Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-18
ON THE RIVER FRONT
DEEPER WATER WANTED IN UP
PER MACHoDoC CREEK.
Repairing Vessels at Boatyard - Good
Bass and Perch Fishing
Marine Matters.

The farmers and merchants residing
along Upper Machodoc creek. Va, are pre-
pairing to make a determined fight to have
that tributary Of the Potomac deepened by
the national government. There are two
wharves in the creek and the steamers from
this city go into them when the tides will
allow. Often. however. there Is not water
enough in the creek to allow the shallow
draft river steamers to go up to the
wharves. and the merchants have to travel
eight or ten miles to wharves on the river
to ship and receive goods. 1t Is claimed
that there Is business enough done on the
Upper Machodoc to Justify the dredging of
the stream. and between now and the open
ing of the next Congress data will be
gathered to support the contention. The
matter Is now. 1t is stated, in the hands of
a committee of the Virginia business men,
and a strong delegation will visit this city
In the fall to press 1t before Congress.
There was fair demand for fresh fish
Of all kinds at the wholesale market on
the 18th street wharf this morning and the
supply. the bulk Of which came from the
fisheries in the vicinity of Norfolk, was
quite large. Gray trout and butterfish con-
stituted the bulk Of the supply, but other
varieties were also on sale. Prices ranged
about as follows: For butterfish. per pound.
2a3c.; crocus. per pound. 2a3c.; spot per
pound 4a6c.; rock. boiling. per pound, 15c.;
medium. per pound. 1Oa12c. small, per
pound. Case: perch, white. large. per pound.
Sa10c.; medium. per pound, 5a6c.; tailors
large, per pound, case; small to medium,
4a5c.: founders. 5a6c.; trout. gray. large.
per barrel. $7a$7.5O; small to medium. per
barrel $5a$6; catfish 25a'Oc. per bunch.
Watermelons are becoming scarce aboard
vessels at the wharf the arrivals having
been very few in the past forty eight hours.
AS a consequence prices are somewhat
higher ranging from So per hundred for
| culls up to SIS per hundred for selected
stock. The calm weather prevents melon
vessels from coming up the river.
Crabs hard-shelled, sold this morning
at 81. % and 80 per Larrel. and soft crabs
are quoted at 25c. per dozen.
The steam barge E. James Tull. Capt.
Selectman. which has been hauled out on
the Alexandria marine railway to have the
cupboard connections Of some Of the steam
er's machinery put in place. will be COM
pleted this afternoon and will be put over
beard at once. The schooner Mcguire is at
the Shipyard and will be hauled out at once
to find and close up n leak and for repair
work to her hull. The ram schooner ].
d. Marvel. now in port here, will. ii is stat
ed. go to the Alexandria shipyard for re-
pairs soon as she completes the unload
! ing of a cargo of pine lumber.
A small houseboat owned by parties re-
| siding at Alexandria Is on the small marine
railway at Deans boatyard for caulking
and such other repair work as may be
necessary. The power launch which has
| been under repairs for several days at
| Deans was launched yesterday ready for
service.
| Reports coming from the vicinity Of In
| dian Head, Md. state that black bass are
| biting quite freely in that vicinity. and
| that within the past two or three days
some excellent catches have been made
| Some of the fish caught have weighed as
| much as four and half pounds. Fisher
men have also been making good catches
| of white perch on the sand bars below
| Beuna Vista wharf in the past three or
| four days The fish. 1t Is stated. are biting
| freely. but are of small size.
| Twelve large hogsheads of tobacco in the
/ leaf were brought up from points along
| the river yesterday by the steamer Wake
| field and wrere landed at Alexandria to be
| sent to Baltimore. Since the tobacco ship
| ping season opened several hundred hogs
| heads of the weed have been shipped from
| Potomac points to Baltimore. The ship
| ments have been largely in excess Of any
| made in recent years.
General and Personal
Commodore John r. Sutton, the harbor-
| master. Is on his annual leave. and has
| gone to Colonial Beach, Va. to spend a
| week or ten days. The commodore leaves
his Office in care of Capt. Russell Dean of
the harbor police force who Is acting as
| harbormaster Mr.. John Peary Is in COM
mand of the police boat Vigilant during
| the absence of Commodore Sutton.
| Mr.. Jimmie Neale. engineer in charge of
the harbor police boat vigilant. is on leave
| of absence In New York. Mr.. Daniel
| Storms Is acting as engineer of the Vigilant
| during the absence of Mr. Neale
| Mr.. John A. Davis. the veteran watch
| man at the harbor Office. is reported con-
| fined to his home by sickness
Capt. f. 8. Randall returned home last
| night from a business trip to Colonial
| Beach, Va. where he has extensive pr. D.
| erty interests.
| new tug. the Margaret built at Baiti-
| more for the p. Dougherty Company. is
! having her machinery put aboard and will
| be ready for service in about three weeks.
/ The tug is to be used for general towing
| on the river.
| The steamer Gov. p. F. Thomas OF the
Maryland oyster navy Is at Baltimore being
overhaul6d and made ready for the opening
| of the oyster-taklng season.
| The work of overhauing Stewards wharf,
| on the lower Potomac. has been completed.
| and work will now be pushed, II Is stated,
| on the wharf at Clifton Beach.
The schooner John p. Robinson has ar