Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-14
ON THE RIVER 'FRONT.'
PROPOSED NEW PIER FOR THU
LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE.
Improvements Stopped by Red Tape
Hunting for Gravel Beds
Other Marine Notea

It is stated that the pier of the light
| house service at the foot of o street SOUTH
| west Is to be rebuilt this fall and will be
made one of the most modern wharves on
| the local water front. The new pier Will
| not come before 1t is needed, for the one
now being used by the lighthouse tenders
when they visit this city is In very dilapi-
dated condition. When the government
authorities took possession OF the wharves
several years ago the old pier, which had
been used by the Inland and Seaboard
Coasting Company, was turned over to the
| lighthouse service. 1t was repaired to
make 1t fit for temporary use. but no work.
of any amount has been done on It since
| then, and about the only way Il can be
repaired is by tearing II down and building
new structure. The old wharf liz one OF
the most diapidated looking structures
along the river front, and We're II under the
control of private party the authorities
would before this have notified them to put
1t In more thorough state of repair. but
being government wharf, the District
has done nothing. The wharf not only
needs rebuilding, but the dock should be
dredged, as the lighthouse boats lie on the
bottom while In port here on very low. tide.
The demand for fresh fish of all kinds
was but light at the wholesale fish market
on the wharf this morning. bat the demand
was also light. Trout, spot. tailors and a
sale at moderate prices. The supply OF
river-caught fish continues extremely light. /
There were about 1000 watermelons
aboard the five vessels lying at the oyster
wharf this morning and the demand for
them was fairly brisk. This morning
selected melons sold at SIS to $40 per hum
dred, primes at sl2 to $40 per hundred and
culs at 81 to So per hundred.
CLAIMS, crabs and oysters were sale
in quantities ample to meet light de-
mand.
y,,,, holn tof e.
A. J. Taylor of this city, which was built
at Solomons Island. Md, by NJ. NJ. Davis
& Son, went into service Saturday last,
when the launch sent to a landing on
the upper Patuxent river to meet Captain
Taylor and carry him to Solomon's Island.
1t is stated that the new boat Will make
her appearance on the Potomac some time
during the coming week.
The harbor police Saturday last notified
Capt. Sonny Reagan that he would first
have to obtain a permit from the building
inspectors office before he could make
some small repairs to the walkway from
his boat house to the floating stages ae
which the pleasure craft are moored when
not in service. The work Captain Reagan
proposed to do would have improved the
property and increased it's value and could
only be done while business was slack at
the boat yard. The delay necessary TO Sc
cure the permit may prevent the improve
ment being made for several weeks.
The soldiers truck garden. belonging to
the engineers battalion, on the Potomac
park, directly opposite the barracks. is now
furnlshing quantities of all kinds of veg
etables for use on the mess tables of the
soldiers. The success of the soldier farm
ers has been good, and with the fine land
they had at their disposal they have had
big crops. The men in charge of the garden
have their quarters In tents the Poto-
mac park adjoining the garden. and are
on hand to prevent any poaching on their
cornfield or tomato patches
According to the reports coming from
the sand and gravel-digging grounds on
the Potomac. below Fort Washington, the
supply Of gravel is becoming very scarce
and the demand for the gravel is increas-
ing. In order TO obtain a sufficient supply
of the gravel the local sanddigging COM
panies have men out prospecting along the
river trying TO locate new and available
sand and gravel beds, which be
worked by the floating diggers and which
are within towing distance OF this city.
Good gravel. 1t is stated be found at
the lower end Of the river, but the cost
Of towing the barges to this city would be
too great to be profitable.
General River Matters.
The tug Edith G. Winship. which has been +,
laid up for repairs, has gone into service
again, the repairs to her machinery having
been completed The Winship will engage
In towing gas coal-laden barges about the
harbor and from Shepherds landing of the ;
Baltimore and Ohio railroad to the coal
docks at Georgetown.
The shipments of tobacco in hogsheads
from the wharves on the lower Potomac to .
Alexandria. to be reshiDped from there TO
Baltimore by the steamers. are increasing.
The steamer arriving up from the lower
river yesterday landed fifteen or more
hogsheads, and a still larger number is
looked for on her next trip.
The ram schooner Levin j. Marvel came
into port yesterday afternoon with a cargo
of pine lumber and shingles from a North
Carolina port for local dealers.
The long boat Mayfiower is in port with a
full load of cord wood from a river point
for use here. She Will unload at the 11th
street wharf.
The Rita Gator is among the recent ar
rivals in port with cargoes of watermelons
from the lower Potomac.
The schooner Wild Flower, laden with /
boards from a Virginia port. came into
port Saturday afternoon consigned TO local
dealers.
The bugeye Goldie C has gone to CO. !;
lonial Beach with a load of lumber and !
building material for a cottage to be erected I
at the resort.
The schooner Hattie P. Simpson. which
loaded cargo OF coal a Georgetown. has
arrived Boston with her cargo. She will,
1t is stated. go to a Maine port TO load ice /!
for this city. 10
The schooner Thomas J. Shryock laden ,
with a cargo of shingles from a port IN !
North Carolina, is reported in the river
and Is expected to arrive within the next !
two or three days.
The schooner Sherman, due here with a
cargo of ice from Rockport, Me-. for the ,
Home Ice Company, has been chartered to
load a return cargo of coal at Georgetown
for port in New England.
The steam barge Lily and Howard has
gone to Occoquan to load a cargo OF oak
piles on deck and to bring up long raft
OF pine pling for use on the work going
on along the Eastern branch.
The sailing barge Daniel will load cargo
of soft coal at Alexandria for the icemaking
plant and electric light works at Colonial
Beach.