Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-03
ON THE River FRONT
LIGHTERS BUILDING FOR COAL
AND SAND CARGoES.
Adventures Of a Drifting Pontoon-
Pleasure Sloop Overturns in River
Other Matters.

The building Of three new lighters at the
Alexandria shipyard for parties here Is
being pushed to completion as rapidly as
possible. and before the end OF the month
they will be ready to launch. Two of the
lighters are being constructed for John P.
Agnew & Co. of this city, and are to be
used. it is stated. in coaling steamers lying
at their docks in the harbor. The coal will
be loaded in the scows at the coal dumps.
and will be taken to where the steamers
are lying. This will do away with the ne
cessity for the storage of large quantities
Of coal on the wharves, as Is now the prac-
tice. and will be distinct step forward to-
ward modern methods prevailing at other
ports
The third lighter is for the Potomac
Dredging Company, and is to be used in
the carrying of sand and gravel from the
digging machines down river to this city.
This lighter is last to be built to fill an
order for twelve from the Alexandria yard
One of the pontoons of a section of piping
belonging to the big hydraulic dredge en-
gagged In deepening the channel above the
Long bridge went adrift some time during
Thursday night Aided by the tide the
floating box drifted down the Georgetown
channel, through the fleet of boats used in
the construction of the new highway bridge
and under two railway bridges, and yes
terday morning it was In the harbor off
9Th street wharf. Then the wind shifted it
to the northwest and carried the pontoon
branch. and 1t finally grounded on the flats
abreast of Buzzard's Point, where it re-
manned.
The Baltimore and Ohio tug Major Brem-
erton, which lows the transfer barge and
its load of cars between Alexandria and
Shepherds Landing, D. c.. Is to leave for
Baltimore as soon as another tug can be
had to relieve her. While in Baltimore the
tug will be given general overhauling.
There was a fairly large supply of fresh
fish both from Chesapeake bay and from
the nets in the river. on sale at the 18th
street wharf fish market this morning.
Perch. bass. catfish. carp. and cells are
coming to market from river sources in
fair quantities.
The demand for oysters in the shell has
not been very heavy during. the past day or
two owing to the warm weather; but the
supply aboard the fleet lying at the oyster
wharf is not very large, amounting in all
to about LOCO bushels. Prices show no
change, ranging from Soc to Csc. per bushel.
them is fair CLANS from Norfolk are also
on sale at Coo. per hundred.
OF General Interest.
The steam barge James X. Jackson is
under charter to the contractors for the
building of the new highway bridge over
the Potomac and is used to transfer the
DOCKS OF stone from Wnefe tney are stored
on the shore to the site of the pier on which
they are to be used.
The schooner William F. Villas was haul
ed out on the marine railway at Bennett 8
boat yard Friday morning for some
minor repair work to her hull. Later In
the day the work was completed and the
vessel put overheard. and she sailed to
Alexandria to load a general cargo for a
river point
The steamer Estelle Randall, which went
to Riverside early In last week to try and
float the stranded steamer T. " Arrow
smith, returned to this city Saturday. hav-
ing been unsuccessful in her mission. An
unusually high tide is wanted to float the
steamer. and II 1t does not come shortly a
dredging machine will have to be sent to
the aid of the stranded steamer. The Ar
rowsmith has been ashore for over two
weeks.
The sloop Sea Gull, with party of hunt
ers aboard, went out for hunt on the river
Friday, but the trip was brought to a
sudden termination by the overturning Of
the boat AS she was sailing across the flats
on the Virginia side of the river about half
way between this city and Alexandra she
was struck by q flaw and before the sail
could be eased on the boat overturned.