Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-26
Fog Mantle Makes Navigation
Slow and Dangerous.
NORFOLK STILL ASHORE
Fast Aground at Fort Foote, Below
Alexandria.
NEWPORT NEWS ARRIVE!
Seven Hours Late on Trip From Nor.
folk-Many Small Craft Re-
ported in Trouble.

Fogs thick and binding have covered
the Potomac river almost continuously
since Sunday morning last, and while no
great amount of financial loss has been
caused by it. the mist clouds have serl-
ously interfered with navigation ana up
set steamboat schedules In some IN
stances The most serious result OF the
fog was the grounding OF the big steamer
Norfolk OF the Norfolk and Washington
fleet Tuesday morning at Fort Foote
Several tugs and sailing vessels have also
gone ashore. but with few exceptions
they were soon floated.
The present spell Of foggy weather, the
weather bureau scientists say. is caused
by the mild temperature combined with
the moisture which is being swept in to
us from the ocean by easterly and SOUTH
easterly winds, thus forming q pail Of
grayish white. The thermometer Is now
fitting between the 80 and 60 degree
marks. and such temperature always pre-
cipitates moisture.
Up to two days ago much OF the fog
was due to the warmth Of the air and
the coldness of the earth and water.
What we need is a good westerly wind.
which will clear up all OF this haze.
General Over the Country.
The fog is general all over the country.
and about New York II has almost COM
pletely tied up water traffic. causing a
big financial loss. Many steamships.
crowded with passengers. are tied up at
the piers and twenty inward-bound ships.
unable to reach their docks are at anchor
off Sandy Hook
The first steamer to arrive here since
yesterday evening was the tug Lieut..
Alonzo Gushing. which came up from
Fort Washington this morning. Capt. 8.
B. Davis. her master, reports that be-
tween this city and the fort the fog
blanket was so thick that objects could
not be made out fifty feet away from his
steamer.
The Norfolk line steamer Newport
News due here at O'Clock this morning.
did not arrive until nearly 2 pm. having
been forced to anchor in the lower river
by the fog. Passengers aboard the steam
er state that eyes were OF no use. as the
fog blanket surrounded the steamer so
thickly that nothing could be seen
through II.
Norfolk Boat Delayed.
A message received from Norfolk by the
Norfolk and Washington line states that
the down boat from this city had not ar
rived there. and UP to 1 o'clock no mes
sage announcing her arrival had been re-
ceived here. The steamers from this city
for the river landings left here on sched-
ule time this morning, but no regular-llne
boat from river points Is due here until
tomorrow morning.
The steamer Norfolk, which went ashore
in the fog Tuesday morning last at Fort
Foote, just below Alexandria, Is still
aground. and 1t Is stated that the services
of dredging outfit will be necessary to
dig her of the mud bank. The tug Ca
milla and one of the big navy yard tugs
pulled on her on a good full tide this
morning, but did not bulge her In her
mud bed Reports from the stranded
IT, - 1~xn
length. and that at low water yesterday
there was but four feet of water about
her bow, where she draws about twelve
feet when afloat.
gan last Sunday morning. and. with the
exception Of yesterday. the fogs have
been almost continuous.
Steamer Twelve Hours Late.
The steamer Anne Arundel of the Mary
land, Delaware and Virginia railway line
between this city and the lower river land
ings and Baltimore arrived here yesterday
afternoon about 5 o'clock. over twelve
hours late. The steamer was a victim OF
the heavy fog Tuesday and yesterday
morning. and was forced to lay up in
Smith creek several hours Tuesday after
noon and night.
AS soon as she could discharge her
freight and take aboard her cargo here
more. where she is due to arrive Friday
morning.
Another victim of the fog is the schooner
Isabelle, Capt. Bland, which is reported
ashore off the mouth of Occoquan creek.
The isabelle is owned by Robert Murphy.
and was on her way to this city with
cargo Of wood aboard. In the fog Tues
day last she struck on the mud bank. ran
we'll out on it and those who have seen
her say that she will have to be lightered
of part of her cargo before she can be
fioated The tug Carter. which is at Oc-
couuan, is expected to make an effort to
pull the stranded schooner into deep
water.
The tug Fortuna Of the feet OF the
Southern Transportation Company OF
Philadelphia while on her way up the
river in the early part Of the present
week struck a submerged obstruction and
stripped off the greater part of the blades
of her propeller wheel. new wheel was
procured at Alexandria. and the tug was
Yesterday hauled out on the marine rail-
way to have the new wheel placed In
position and the tug made ready for