Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-21
ON THE RIVER FRONT
WARM RAINS AND WIND CLEARS
ICE FROM RIVER.
Increasing Receipts Of Christmas Pack
ages-Changes in River Line Sched-
ule-Generai Matters.

The warm rain of yesterday softened the
greater part of the ice blocking the river
channels, and the rortherly winds of last
night sent the remainder ashore. This
n orning the river is almost free Of ice.
Saturday afternoon and night the floating
Ice interfered consi !erably with the steam
boats. on Buena Vista the ice from the
Georgetown channel and out of Four Mile
Run, some of which was fully three inches
thick, became damned, and it was only
with considerable effort the ferry steamer
was able to force her way through it, The
floating ice striking the row of new piles
recently driven into the river off the lower
end of the Potomac Park carried away
several of them and broke a number Of
others.
The stock Of fresh fish on hand at the
wharf market this morning was ample to
meet a rather light demand, and consisted
of bass, trout, mulets and some few varities
of river fish. Prices are firm. Oysters are
in fair demand, and eight vessels with
Potomac river stock aboard have arrived
since Saturday. bringing about 2,OOO bush
els Prices range from 75c. to s1.25 per
buShel. Ducks are scarce, and are selling
well at high prices.
The only arrivals of sailing vessels here
since last Friday have been two lows Of
oyster-laden boats brought up by the tugs
George w. Pride and Camilla and the
wOod-laden schooner Earl Biscoe. In the
tow Of the Camilla, which came into port
yesterday afternoon, were the Bessie Reid.
George B. Faunce, Eta and Armand Lewis.
Christmas packages from residents Of the
doWn-river counties of Maryland and Vir-
glnia to relatives and friends here are be-
ginning to arrive In large numbers. On
the steamers which arrived in the latter
part of last week there was about hun
dred boxes The steamer Randall, which
came up yesterday evening had aboard
large number, and the steamer Calvert,
which came In this morning, brought ad-
ditonal packages. Christmas freights down
river also increasing.
Of General Interest
Reports from the Elk river, in the upper
part of Chesapeake bay. state that the tug
Emma is ice bound there with a loaded
barge for this city in tow.
Keeper Patrick Reeay of Cedar Point
light, Chesapeake bay, had the misfortune
to break his arm day or two ago by fail
at his station.
Notices to the effect that the steamer
Wakefield will be withdrawn from her route
on the Potomac, January 2. have been sent
to all the wharves along the river by the
Randall line. The steamer Harry Ran
dalrs route will be kept open. and in add
ton trips into Wirt's wharf and Chapel
Point and Brent's will be made.
The tug Camilla went to Alexandria Sat-
urday and had her ice-breaking plough at
tached. The Georgetown tug Minerva has
also been fitted with her ice plough.
The freight steamer F.. James Tul, Cap
tain Selectman, which has been lying at
Alexandria for several days past having
some repair work done to her boiler. is now
ready for service and will sail this after
noon with a large cargo of general stores
for Occoquan.
The barges which have unloaded cargoes
of hard coal here in the last four or five
days are having their bows and sides along
the waters edge protected with heavy
planks to keep their hulls from being cut
while being towed through ice.
The United States naval tug Sylph was
out for run on the river through the ice
Saturday last. She showed no special pen
nant and returned to the navy yard shortly
before 5 o'clock.
The little power launch Olga, which has
been under charter by Col B. X. Roberts of
Fort Washington, who has been using her
in hunting trips on the river, has concluded
her charter and returned TO her berth at
Forsberg Murrays wharf a day or two
ago.
One Of the large sand-digging machines
of the Smoot Company, which has been
operating near Fort Hunt, has been
brought up to Alexandria and will be laid
up for the winter, IT is stated, at the wharf
of William A. Smoot & Co.