Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-22
ON THE RIVER FRONT
OYSTER VESSELS FIND OPEN
WATER AND SAIL INTO PORT.
Christmas Traffic on River-Big Cargo
of Coal Arrives-Persona1
and General.

The strong westerly wind OF yesterday
blew all the ice which had been broken
by the wheels of the passing steamers, well
upon the eastern shore Of the river, and the
master of the oyster company schooner
Avalon, took advantage of the fayOring
breezes and the open water to sail up the
river, thus saving a tow bill through the
ice. The Avalon is the first sailing vessel
to come up the river under sail for two
weeks or longer
The demand for fresh fish of all kinds
was very light this morning, not heavy
enough to absorb the very small supply
received by the dealers this morning. Prices
as consequence was very low.
The arrival of three or four oyster laden
boats at the wharf last night added about
100 bushels of the bivafves to the small
stock already on hand. The demand FOR
the oysters was quite brisk and they sold
at high figures, ranging from 10 cents 10
$1.2o per bushel. according to grace. some
few wild ducks are sale at the wharf
market this morning and they are selilng
slowly, but at fair prices.
The steamers both coming into port from
along the lower river and leaving here for
the river wharves are well loaded with
Christmas remembrances. Several hundred
persons residing in this city came from the
river counties of Maryland and Virginia
and each Christmas they send boxes 10
their families down the river. Within the
next two days several hundred boxes Will
be taken from the city to river points.
The tug Camilla left port yesterday after
noon with string of six oyster boats In
tow behind her, bound for the lower river.
The vessels have recently completed the
unloading of cargoes of oysters ana their
masters arranged to be towed down river SO
that they could spend Christmas with their
families. In the tow were the schooners
Hester A. Waters, Shining Light. George
B. Faunce. NJ. J. Stevenson, T. Davidson
and Golden G.
The barges T. w. Commisky, Patapsco
and several others laden with poplar wood
from the Potomac bound to PhiiadeipnIa
are lying at Baltimore waiting the open
ing of the Chesapeake and Delaware CANAL
which is blocked by the heavy Ice.
Walter c. Mitchell. assistant keeper OF
Seven Foot Knoll light station on Chesa-
peake bay, has resigned and Will retre
from the service December IL
Reports coming from along the lower
river state that mistletoe Is very scarce
this year. The parasite can De 1ouno ~
limited quantities, but it has but few OF
the white waXen berries on 1t. But nttle
mistletoe has been shipped to this city so
far this year from the lower Potomac
General River News.
The tug Dallis, belonging to the High
Point Plantation Company, did not COM
plete the putting on of a new propeller
wheel yesterday. as was expected. but she
morrow. She will then resume her trips
between this city and Hight Point, Va.
The ovehauling of the wheels of the
steamer T v Arrowsmith is being pushed
to completion. and she Will be given gen
eral overhauling at once, so that she can
relieve the steamer Harry Randall on the
lower river route, while the Randall under
goes her usual overhaulng.
The ice on Piscatway creek, Maryland.
near Fort Washington, is reported to be
quite heavys and persons are able to cross
it to and from Pennington, Md.
The steamers coming into port from the
lower river are bringing up holly in large
quantities, the woods on both sides of the
river having been secured for the beautiful
evergreen. The holly this year is particu-
larly we'll filled with berries. a sign the
country people say of an unusually nara
winter, with plenty of snow and ice.
The officers of the steamer EStelle Ran
dali running on the Glynont mail route
report having seen large eagle on the ice
on the river yesterday morning Off Fort
Foote. The ground being covered with
snow has forced the crows and buZzands
to seek food on the ice covered surface of
the river, and the ice was black with the
birds yesterday.
The four-masted schooner Charles r.
Davenport completed the discharging of her
cargo of phosphate rock at Alexandria yes
terday and was taken to Shoots dock to
load railway ties for Boston. The barken-
tine Shawmut is also loading ties at
Shoots.
The Baltimore tug Dauntless came into
port yesterday afternoon, with the sea-
going barge Lewis Thompson in tow, laden
with hard coal. from Philadelphia for the
dealers. The barge brings about 800 tons
of the fuel in one cargo.
The tug Camilla brought the Eta into
port laden with oysters from the lower
river. The Avaln and the James H Beach.
both oyster laden, also came into port yes
terday.
The four-masted schooner Salisbury of
Baltimore will complete the unloading of
her cargo of lumber within the next day or
two and will sail for Baltimore under char