Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-28
ON THE RIVER FRONT
GOOD WORK OF NAVAL TUGS IN
HEAVY ICE IN POTOMAC.
Condition of Colonial Beach Wharves-
Railway Transfer Service Resumed
Personal and General.

The big naval tugs Choctaw, Tecumseh
and Triton have done effective work in
keeping the river open during the past
two months, although but little mention
of them has been made. The tugs
throughout the entire freeze, have made
daily trips to the naval proving grounds
at Indian Head, Md. towing barges with
material aboard for the naval powder fac
tory at Indian Head, or carrying new naval
guns to and from the proving grounds.
Often the entire fleet of tugs would be nee
essary to carry one barge down the river,
two of the big boats towing the barge,
while the third tug went ahead of the
tow and broke the channel open through
the ice BY this union of action the tugs
have been able to keep up communication
with Indian Head, and at the same time,
by keeping the channel open, have been
OF material aid to the few steamboats, in
service on the river.
In consequence Of the light receipts of
fresh fish from all sources business was
quite dull at the wholesale market at the
18th street wharf this morning although
there were a number of buyers on hand
who could not obtain the stock wanted
Prices, in consequence of these conditions
keep at high figures. Some few fish from
the James river have. it is stated, been re-
ceived by the dealers in the past day or
two.
houses on the wharf are ample to meet the
demand, which is fair This morning the
oysters in the shell sold at $1.20 per bushel
and shucked at 81 30 and 81 40 per gallon.
There are but few wild ducks or geese on
sale, and they command high prices when
in good condition
A letter from Colonial Beach received
here recently states that much damage has
been done the wharves at the beach by the
ice. The old wharf used by the freight
and passenger steamers, has, as. stated sew
eraI days ago, been carried away, and Bent
ley'S dancing pavilion has been badly IN
jured. AS yet the new wharf, built last
summer as landing place for the eX-
cursion steamers, has escaped injury The
ice is said to be piled high above the beach,
and when the mass of ice from the upper
river comes down further damage is looked
for.
Two launches belonging to the coast sur
vey service were hauled out on the marine
railway at Benefits boatyard this morning
to be given a general overhauling before
returning to the lower Potomac to resume
the surveying of the river and its shores.
General River News.
The men aboard the little tug j. T. Select
man are taking advantage of her being idle
to give her a coat of paint and to otherwise
improve the appearance of the little boat
before she takes up her regular work on
the river, towing sand and gravel-laden
barges from the digging machines at work
about Fort Hunt or at points further down
the river.
The Baltimore and Ohio railway car
transfer service between Alexandria and
Shepherds Landing, on the District side of
the river, which has been greatly interfered
with by the heavy ice, has been resumed
and several times daily long trains of
freight-laden ears are transferred from one
side of the river to the other The tug Maj.
Beaverton, which lows the car-laden float
recently broke her wheel on the ice and
had new one put on her at the navy yard
in the latter part of last week.
The tug GiObon, the tender to the army
posts on the river, has resumed her trips
between the forts and this city, through
the ice. The tug is making two trips daily,
under the command Of Capt. Thos. Todd,
and Is carrying down quantities Of supplies
for the officers and men stationed there.
Capt. Todd has entirely recovered from a
recent attack of the grip.
Most of the tugs employed in the ice
breaking fleet had their plows somewhat
damaged in their battle with the heavy ice
below Alexandria Sunday evening. Yes
ployed in overhauling the plows and put
ting them in readiness for duty again
when they are needed to return to service
in breaking the ice.
mand of the tug Gibbon during the Illness
of Capt. Todd, has returned to the COM
mand of the Cygnus at Fort Washington.
Mr.. Richard Webster. who was acting
as engineer of the army tug GibbOn. has
been relieved from that duty by the ar
rival of an engineer of the United States
army transport service, who had been as
signed to duty on the Gibbon.
The ice moving out of the dock in which
the steam launch LOWE Randall has been
lying all winter pulled the caulking out
of the seams In the hull of the launch and
caused her to leak so badly that she had
to be placed ON the bottom in the shoal dock
adjoining the ferry wharf to prevent her
from sinking AS soon as railway can
be had the launch will be hauled out for
repairs.
The steam launch Joe Blackburn. which
sank In the dock at Forsberg & Murray's
wharf at the beginning OF winter, will be