Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-06
ON THE RIVER FRONT
CHANGE TO BH,MADE IN METHOD
OF coALING STEAMERS.
New Launch, Lighter to Be Construct.
ed-Ice Damaging River Buoys
Personal Matters.

AS soon as the harbor is open and the
steamers thatfare now laid up resume their
schedules new system of supplying them
with coal will be inaugurated. Under the
plan now IN vogue the soft coal, which is
used by all the steamboats, on the Potomac,
is hauled from the railway dumps on carts
and piled on the steamboat Wharves rms
system Is both dirty and unsightly, but Will
shortly be done away with. Under the new
plan the coal to be used by the steamers
Will be loaded on large barges at the
WharVes IN Georgetown or on the Eastern
pranch, taken to the steamer and unioaded
directly in her bunkers, thus doing away
with the unsighdy coal pile on the Wharves.
Two large barges each carrying over
hundred tons, have recently been built at
Alexandria for the service and Will so TO
work this spring.
AS soon as the weather will allow the
resumption of the dock work Cumberland
q Son will begin the construction OF new
lighter for Johnson & WinSatt OF this city
at the boathouse at the foot of 9th street
southwest. The new boat Is to be eighty
feet long and will be used to carry lumber
from this city to nearby points on the river.
The lighter will be completed ana READY
for service within three weeks from the
day its keel is laid.
Two steam launches belonging to the
United States coast survey service which
nave UeeH lying at bcHHctt UodtyoAN AoA
several weeks past are to be hauled out as
soon possible and the work on them COM
peted SO that they can return 10 service as
soon as the river is open and Danger OF an
other freeze has passed. Inc Launches s,- are
used by the coast survey service in making
surveys and plats of the shallow tributaries
OF the river
General River News.
Many of the buoys marking the ship chan
mel in the Potomac have been broken OH
and showed out of position by the Ice, and
when the ice begins to drift many more
will be displaced. The drifting ice cuts the
wooden spar buoys like a knife until the
big sticks are whitfield down to nothing
leaving only the stump under water.
The continued freeze is reported to De
causing suffering among the oyster tohgers
and dredgers on the lower Potomac. Inc
heavy ice prevents the men from WORKING,
and even where the oysters nave peeH
taken they cannot be sent to market DIS
there are no boats running. AS cohse.
uuence numbers of oystermen are out VI
work and are in need. 1t is stated, OF 1ooo
and fuel for their families. In consequence
of the freeze the oyster police force Oh
Maryland and Virginia are having an easy
time, as the dredgers are unable to Vielate
the oyster laws If they wished to.
Capt. Robert l.. Brown, master or the
tug William H. Yerkes, jr., reports having
seen, on his last trip from this city 10
Baltimore, an oyster VeSSel quinn III ~
Potomac near Piney Point, and another
below Poplar Island in Chesapeake pay:
Captain Brown did not get the names OF
the boats
Capt. Hugh Muir has resigned his berth as
mate of the tug Britannia of Baltimore 10
accept the position of master of the tug
Marion Cameron, which is to take up work
in the Potomac during the coming spring
with the Potomac Dredging Company.
Capt Elmer Clinton has been made mate
of the tug Britannia, succeeding Captain
Muir.
Mate Frederick Drake of the schooner
Malcolm B. Seavey injured his thumb so
badly at Galveston recently that he had to
go to hospital for treatment. WheE tne
vessel sailed from Galveston Mate Drake
was left in the hospital
The tug VIM. II. Yerkes of this city is
reported on her way to the Wicomico river
for a tow of oyster laden, boats which she
will take to Baltimore. The tug Camilla.
which is lying at Rock Point wharf, will as
sist with the tow.
The schooner Irene is reported in Nomini
creek laden with cord wood for this city.
The tugs George w. Pride, Juno and Ros-
allie are lying frozen up in docks at Alex
andria and the tug Eugenia is on a ma
rine railway there.
The United States army tug General War
rem is at the navy yard to be hauled out on
a marine railway there to have some repair
work done to her rudder.
Owing to the heavy ice on the river it is
stated the Baltimore and Ohio railway
trains for ferry service between Alexandria
and Shepherds Landing on the District side
of the river has been abandoned UNI Ill better
weather conditions prevail. The trains of
the Baltimore and Ohio are now being sent
south over the new railway bridge.