Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-07
ON THE RIVER FRONT
OFFERS SEEN IN POTOMAC NEAR
FORT WASHINGTON.
Ice Eleven Inches Thick in Docks
overhauling Sand-Digging Ma
chine-Other Matters.

+. Capt. ThOs. Owens master of the steam
barge Daniel X. Jackson, reports having
seen two offers in the river on his last trip
| to this city. before the freeze. about ten
days ago. The river was full OF floating
| ice, and his boat was steaming along in the
vicinity Of Fort Washington when Capt.
Owens noticed two large black objects
short distance away jump from the water
upon a sheet of ice and then dive into the
water again on the, further side of the ice.
Several times the objects repeated this per-
Torrance, and at last Capt. Owens got a
good look at them and saw they were OF
tiers, and large ones. The offers finally
dived under the ice near River View, and,
as far as could be seen, did not come to
the surface again. Offers are very rare In
the Potomac. and it has been a long time,
it Is said since one has been seem One
was shot on the Nanticoke river in Mary
land few days ago by a hunter.
There was but a light demand for the
fresh fish on sale at the wholesale fish
market on the 18th street wharf this morn
ing. while the supply on hand was amply
large to meet a good demand. Prices Keep
up and will continue high until the river Is
again open to navigation. Shad. herring.
bass, perch and other varieties from south
ern waters constitute the bulk of the fish
on sale.
At the oyster wharf there are but few
oysters in the shell on sale aboard vessels.
and by tonight the vessels will be sold out
and only the oysters in the houses Will be
left to meet the demand Prices are high.
ranging from 81 per bushel to $1.50 and
higher.
The heavy fall of sleet put stop to the
skating on the tidal basin except on a
small spot near the bathing beach, which
was cleaned off by boys who were anxious
to enjoy the sport. Yesterday afternoon
there were possibly a hundred persons on
this spot enjoying the sport.
Capt. James Jones of the tug Dallas yes
terday afternoon cut block of ice on the
dock between the Mt Vernon steamer
wharf and heold ferry line wharf, and
measuring 1t found 1t to be eleven inches
thick and clear and hard This Is the
thickest ice that has formed In the harbor
for many years. Boys wishing to go from
one wharf to another do not take the trou-
BILE to go around now, but jump down upon
the ice and use 1t as pathway from point
to point about the harbOr.
Owing to the heavy Ice on the river the
managers of the Randall line have cut out
the landings on the Glymont route below
steamer Estelle Randall will. it is stated.
make Fort Washington the end of her
route. Arrangements have been made to
send the mail to Marshall Hall. Glymont
and Indian Head, on the Maryland side of
the river, and to Gunston, on the Virginia
side, by rail and Especial carrier. 1t is
expected, however, this arrangement will
be of short duration.
General River News
The work of overhauling the boiler and
machinery of the steamer Governor Nc
Lane of the Maryland oyster police force
has been completed at Baltimore and the
steamer is ready for service
her services are needed. The cruising
grounds of the Governor McLane are on
the oyster grounds along the lower Poto-
mac, but just now. when the oyster
grounds are covered with ice, her services
are not needed.
Mate Phylander George of the steamer
Harry Randall has been assigned to duty
on the steamer Estelle Randall until the
Harry returns to service on the down
river route.
The arrangements for a two-steamer fer
ry on the river between this city and AL
exandria during the Inauguration time
next month have been practically COM
pleted The boats will run March 3,
and on a forty-five-minute schedule from
early in the morning until about midnight.
The large sand and gravel digging
chine of the Smoot Company of this city
is still on the big marine railway at
Alexandria, the work on its hull having
been delayed by the extremely cold wealth
er. The overhauling of the vessel will be
pushed as rapidly as possible in order to
have 1t ready for work as soon as the
ice will allow the machine to be sent to
the digging grounds down river.
The four-masted schooner Orleans has
Gently been launched at Bath Me-. ship
yard for the coasting trade. She is
sci of 751 tons register, and is $50 feet long.
Boston will be her home port.
The revenue cutter VIM. Window has left
Baltimore for cruise on Chesapeake bay
to aid vessels that she may find in distress
in the ice or en- account of the winter gales.
Capt. Arthur Vaux, the newly appointed
mate of lightship No. r. row in the Dia-
mond Shoals ton on the coast of North
Carolina has Joined his vessel, and Capt.
Orland Moore, whom he will relieve, will
come ashore. Capt. Moore has been as
assigned to duty on the Pacific coast and
will join her at New York shortly. No 76
will go to the Pacific by way of the Straits
of Magellan.