Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-29
ON THE RIVER FRONT
OWNERS PREPARING wHARvEs
FOR RESISTING ICE PRESSURE.
But Little Doing in Fish and Oyster
Market-0eneral Harbor
Notes.

The owners Of several of the longer
wharves on the river, 1t is stated. are hav-
ing the structures strongly braced to pre-
pare them for the drifting ice, when 1t be-
gins to move at the beginning OF the spring
thraw. Every winter. when there is a heavy
freeze, numbers of wharves are carried
away by the ice. Although the ice is now
not over three inches thick, when 1t be-
gins to move in a compact mass 1t has ter
rifle force. and only the strongly built
wharves are able to stand against 1T. The
hard edges of the flinty ice cut the piles
like so many saws and eats the heavy TIM
bers away at the waters edge.
Fish of all kinds were scare at the 18th
street wharf wholesale market this morn
ing, but buyers were also scarce and the
business done was very light. The dealers
do not look for any resumption in business
until after the New Year. Little but frozen
fish are now on sale at the wharf.
The oyster market on tho 11th street
wharf was fairly brisk this morning and
prices are high Large oysters are scarce
and are selling at 81 to SIPS per bushel.
to S5c. per bushel.
Red heads. shutters, mallard and few
canvas-back ducks were sale this morn
ing and commanded high prices
The steam yacht Gretchen, with Mr.. John
r. Dos Passos Of New York and a party of
his friends aboard, is down the river in the
vicinity of Lynches Point, at the mouth Of
Coan river.
No work has been done aboard the house
boat of the Langley flying machine for sew
eral days past. and the window blinds of the
boat have been kept tightly closed.
The houseboat Grisilda, belonging to Mr..
Frank Reynolds OF this city. Is lying at
anchor in the harbor near the Long bridge.
She will remain in this berth, 1t Is stated,
through the winter, and will not be hauled
out for repairs until the early part Of the
spring.
Of General Interest.
The tug Camilla is lying at the old wharf
Of the steamer Estelle Randall for some
minor repair work to the boiler. She will. 1t
is expected. be able to return to service to-
day and will take out tow of light oyster
boats.
The thick ice. drifting about on the river,
Is keeping the buoys and channel marks I'M
der water. The buoy marking the junction
of the Washington and Georgetown chan
nels has not been seen since Saturday last.
The sloop Blossom and the large launch
Jane at Deans boat yard at Alexandria are
to be overhauled and made ready for service
again at the earliest opportunity in the
spring. The steam launch Augusta is lying
in the dock foot of Prince street at Alex
andria, out of service.
The large barge Roanoke, loaded with
WOOD from Nomini creek, has arrived and
was taken into James creek canal to UNI
load her cargo.
The schooner Wheeler is unloading her
cargo of pine boards at the wharf foot of
9th street southwest.
The steam barge Dennis Simmons COM
pleted the unloading of her cargo Of lumber
at Alexandria this morning and sailed for
North Carolina.
Reports from vessel masters arriving in
the Chesapeake from southern ports in the
last two or three days state that they ex-
perienced considerable stormy weather both
above and below Hatteras. Many of them
were blown miles out of the course by the
force of the gales they encountered.