Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-04
ON THE RIVER FRONT
MATTERS OF INTEREST ABOUT
WHARvES AND DOCKS.
Launch Alert Ready for Service-Har-
for Improvement Work Progress
ing - Vessels and Cargoes.

The schooner Beulah Land. reported
ashore on the mud flats of Motley Hall, be-
low Alexandria. was gotten afloat yester-
day afternoon and sailed for North Caro-
lima waters. The vessel was not injured
by going ashore and remaining there for
about forty-eight hours.
The large power launch Alert which has
been out of service for the past six weeks
having her engine overhauled and being fit
ted with a new wheel. will be ready for
service again within the next day or two.
The improvements that have been made in
the engine Of the Alert and the new speed
wheel that has been placed on the boat will
make her considerably faster than she has
been heretofore and will put her in the
front rank of the speedy craft on the river.
The demand for fish at the wholesale mar
ket on the wharf was very brisk and three
times the quantity of fish that were on
hand could have been sold to the hucksters.
The supply received from Norfolk and other
points consisted mainly of gray trout, and
was light Prices continue firm and high,
and are follows:
Small trout $3.50 to 50 per barrel: medium
trout, 5 to 6 cents per pound; large trout, 6
to cents per pound; butterfish. S. per bar
REL spot, s. to 81 per barrel; founders, 5 to
cents per pound; Spanish mackerel 10 to
Is cents per pound; pan rock, 10 to II cents
per pound medium rock, II to Is cents per
pound; boiling rock 10 to 20 cents per
pound; sturgeon. 10 cents per pound; green
pike, e to cents per pound; porgies, 20 to
25 cents each: Dluefish and tailors, to 0
cents per pound; pompano, IS to 20 cents
per pound; bass, 10 to Is cents per pound;
white perch, 10 to II cents per pound;
white perch. small, 20 to % cents per
bunch; catfish, large, % to 80 cents per
bunch; catfish, small. to 10 cents per
bunch; yellow perch, small 10 to so cents
per bunch; mullets. 20 to 25 cents per
bunch; carp. Is to Is cents each; cells, to
10 cents each.
Crabs are selling we'll at $3.50 to 81 per
barrel. and the supply is very light. There
were few, II any, CLAIMS on sale this morn
Ing, and they brought high prices. The
watermelon supply is very plentiful, over
5000 being on sale this morning and the
demand being fair. Prices range from $40
per hundred for selects. $12 for primes and
81 per hundred for culls.
The steamer Saml ]. Pentz, which has
been out of service for a day or two having
some repair work done, resumed her place
on the River View excursion route this
morning.
In filling up the lower grounds on the
harbor side of the Washington Barracks
Park the trunks Of many of the fine old
shade trees were buried almost up to their
lower branches. Several of them are now
showing signs of dying, and arboriculturists
say the mud is smothering them to death.
Inc dredge Dewey, engaged in digging
out the channel of the Eastern branch from
the river to the navy yard, has already cut
on big point Of mud at the first turn buoy
into the branch channel and is progress
ing rapidly with her work The mud she
has been pumping on the land to be re-
claimed from the branch is now showing
above the water. but 1t will be a year or
more before the work is completed
The work of building a large fish lighter
for Capt. VIM. Neitzey at Cumberland &
Sons boat yard is being pushed, and the
new craft will be ready to put overheard
before the end of this month The new
will
be used to transport fish from the seine
hauling shores to this city.
Of General Interest.
The tomato canning factories at Nomini,
Kinsall and other points on the river are
now at work putting up the fruit for win
ter consumption. The supply Of tomatoes
has been light. and 1t Is feared that the
seasons packing will be below the average
as to number Of cases put up. The schooner
Mcclure is reported lying at Kinsall load
Ing cargo Of tomatoes for this city.
1t 1s stated that the wharf used by the
Washington and Alexandria ferry line IS to
be rebuilt at once, and is to be used for
transportation purposes The hulk of the
burned steamer Columbia, which is lying at
the wharf. will be taken to Alexandria and
laid up until her owners determine whether
or not to rebuild her.
A small power launch, built by Augustus
Deane & Son at their boathouse near Alex
andrla, is now on Its cradle ready to launch
and will be put overheard on the first good
tide. The launch was built for parties here
and Is on new lines, with heavy power and
Is expected to be very fast for a boat of
her size. She will be used for pleasure
trips on the river.
The steamer Newport News of the Nor
folk and Washington line will take a spe-
cial party of about 800 to Newport News
next week to witness the launching OF the
new war ship at that place.
The water In the harbOr is now clea ring
up rapidly and fishermen are having some
success. A few black bass and rock are
being caught with hook and line from the
wharves for the first time this summer
The tug VIM. H. Yerkes, jr will bring
the old steamer Phlox from Annapolis to
Alexandria. where she will be broken up
for the iron and copper that are in her hull.
The Phlox was formerly a naval tender
but having outlived her usefulness was sold
for junk.
The schooner A. H. Quinby. laden with
hard coal from Philadelphia came into port
yesterday evening consigned to Carter &
Clark. After unloading her cargo of coal
she will load railway ties to carry back to
Philadelphia.
The schooner Clara Coward, with full
load Of cord wood aboard from a river
point. has arrived for the dealers
The bugeye r. H. Stuart Is lying at Wirts'
wharp in Maddox creek loading a cargo of
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