Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-19

Slop dt III . Oiil III SoiiS " w ASH
ington.
From the increase of traffic and of pas
sengers his profits had become immense,
and he thought of purchasing a steamer.
He finally purchased steamboat in Balti-
more, and leaving his ferry boat in charge
of his mate he slipped off to that city to
complete the deal A vessel was seen ap-
preaching Alexandra one day not long
afterward which was thought to be af1re,
from the smoke issuing from her decks.
Few of the people had ever seen a steam
boat The first intimation they had, how
ever, of the absence of their old captaiA
was when he was seen coming from -
steamboat which had brought him ar00
from Baltimore.
This was the first steamboat on the
Potomac.
Steamer Substituted.
THE next day he sent the ferry boat up
to Buzzard's Point and put his steamer on
the ferry line. 1t seems he had made
bargain with a merchant, on certain condi-
tons of payment. and had engaged the cap
tain and the crew belonging to the boat.
Before he put his new boat on the line he
invited a large party aboard to have her
baptised. He gave the steamer the pleas
ing name of Dandy
HE was proud of his purchase and boast
ed that he was the first owner and COM
mander OF steamboat on the Potomac
Subject to Wind and Tide.
The foregoing statement is in some re-
spects erroneous. There were regular
packets plying between Alexandria and
Georgetown at the will Of the wind and
tide from the days Of the revolution. If not
before. In 1915 Capt. John Shreiye had a
boat with an equine motive power-that is,
one propelled by a horse. which operated
the tread mill. and the machinery worked
smoothly. This was called the Union
steamboat, and 1t made regular trips be-
tween Alexandria and Georgetown, stop
ping at the Long bridge and also at Van
Ness wharf, foot of 18th street. It made
a round trip each day. In 1917 veritable
steamboat named the Camden made it's ap-
pearance. Capt. Grid being the owner and
Capt Moffat her commander. This, too,
ran to Georgetown, and the steam engine,
as may have been expected. proved to be
successful rival OF the equine power.
There was some danger apprehended from
the possibility of the Camden's boiler ex-
ploding, and the proprietors published a
card or two assuring the patrons that the
boat was safe from such an accident
Then came the little steamer Dandy,
which, as related, was brought around
from Baltimore. This ran from Alexandria
to Van Ness wharf, and sometimes into
the canal e short distance.
Other boats came later, among them the
Washington-captain, Henry Walker. This
boat ran on the ferry line. Icing larger
and faster boat 1t captured tho bulk or
the patronage, anu SOOH the Odibuy ScaSee
to pay and was sold
Then came the Independence. which also
ran to Van Ness wharf.-the Cygnet. Phoe-
nix. Chesapeake, Fredericksburg, Sydney.
Salem, Paul Jones and other old-time craft.
which had their day as ferry steamers,
sometimes making river landings. The
Paul Jones was put on the ferry In the
'SOs and Is remembered by some as
very swift boat, which honored the naval
hero not only by placing his name on the
paddle boxes, but by bearing figure OF
the admiral on the pilot house. This was
in the shape of fully uniformed naval
officer armed with a sword in each hand.
and being geared so that the arms revolyed-
This boat was burned in Alexandria In
1888.
It was the steamer Washington that late
in the EOS opened new route to the
SOUTH which afterward became the great
southern mail line. She made regular trips
to Potomac creek. at first tri-weekly ana
later daily, landing her passengers. who.
by hacks or stages. were carried to FREQ
ericksburg, then connecting with an old
established line for Richmond and points
further south.