Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-26
ON THE RIVER FRONT
THICK FOG BANKS COVERED THE
POTOMAC SATURDAY.
Steamer Pentz to Receive overhauling
Christmas Business on River
Personal and General.

The warm weather of Saturday caused
heavy fogs on the river nearly the entire
day. in spite of the heavy rain that fell
Between this city and Giyrnont the fog
formed in patches, and one minute a
steamer would be sailing through the cloud
of mist so thick that objects fifty feet
away could not be seen, and the next min
ute she would be on clear water with the
fog bank like wall behind her and another
one ahead. into which she would run only
to run out again in a few minutes. The
fog seemed to be thickest over the portions
of the river most thickly covered with float
ing masses of ice.. The rain of Saturday
did not soften the ice in the river to any
great extent, and this morning the broken
up masses of ice were floating up and down
with the tide.
The steamer Samuel j. Pentz will leave
here shortly for Baltimore, where she is to
go into dry dock for a general overhaul
Ing of hull and machinery in preparation for
the coming excursion season on the river
1t is expected the Pentz will be in Balti-
more for several weeks. The steamers
Charles Manchester, T. V. Arrowsmith and
River Queen are also being overhauled and
made ready for their next season work on
the river
The steamer Harry Randall takes up her
winter schedule today, making three trips
each week to points on the lower Potomac
doc creek. She will land at all her sum-
mer and fall schedule landings. and. in adj
dition, will make one or two trips each
week into Port Tobacco creek, to Brent's
and Chapel Point wharyes, and to Wise
and Massey's wharves, in Maddox creek
General River News.
The schooner Edward G. Hight. Captain
CAN'T, well known here, has made record
trip from Fernandina to Baltimore. The
Hight sailed from Fernandina December
II and was lying in Baltimore harbor Sat-
urday morning, having made the trip in
seven days.
Business has fallen fiat on the river
steamers, now that the Christmas rush is
over and from now until the spring bust
ness opens in March or April the steamers
will be operated at a loss to their owners.
The holiday freights on the river did not
begin to run heavy until about week ago,
then it all came with rush and the clerks
at the steamer wharves were simply over
whelmed with hundreds of small boxes,
baskets and packages from down river peo-
pie to relatives and friends here.
Mr. George Guest purser of the steamer
Wakefield. has been transferred to the
steamer Harry Randall for the winter, and
Mr.. George Stafford. from the Randall, has
taken charge of the pursers office on
the Glymont route steamer.
The trips of the Norfolk line steamers
so run this year that Capt. Cassen of the
steamer Washington, whose home is in
Norfolk. able TO spend Christmas with
his family in that city. and Capt. Posey of
the Norfolk spent the day with his fam
lily here.
Mr. Richard E Tull Of this city. who has
been in the lighthouse service for several
years. has recently been made a mate In
the lighthouse service and assigned to duty
or Lightship No. 46, stationed on the Tail
of-the-HorSeshoe. in Chesapeake Bay.
The -dredge Of the Columbia Sand Company,
which went into Fonr Mile Run about two
weeks ago, has been, it is stated, unable
to work in consequence of the ice.
The tugs VIM. H. Yerkes. Jr., and NJ.
Mitchell Davis of this city are cruising on
Chesapeake bay seeking lows.
The schooner John ]. Hanson, which I'M
loaded cargo of stone here for the new
highway bridge. and then loaded railway
ties at Alexandria. has arrived at Alex
andria with her cargo.
The schooner Fred A. Davenport, which
is loading railway ties for Boston at Alex
andria. is to receive Ii cents per tie as
charter price.
The schooner Salisbury. from this city,
has arrived at Baltimore to load steel
rails for Jacksonville.
The pungy Ella Hill Is lying at Alexandria
out of service and will during the winter
be given an overhauling.
The tug Sarah is in the dry dock at the
shipyard of VIM. E. Modal & Co., at
Baltimore, for repairs to her hull and for
metaling.