Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-14
ON THE RIVER FRONT
ICE IN wHEELHoUsEs GIVING
ENGINEERS TROUBLE.
Schooner Rover Changes owners-Tug
Yerkes Coming Home-oen-
eral News About Harbor.

Although the sidewhcel steamers which
ply on the Potomac have been laid up for
over ten days, and during that period the
temperature has been above the freezing
point several times. their warehouses are
still massed with ice and the engineers are
having much trouble in getting rid OF It.
During the freezing weather the steamers
often come into port with their wheel
houses so filled with ice as to leave barely
room enough for the wheels to turn. When
laid up the engine room forces attack the
Ice with steam hose. but 1t requires several
days to melt the accumulation. Advantage
Is being taken by the steamboat engineers
Of the enforced laying up of their boats to
clean boilers and get In good shape for
work when navigation Is resumed.
There was a fairly large supply OF fresh
fish from the vicinity of Norfolk and Old
Point on sale at the Ash houses on the 18th
for them was fairly good. Frozen smelts
from the northern coasts are on sale and
are selling readily. Prices are advancing
slightly with the colder weather.
An additional supply OF oysters in barrels
from the lower part of Chesapeake bay.
where the ice does not interfere greatly
with the dredses, was received this morning
on the Norfolk line steamer, and the dealers
here will receive supplies from day to day
as needed. 1t has been about three weeks
since an oyster-laden boat was able to
reach here.
Reports from the st. Mary's river in lower
Maryland state that the Weems Line
steamer Calvert found the ice so heavy in
the creek that she was unable to get to the
two wharves in that stream. The Calvert
will. it is understood. make an effort to get
up the Potomac early in next week.
The two-masted schooner Rover, bay
trader, has been sold by her owner, Mr.. w.
H. Vannort Of Cambridge. Nd, to Capt. G.
Frank Seward of Baltimore. who will take
af ffxax 81 40 D0yy0f q
well known at this port. where she Is a fire.
quent visitor with cargoes Of lumber from
Virginia ports. She Is vessel Of 126 gross
tons. and was built at Cambridge in 1888.
The Rover will be continued in the bay
trade by her new owner
General Port News.
The tug William H. Yerkes. jr., of this
city has been chartered by the owners OF
the tug Radiant to assist that tug to thfs
city with barge laden with oil from the
Wicomico river. The tugs and their tow
will arrive here today. This is the first visit
the Yerkes has made home for several
weeks.
The tug Camilla brought a tow OF five
light coal .barges from Georgetown to this
city and berthed them at the wharveS in
the harbor for safety until a tug arrives to
take them away. The barges unlOaded
cargoes of coal at Georgetown just before
the recent heavy freeze.
The new house boat of Mr.. VIM. l.. Phil
lips is laid up for the winter at the foot of
18th street. She is in commission, and her
owner spends considerable time aboard her.
The work of overha uling the steamer
Charles Manchester is being pushed in order
to have the steamer ready to return to serv-
ice on the route between this city and Mt.
Vernon.
The tug Hercules of Baltimore, which has
been sold to New York owners, has sailed
for that port to be turned over to her pur-
chaSerS
The burned buildings have been cleared
from the 9Th street wharf of the American
Ice Company and the erection of a black
smith shop and other buildings will be
started in a few days.
The tugs Baby and Selectman Of the sand
company fleet of two boats are undergoing
some minor repairs at the 10th street wharf
of the American Ice Company. They will
be ready for service as soon as navigation
opens