Evening star., 1902-02-26
ON THE RINER FRONT
THE TUGS CIEAD THE CHANNEL
OF SOLID ICE.
Large Masses Coming Today From Up
per Potomae-Fish and Oyster
Supplies - Briefs.

Inc WOrK or ,COmMOdore sutton s Ice
| breaking fleet has cleared the river OF
solid ice, though large masses are coming
from the upper river.i' The steamer West
moreland arrived here yesterday evening
from Baltimore and way points, being the
first boat to reach here from the lower river
landings since the latter part of January.
She will leave on her return trip tomorrow
evening.
The Randall line steamer Wakefield left
this morning with a heavy freight, and will
endeavor to reach all the wharves on both
| the Maddox creek and Nomini routes. She
will return here Friday morning. and will
leave on her regular trip to Wirts wharf
Sunday. The Wakefield has been laid up
since February .. The steamer Harry Ran
dali Will return to her route to the Lower
Machodoc this week, leaving here on her
hrst trip Saturday morning. The ste amer
EStelle Randall has been able to reach
Glymont since Monday. and all the steam
ers are carrying heavy freights
The steamer Charles Macalester resumed
her trips to Mount Vernon this morning.
after being off the route about month.
The steamer Belle Haven was to have re-
sumed her trips the ferry route be-
tween Washington and Alexandria today,
but owing to the heavy ice coming down
from above she will not resume until about
Saturday. The steamer Columbia was put
overheard at the shipyard in Baltimore,
She Is expected back here early next week,
when the regular schedule Of the route will
be resumed.
Ducks were seen in large numbers on the
river between this city and Alexandria
yesterday afternoon. Old river men say
that when ducks return after hard freeze
| 1t Is sure sign that the last Ice OF the sea-
son has gone from the river. and that more
pleasant weather than we have been hav-
ing can be looked for.
Buoy No. IL. black can, marking Lam
ber's Point, in Elizabeth river, Virginia,
which has been out Of position for some
service.
There have been no receipts Of Potomac
river fish at the fish wharf since Monday
last. The creeks are now opening, how
will get their nets overheard within the
next few days. The supply of fish on hand
at the wharf this morning was small, but
the demand was good. Prices remained high
and are as follows: For black bass, ii to
2Oc. per pound; jumping mullets. to &C.
per pound; sheepshead, 6 to Sc. per pound !:
carp, to &c. per pound; salmon trout, 10
& to l2e: per pound; gray trout, 8 to 1Oc. per
North Carolina herring, SOC. per hundred: !:
yellow perch. 20 to 75c per bunch; Florida
herring. $50 per hundred, and winter shad,
= to 1926 per hundred. Roe shad. from
Georgia and Florida, find ready market at
81 to 81 25 each. while buck shad from the
same locality are selling at 40 to 6Oc. each.
The supply of oysters at the wharf this
morning was not large, only about twenty
nve barrels having been received by the
dealers there. Prices today are still high,
shucked oysters selling from $1.25 to $3.50
Per gallon, and those In the shell, 4.5O to
90 per parrel for Norfolk and SOC. to 81 20
per bushel for Potomac oysters. The de-
mand Is good.
General News Of the Port.
The bugeye Silver Spray. which has been
{Y1cr of <h4
weeks past, went to Alexandria yesterday
ana Will there take on stores preparatory
to going to the lower river to load oysters.
The Silver Spray is the first vessel to leave
port under sail for six weeks or two months.
A general exodus of the fifteen or twenty
light oyster boats now In port here will take
place within the next day or two. Several
light lumber-carrying schooners, now in
port, will also sail for Virginia lumber
points to load. -.
The three-masted schooner Clarence A.
Holland has been sold by Capt c. P. Hol-
land OF Laurel, Del. to Capt Geo. d. ms
ley OF Bethel, Del Capt. Insley will COM
mand the Holland in the future. She is a
well-known bay trader and has a tonnage
OF 2OO gross. She is 1876 feet long twenty.
four fee wide and was built in Bethel, Del,
in 1893.
The hull Of the old coast survey steamer
Bache, which was frequent visitor to this
port, and which has been replaced by
new steamer Of the same name has been
turned over to the naval authorities for ex-
pertinent TO determine the action Of salt
water on the hull Of an iron vessel which
has been sheathed with copper or wood
The iron hull of the Ba che has been covered
with wood for number of years. This
wooden casing will be removed and the ac
ton OF the salt water on the iron hull will
be noted.
The new Ice plow Of the harbor police
boat Figilant has been completed and ia
In position on the tug While rnnninp
through the ice "A few days ago the con-
denser of the Niglant got out of order.
and ii is though: her wheel is broken She
vii. be hauled out on the marine railway
at Benefits boatyard this afternoon for
inspection and repairs.
The schOoners Sidonia Curley and A. H
Quinby are reported in the lower river
bound up with cargoes of lumber from the
James river for H. l.. Bscoe
letter received here yesterday states
that Capt f. S Randall is quite ill of the
grip at St. Augustine, Fla.
Owing to the heavy ice in the Delaware
river the recent speed trial of the new
Weems line steamer Calvert was not a
success. A trial will be made later when
conditions are more favorable.
The schooner Beulah Land has been char
tered to load lumber at Scotland. on the
James river for H. l.. Biscoe of this CITY.
The schooner Harland w. Houston has
sailed from Newbern. y. c., for this port
with a load of lumber.
The schooner Sarah s. Tyler has loaded
lumber on the James river for the dealers
here.
The schooner James NJ. Hail. with cargo
of fertilizer from 7. w. Riley, is expected
TO sail this afternoon or tomorrow for the
NansemOnd river.
The United States lighthouse tender Holly
Is cruising on Chesapeake bay to replace
buoys carried away by the Ice
The schooner Jennie ID. Bell which has
been lying light at this port for the past
weeks. is expected to sail for Newbern,
y. c.. within the next few days and will
load lumber hack to this mort