Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-20
ON THE RIVER FRONT
OYSTER CARRYING CRAFT FRoZ-
EN- IN AT CITY WHARF.
Steamer MacAllister Passes Annual
Inspection-Potomac Oyster Beds
Reported Damaged.

large fleet OF oyster-carrying vessels
are frozen up at the oyster and fish wharves
here and are awaiting the coming OF warm
er weather and the opening OF Navigation
to return to the lower river for cargoes'
Among the fleet are the Ruth, Ada WOOD
NJ E. Smith, Avalon, Bessie Ford. VIM
Turner George B. Faunce, Emelia, u. IL
Bunker. Thomas Bailey Brown, ID. j. Bal
lard. Col. s. A. Graham. Edith May. Elmira
Russell c. p Evans. f. Il. s. Dougherty.
Keable, Bessie Reed. c. a. Pryor, Dove
and Ada Ballenger. Several of these vessels
have been here for six weeks and all OIL
them have been here for over a month
The cargoes they brought have been dis
posed OF several weeks ago and the vessels
are In the charge of caretakers, the masters
and owners In many instances having re-
turned to their homes in Maryland ana
Virginia until the freeze is over
There was a fairly large supply of fresh
fish of all kinds, from Florida waters on
sale at the wholesale fish market on the
nth street wharf this morning, but tho
demand was rather light. Prices are hrm
and range at about the figures quoted last
week. ,.r
and the receipts are more than equal to the
demand Two oyster-laden vessels are
reported lying in creek down river
waiting to come to this city as soon a INC
oysters has made the demand at the wharf
market very light.
The Mount Vernon and Marshall Hail line
steamer Charles Manchester underwent her
annual inspection at the hands of the [ MT
ed States steamboat inspectors FRIDAY
Two inspectors came over from Baltimore
to make the examinations of the machinery,
boiler hull and equipment. The inspection
was n searching one, but was satisfactory
and the steamer will be granted her usual
excursion license for the coming year.
A number OF skaters were out on the Ice
at the lower end of the harbor of the
Washington Barracks Park yesterday ana
enjoyed some fine sport on the thick Ice
Several parties are reported to have skated
from Alexandra to this city WITHIN .he
past two or three days. They came up the
Virginia shore and found the Ice solid ana
without a sign of break the entire dis
lance.
General River News.
Fears are expressed that the oyster beds
in the lower Potomac have been badly dam
aged by the freezing weather. oysters re-
Gently taken I'D from the beds have been
found to be frozen in their shells and kill
ed These beds were located in shoal water.
and those in deeper water may nave
escaped This cannot be definitely ascer.
tanned, however, until the ice leaves the
river
Reports made to the lighthouse service
authorities in this district state that the
beam of light thrown toward the zenith py
the searchlight on the Diamond Shoai light
ship on the coast of North Carolina, has
been seen by Captain Wade on the schooner
Thomas S. Dennson. when thirty-hve miles
distant from the ship. The observation
was made by Captain Wade on the night
Of February 10 last. This is the greatest
distance at which the light has peeh seen
by q vessel up to this time.
The crew OF the Columbia sand Dredging
Company tug j. T. Selectman are ovefhaui-
ing and painting the boat in preparation Tor
the opening of the season on the river. The
tug is lying frozen up at the American Ice
Company's 10th street wharf
The overhauling of the two coast survey
service launches which have been at Ben
nett's boatyard for several weeks Will be
started at once. in order to have the boats
ready for service early in March. They will
be used in the work Of making surveys and
gathering data of the shores of the Poto-
mac for the new charts shortly to be issued
by the coast and geodetic survey service
Capt. Jack Taylor. managing owner OF the
Taylor feet of tugboats. has recovered from
an attack of the grip, and Is again able TO
attend to business.
Samuel Thomas, agent of Benedicts
wharf Northumberland county. Va, on
Thomas had many friends here.
The work of fitting the tug D. M. Key
with an fce-breaking pillow Is being pushed
at Benefits boatyard, in order TO have the
tug ready for service in Commodore SUIT
toms fleet OF ice breakers, which are ex-
pected to begin operations In few days.
Capt Frank V. Kurtz will have command
OF the Key.