Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-22
Communication Between
Alexandria and Washington.
HORSE POWER USED
BOAT MADE ROUND TRIP EVERY
DAY AT START.
Carried Both Freight and Passengers
Ups and Downs, and Then
Out Of Business.

L
| The announcement in The Star a day or
| two ago that interests In this city and
Alexandria are preparing to reopen the
ferry service on the route between the two
cities is a cheering piece of news to those
| who have frequently to travel between the
two cities. and especially to the merchants
| OF this city who have a large trade with
residents in Virginia and who have several
| times each week to send wagons loaded
! with goods to Alexandra for delivery there
| and In the neighboring villages.
| Since the old steamer George Washington
was put out of commission last November
by the dictum Of the steamboat inspectors
| communication with Alexandria has been en-
| tirely by rail, and the merchants have been
forced to drive their teams over the road.
The drive is one of about six miles and the
| roads are not the best. SO that it was often
difficult to deliver goods in Alexandria par
| ticufariy during the severe storms of De-
cember, January and February Just past.
Prior to the laying out of Washington on
the north bank of the Potomac there was a
ferry line on the river between Alexandria
and Georgetown, the records showing that
sailing packets made regular trips. on fa-
vorable tides. directly after the revolution.
About 1915 the first power boat made its
the Union steamboat, and horse or horses
were Its boiler and engine and gave power
| to its paddle wheels. The horses, stationed
J. on treadmill In the center of the boat,
actuated gear wheels connected with the
paddle wheels and the horses walked
the mill the wheels turned and the boat
moved The engineer in that day did not
open a valve to make the boat go faster
| but used bis whip to Increase the speed of
his craft. This boat carried both freight
and passengers anu made a round trip each
day. John Shrieve. its captain and man
ager. In the latter part of 1916 thus adver-
tfsed his craft:
"The Union steamboat will commence run
ming on the 9th instant from Bakers wharf
In Georgetown at am. and Mr.. Bartle's
| wharf at Alexandria at half-past pm,
and will. while passing walt awhile and
land passengers at the bridge Uong
BRIDGE; passage Csc Freight will be taken
as low as any packet boat
The horSebOat did not have a monopoly
of the ferry business very long, for about
1917 the first steamboat. the Camden. Cap
tain Meffett, made its appearance on the
nn;ce captain hss r its poPrieror In his
the District papers Of the time says:
"The steamboat Camden will commence
running the old route from Alexandria to
Georgetown on the 18th of March, from
Bartle's wharf at half-past in the morn
Ing, and will leave Georgetown at half
past in the afternoon. Goods or freight
will be received at Captain Mofett's house.
Grid
Operated as Rivals.
The rival lines - steam vs. horses - con-
tinued In operation for several months. and
Captain Shrieve Of the horseboat an
nounced that for the accommodation Of
passengers of the city of Washington the
boat will stop on its way to and from
Georgetown opposite Davis wharf for a
few minutes
Evidently some enemy of the new steam
boat must have spread reports of the dam
ger OF her boiler exploding, and It was
doubtless the sharp work of the houseboat
people. for in an advertisement which ap-
Grid says. under the caption f'sThe Steam
boat 'The proprietor of the steamboat
Camden respectfully informs the public
that there is not the least cause tc appre-
bend danger from the bursting of the boil
ers of that vessel. as they so made
they can do no injury. They have frequent
iy burst and the only evil experienced has
been a little delay
The rivalry between the boats continued
for a short time longer, for early in the fall
of 1877 they seemed to have been merged
under the management of the houseboat
people, for an advertisement says:
In future the steamboat will leave Con-
ways at 9 am. for Georgetown. returning
at the usual hours Freight may be left
with Mr.. A. Wilson at Georgetown:
Signed 81. SHRIEVE."
These vessels ran the ferry route for a
number of years, and in turn were sue
ceeded by other steamers. The little
steamers, Dandy and Surprise, were the
first to make Washington the terminus.
of the ferry route, although packet boats
continued to make trips to Georgetown,
and the steamers George Washington.
Cygnet, Phoenix, Chesapeake, Fredericks-
burg. Sydney and other boats were also on
the route. About 1895 the steamer Joe
johnson went upon the ferry route. She
was broad-bowed boat and burned wood
mil
but she made several trips each day be-
tween Washington and Alexandria;
steamer called the Phoenix also ran on the
ferry route about the same time. The
Phoenix was SO named because built from
the remains of a burned steamer. She had
pi,oenix-like arisen from the ashes.
Double End Boats.
About 1852 the steamers George Page
and Union were placed on the route. They
were handsome double-end boats, the first
ones used on the Potomac, and was built
to carry wagons like the ferry steamers Of
today. The Union. 1t is said. ran but
short time, but the George Page continued
on the route until the outbreak of the
civil war, In 1861. when she was seized
by the Virginia militia officers one Sunday,
taken to Quantico creek and converted into
gunboat.
She was finally burned by the confed-
crates, and her bones are said to be resting
on the bottom of Aqua creek. about thir-
ty miles down the river. When the fed
eral troops occupied Alexandria the ferry
Was re-esta blished; in fact. there were two
ferries in service; one company operated
the steamers Winnisimet and Tom Collier,
and the other the steamers Fulton and
Young America The service was good In
those days. The steamers were fast, and
the trips between the two cities were made
frequently, the round trip fare being Is
cents. The service was maintained until
the close Of the war, when the thousands
OF soldiers and employees of the United
States, who had been stationed In AIexan-
drfa, returned home. Alexandrias popuia-
ton decreased more than half, and two
boats only were then run upon the ferry.
In 1858 the steamers. double-end boats,
City OF Alexandria and City of Washing
ton, were built and placed on the route.
These vessels continued in service for
many years: they were comfortable. speedy
boats. and did large business. especially
in the summer months. In the fall OF 1880
the City of Alexandria caught fire at her
wharf at Alexandria. and In spite of the
efforts Of the fremen. the flames could not
be checked. She was towed out OF her
slip and beached on the flats opposite
nd io yyh0 he h,,~p 80