Evening star., 1903-12-24
ON THE RIVER FRONT
WORK ON HARPORCHANNEL IN
THIS NEIaHBpRHooD.
Not Smallpox, but Something Else
Few Vessels Coming Into Port
-Harbor Matters.


discontinue her work on the Eastern branch
last week in consequence of the drifting ice
breaking her pipes apart. She resumed her
work yesterday and is pushing ahead up the
branch. The dredge has made three cuts,
each 100 feet wide and twenty feet deep
through the shoals off Buzzards Point, and
has made the channel straight, where for
merly is took a sharp turn
The work of fitting up the big dredge of
the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Company is
progressing rapidly. Yesterday the work
men placed the big cutter, that does the
digging in the bottom of the river. in posi-
ton, and it is expected the machine will be
ready for work in about week. In con-
Meeting the parts of the cutter yesterday 1t
was necessary to build a fire in the cutter
cage at the end of long arm, and the blaze
attracted much attention along the river
front.
There was a good supply Of all varieties
OF fresh fish on hand at the wharf market
TINS morning, but the demand continues
very light. and no change is looked for un-
til after the holidays Prices, which show
some changes are as follows:
For small trout, cents per pound; large
trout, to cents per pound; medium
trout, = to cents per pound; Spanish
mackerel, 8 to 10 cents per pound; pan
rock, 10 to II cents per pound; medium
rock, Is to 16 cents per pound boiling rock,
lors, 10 to 121a cents per pound; Potomac
bass, 8 to 10 cents per pound; salmon trout,
y to cents per pound; white perch, large,
II to 1S cents per pound white perch, small,
80 to 30 cents per bunch; catfish, large, 80
to 40 cents per bunch; catfish, small. 10
cents per bunch; yellow perch, small. 15 TO
30 cents per bunch; carp, Is to 25 cents
each; jumping mullets, 2 to 3 cents per
pound; winter shad, 80 to 81 per hundred;
drum, 3 to cents per pound; crOakers,
to D cents per pound.
The supply of oysters on sale at the oys-
ter wharf this morning was rather light.
Though two or three boats arrived with the
blvalves aboard, they brought but small
cargoes. Prices this morning range from
10 cents to 1.25 per bushel.
The receipts of ducks continue light and
prices high
1t is stated that the physicians in the
northern neck of Virginia have decided that
the supposed smallpox cases existing in
Northumberland county are not smallpox,
but form of itch, brought to the county
during the war with Spain. There have been
a number of cases of the disease in the
county, but no deaths.
The Portner Brewing Company at Alex
andria has established a big electric light
in the tower of the old cotton factory
building /. Alexandria, and it burns brightly
every night. 1t is stated that river men
have discovered that, coming up the river
at night, the new light, when in range with
the light on Jones Point, gives them a
course from Fort Foote to the Alexandria
wharVeS.
General News of Port.
Ice fully a quarter of an inch thick
formed in the river between and s
o'clock yesterday morning. When the
ferryboat left her dock here on her first
trip there was little if any ice on the
river, but on the next trip she had to
break her way through the thin ice.
The big dredge which arrived here last
week from New York brought with her a
handsome power launch, the Lucia, and it
will be used a tender to the dredge in
her work about the harbor.
MesSrS. Dean & Son are building small
lighter at their boat yard near Alexan-
dria for parties here. 1t is stated the
lighter will be used in the transportation
of lumber about the narbor.
The Philadelphia barge Edward 8. Fay
is lying a t the wharf at Fort Washington
unloading cargo Off about 500 tons Of
hard Goa for use at the post.
The schooner e.. P. Evans, loaded with
oysters, and the Tompkin, with sweet po-
tatoes, from the eastern shore, are the only
arrivals in port since yesterday morning
The schooner Grace G. Bennett has sailed
lumber for this city, and the schooner
Mcguire is loading pine boards in Nomini
creek for Washington.
The pile driving machine which has been
employed in building the trestle work for
the pipe line for the dredge that is to
deepen the channel into the harbor stopped
work on account of the freeze early in the
week, but is expected to resume operations
today.