Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-14

ferry line will cause great Inconvenience
and loss to Alexandria merchants and other
patrons of the line. 1t Is said that more
than one hundred teams were transported
on the steamer every day. Many of them
were those Of wholesale merchants In Alex
andria and others belonged to country peo-
pie in Virginia. Hucksters who gather
produce through Virginia found the FERRY
line great convenience, as the trips on the
boat shortened their Journeys and saved
their stock.
The Washington Steamboat Company OPP
Grated the ferry line, and the boat was
owned by the Hart estate. 1t is stated that
Mrs. Elizabeth Lyons of 1870 Madison ave-
nue., New York city, is the principal owner.
Information of the fire was sent to the
secretary of the Hart estate In New York
last night. The future plans OF the COM
pany are not known. The new company
recently organized to establish ferry line
between the two cities will probably not DO
able to have it's new boats built for nearly
a year.
Temporary Arrangements Made.
ARRANGEMENTS were made this morning
to relieve in part the Inconvenience of the
Alexandria people who are employed In
this city and the merchants who obtain
large proportion Of their supplies here.
Capt. E. s. Randall of the Randall line
has arranged to have the steamer Estelle
Randall make trips from this city at 6:lO
and $50 am and 80 pm. and from Alex
andria at 1880 am, 3:15 and $50 p. m This
will bring the employees of the Washing
ton navy yard and others to this city early
in the morning and will take care OF the
heaviest part of the travel to Alexandra
in the evening. Freight will also be car
ried on all these trips, and they will do
away with much of the inconvenience. In
day or two other arrangements will be
made to still further extend the ferry SER
vice.
Mr.. Bert G. Faulhaber, the New York
representative of Mrs. Lyons. the owner
of the Columbia, will come to this city
from New York this afternoon, and some
decision regarding the future operations
will then be reached.
Mr.. John Callahan, who Is to manage the
new ferry line, when asked this morning
what the new company would do, stated
that 1t was impossible to secure a double
end ferry boat fit for service. but that
some action will be taken by his COM
pany at private meeting to be held to-
morrow.
Hull Not Damaged.
The Columbia was fine steamer of her
class. She was built at Baltimore, and
took the place of the burned steamer City
of Alexandria on the route in 1891, and has
been running continuously ever since. She
registered 5SS gross tons and was 14S feet
long. The hull of the steamer is not dam
aged. and it is believed that her engines,
boiler and other machinery are not Sc
riously harmed, and could be used in an
other boat. Less than a year ago over
$4,000 was expended in fitting her up and
placing an electric lighting plant aboard.
The burning of steamboats, in the harDor
here is a rare occurrence The last vessel
to be destroyed by fire was the old steamer
Lady of the Lake, which burned at her
wharf February 49, 1895 Within the past
twenty years but two other steamers have
been burned-the propeller George Colt and
the w. w. Corcoran. The Armenia and the
ferry City of Alexandria have burned at
Alexandria within the same period.
This morning about $50 o'clock No. 4
engine company was called to the wharf
of the Washington and Norfolk Steamboat
Company because of a blaze under the
storeroom. which is believed to have been
caused by sparks from the fire last night.
The blaze was quickly extinguished, not
more than $50 damage having been caused.