Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-08
ON THE RIVER FRONT
ABSENCE OF WILD DUCKS AND
CROWS FROM POTOMAC.
Lighthouse Establishment May Build
New Pier-Ice Damages Many
Wharves-Other Matters.

There has been marked absence of wild
ducks on the river this fall and but little
game from river sources has come to mar
ket here. Usually when the river is COW
cred with ice the ducks seek the omen snots
on the ice to feed, and the hunters are en-
abled to find them readily This season the
open spots have been very few and the
ducks fewer. Crows, which are generally
numerous about the harbor when the river
is frozen, have also been scarce this winter
ordinarily dozens of the big black birds
can De seen on the ice, picking up scraps
thrown from the vessels, but i'm the past
week or two it is seldom that one of the
birds can be found the entire length Of the
harbor
The demand for all varieties OF fresh fish
on sale at the Wholesale fish market on
the nth street wharf was rather light this
morning, and the supply on hand was by
no means large. The bulk of the stock on
hand came by express from Florida and
southern sources
On the oyster wharf. except for the stock
on sale in the houses there were no oys-
tefs on hand, the vessels at the wharf be-
ing cleaned out The beds about Norfolk
are now the main source of supply and
me receipts here are light Prices are
high. ranging above a dollar. and are apt
to go higher still.
Some few wild ducks from the North
Carolina sounds were on sale this morning
and they were in demand at high prices.
The work of overhauiing the steamer T.
V. Arrowsmith will be completed in time to
put her in service by March 1. Since laying
up at the close of the last excursion season
new decks have been laid in the steamer,
her wheels rebuilt and other work done
Rumor says that the diapidated wharf at
the foot of o street southwest. used by the
United States lighthouse establishment as a
berth for the buoy tenders when they visit
this city, and as a storage place for spar
buoys, is to be replaced in the spring by a
new structure. This pier is one of the
worst looking along the entire river front,
and the replacing of il by new pier would
add greatly to the appearance of the har-
Dor and to the credit of the lighthouse au-
thorities.
The extensive repairs made to the
steamer Jane Moseley, at a Baltimore ship
yard, have been completed and the vessel
is now in the best of order. She will come
to this city about the middle of March and
will be made ready to take up excursion
work the river during the coming sum-
The Moseiey is one of the largest
steamers running excursions out of the city.
1t is stated that the plans for the new
pier to be erected at Fort Hunt Va, have
been completed by the United States army
engineers and bids for the construction
of the pier will be asked for in the spring.
The new wharf will be long structure,
running from the Virginia shore across the
flats to the deep water on the channel bank.
1t will be located directly opposite Fort
Washington wharf, and when complet9f
within quarter of a mile Of each other.
General River News.
In addition to Somerset Beach and Stu
arts wharf. on the river. which have been
damaged by the ice. it is now reported that
Clifton Beach wharf and the pier at Liv-
erpool Point have been badly damaged by
the drifting ice When the immense mass
of ice now covering the river begins to
move grave fears are felt for the safety of
all the wharves along the river.
The owners of the large fleet OF wood
and mber- carrying Schooners which are
frozen I'D in Nomin and other tributaries
of the Potomac are taking advantage or
the enforced idleness OF their vessels to
overhaul them and put them in order FOR
active service when the boating season on
the river opens.
The new houseboat building in the dock
between the River View excursion wharf
and the pier of the steamer River Queen Is
nearly completed. and will be ready Tor
service by the time the river is open 10
navigation. The big steam boiler which Is
to furnish heat for the boat and steam for
an Notwithstanding plant has been INSTALL
ed and was tested several days ago. Inc
new boat is the largest of its class ever
built on the Potomac and when competed
will be very handsome vessel.
The Washington tugs VIM H ferkes,
jr, and the Camilla are reported IN the
Wicomjco river. Md. and Will endeaVor
to take a tow of oysters boats to Baltl-
more If the ice viii allow.
The schooner T. Turner, which runs
sand for glass making purposes from the
Severn river to Alexandria, is lying In
that river frozen up in the ice.
The heavy ice on the river forced the
withdrawal of the United States army tug
Gibbon from her route between this city
and Fort Washington several days ago. The
Gibbon is now lying at the fort having
her boilers cleaned and some repair work
done.
The boiler of the steamer Harry Randall
Is heinp oVerhauled while the vessel is out
of service here, preparatory to resuming
her route on the Potomac as soon as the
ice embargo is lifted. Reports coming from
the lower river state that groceries and
supplies are becoming scarce, and the
managers of the Randall line will send out
a steamer as soon as possible.