overhauling the boilers and
EbreDaration for the opening Of the excur-