Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-28
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

The receipt of fresh fish from the
Potomac river nets has been very light
for several weeks past. but will be lighter
this week. as practically all the fisher
men are taking holiday and will not
resume the fishing of their seines until
after the new year. Usually about this
season Of the year the fishermen of this
city who engage In winter fishing begin
their preparations to go down the river
with their boats and nets, but In conse-
quence Of the poor outlook for the season
their departure may be delayed some
what. About the middle of the coming
month. however, several small craft with
fishing crews aboard will leave this city
for river points. where there is a pros
pect of bass. rock. perch or other va
rieties OF Potomac fish being caught.
Their fishing grounds will extend from
Giymont to the mouth Of the river, for
If one part Of the stream proves barren
Of fish another portion will be tried and
the fish followed as they move up or
down stream. The fisherman knows by
signs in the water whether or not there
is a prospect Of a catch and they work
accordingly. The fruits Of their labors
will be sent to the market here for Wash
ington tables.
The officers Of the steamers arriving
in port in the last day or two report
having seen a number OF ducks on the
river near organs point and In the
vicinity of Craney Island, and in the vi
entity of Lower Cedar point wild geese
ard swan are numerous. The birds are
so very shy however that it is almost
impossible for the gunners to get near
enough to get a shot at them. The
shot at the geese and swan about Low
err Cedar point until the residents Of that
section Of Maryland assert that the
birds, as soon as they hear the whistle
of the steamers coming down the river,
leave their feeding ground to get well
fowl have been moro numerous on the
Potomac this year than they have been
for several years past. but the number
of the birds killed and shipped to the
past years. The birds seem to be get
ting wiser and to know how to keep
out Of the way Of the hunters after
them.
The steamer Wakefield has but one
before she is Withdrawn from service
and laid up for the winter. She leaves
here tomorrow morning and returns
Wednesday evening, and she Will then
be withdrawn from service. During the
two months or ten weeks she Will be
laid up the vessel will be given a gen.
eral overhauling. It is probable that
she will be sent to sh1pyard at BAL,
timore to have her hull overhauled and
to have some boiler and machinery
service she will be rented throughout.
Arrived-Tug Camilla with tow OF
oyster and wood laden vessels from
down-river points; scow DanieI, laden
with foundry iron from a river point at
Alexandria: bugeye Tropic. oyesters in
the shell at Alexandria; schooner Annie
Mccullough. wood from river point to
the dealers here; bugeye kathleen and
John Branford at Alexandria with oysters
from the Potomac beds.
Sailed-Schooner Grace G. Bennett, light
for a North Carolina point to load pine
lumber and shingles for the dealers here;
schooner Mary Chaplin. light for lower
river point to load; schooner A. II. Quin-
by. light for the Rappahannock river to
load lumber; buSeye No Name. light for
the Potomac oyster beds to load back to
this city; tug Carter. for river point with
a tow.
Memoranda-Pungy Cora MeKenney Is
this city: schooner Susie H. Davidson.
from Boston for this city with stone,
passed Atlantic City Friday last; S. @.
Co., tank barge No. II laden with Oil In
bulk from Baltimore is due to arrive
here: schooner James B. Anderson is at
Baltimore with lumber aboard from
Virginia point.
Vessels now on the oyster grounds at
the mouth of the Potomac taking aboard
cargoes of the bivaIves for this market
are finding it difficult to obtain cargoes,
as but few of the dredging boats are at
work this week, and most of the tongers
have laid up their boats and tongs until
after the holidays Within the next
week. however. oyster-taking operations
along the river will again be in full
swing. The after-Christmas dizziness,
combined with the bad condition of the
roads in the country along the river.
caused by the melting snow, made the
freights on the steamers arriving here
from lower river points lighter than they
have been for q year or longer The
steamers coming into port yesterday aft
eron and last night had but little more
than their crews aboard.