Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

The winter schedules Of the steamers
and river points and from Baltimore will
be changed shortly after the Christmas
trade on the river is over. The officials Of
the companies are now working on sched-
ules that will give as good service to river
points as win be required by the bust
ness to be done. After the Christmas
trade experience has shown that both the
passenger and freight traffic on the Poto-
mac drops to almost nothing and the
steamers have to be operated in q most
econonical manner. 1t is probable that
the winter schedules will go into effect
about January 1 and that several of the
steamers now in service will be laid up for
a month or two. The owners of the lines
take advantage of this lay-up to give the
boats a thorough overhauling for the
spring trade.
The wood and sand handling firms do
ing business on the James Creek canal
have been greatly hampered during the
past month by the low tides In the river
making the water in the canal SO low that
vessels could not get up the waterway to
their discharging points to unload their
cargoes. Since the upper part Of the ca
nal has been filled and It's use as sewer
outlet discontinued the water in 1t has
been as clean as that of the Eastern
branch, but the wash from the material
used in filling has shoaled the water con-
siderably and this Is now causing the
trouble. 1t is cOntended that If the canal
were dredged and widened. SO as to per-
NIT the expeditions handling of vessels. it
would add greatly to the harbor facilities
Of the city and would be q means of
bringing business here. Recently q large
oyster shocking house has been estab-
lished on the banks OF the canal, but the
location may have to be abandoned, as it
is impossible, at times, to get oyster laden
boats to the plant to discharge their car
goes. and the low tides always come when
the oysters are needed to meet orders.
The big scow in process Of construction
at Cumberland's boathouse at the foot of
9th street for Riley & Stutler of this city
is rapidly approaching completion and will
be ready to be launched early this week.
A little work will remain to be done after
it is put overheard. but the scow will be
ready for use within the next ten days
1t is sixty feet long with ample beam and
will be used in carrying material under
contract with the District to points down
the river where it is dumped into the
river. The boat would have been COM
p'eted before this had it not been for bad
weather.
Arrived: Schooner Lenore. lumber from
the PatuXent river, Md, at Georgetown;
creek: schooner Ida G. Farren, lumber
from North Carolina for the dealers:
schooner kimball, oysters IN the she'll
from the Potomac beds; schooner May
hover. COTQWOOu from Il fOtOlQdC point
for the dealers: schooner Leroy wood
from Mattawoman for the Eastern
branch; Hattie Jumping Jack, oysters in
the shell from river point for the local
market
Sailed: Schooner Henry T.. Peckham,
light for Newport News to load coal for
New England port: a. G. c. scow, light
from Alexandria to Quantico to load sui
phur rock on return; tug Camilla. with a
tow for down river point; schooner ].
X IyYl, f1.
TO load lumber: schooner Dawson, light
for the Potomac oyster beds to load,
schooner Kent. light for river point with
cargo of bricks; tug James 0. Carter
seeking tow to this city.
Memoranda: Schooner S. Sawyer. laden
with lumber from North Carolina, will
go to Baltimore and not to this
city as reported: schooner A. II. Quinby
has sailed from the Pamonkey river. Va,
for this city with lumber; schooner Oscar,
discharging lumber here, will return 70
Mattox creek to lay up for the winter;
schooner G.. c. Wheeler has been char
tered to load street sweepings at this
city for Norfolk: schooner William II.
McGinness is laid up in Nomini creek I'M
til after the holidays.
The Southern Transportation Company's
tug Southern has sailed from this city
towing the barges Brandywine Roanoke,
Goodwill Severn and Agnes McNally.
light, for Baltimore. The fleet will load
coal for this city and bay points. The
Southern. it is stated. will return to this
city with another tow of coal laden baBges
consigned to the dealers here and at Alex
an6ria.
The bay sloop Arizona. frequent WISH
tor TO this city with lumber and other
cargoes aboard. was sold last week in
Baltimore by Charles w. Woolford to
Thomas Quarles. The bill of sale on
record at the custom house gives 500 a
the consideration. The Arizona is
vessel of thrty-three gross tons burden
and was built at Pengrove, \. j., i'm 1863
She halls from Annapolis.