Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-21
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

The big Rect Of oyster dredging vessels
operating in the lower Potomac since
early in the season is being with
drawn. leaving only smaller boats on the
grounds to take biva!ves from river beds
to meet the demands Of this market.
Saturday last. instead of there being a
hundred and fifty vessels on the oyster
grounds below Colonial Beach. with
dredges overheard after the oysters, there
were less than. twenty five. boats at work.
The operators of the large boats claim
that they cannot make money at the
present prices being paid by the run
boats for oysters In the SHE'LL and this has
caused the withdrawal Of the greater part
OF the fleet.
1t is stated that from % cents to 35
cents per bushel has been paid for oysters
by. the run boats this season, against
twice that amount paid last year and for
several years past. There Is but little
danger of any scarcity OF oysters here. as
will take more than enough to meet the
demand.
Then. too, quite large supply is coming
from points on Chesapeake bay to make
up any deficiency in the supply from Po-
tomac points.
The work on the dock on the south side
OF the pier Of the Norfolk and Washing
ton Steamboat Company, which Is being
enlarged in order to make berthing room
for the big steamer Southland, now build
ing at Newport News. is progressing quite
rapidly and will be ready for the steamer
when she reaches this city in the early
part Of the coming year.
The shore line bulkhead is being con-
structed OF almost solid timber work. un-
der the direction OF the District engineers
Office and when this part of the work is
completed the cutting away Of the earthen
bank and the dredging of the dock Will be
started.
The three-masted schooner Fannie Stew
art, which brought a cargo of fertilizer
material from Carteret. n. j.. to the Alex
andria Chemical. and Fertilizer Company,
completed discharging her cargo in the
middle of last week. and she was then
loaded with fertilizer for the pant at
Carteret and has sailed for that port.
The Stewart Saturday afternoon was
short distance below Liverpool point and
was making her way slowly toward Ches-
apeake bay and the Atlantic. 1t Is stated
that she will load at Carteret with an
other cargo OF fertilizer for the Alexan-
dria plant.
Arrived: Schooner William II. Mcclure,
oysters in the shell for the local market;
tug Camilla. towing Standard Oil Com
pany tank barge No. q with oil in bulk
from Baltimore; schooner Silver Star,
cord wood from a river point for the local
dealers: schooner Bue'ah Land, glass
making sand from the Severn river for
an Alexandria Bottle manufacturing
plant; fiatties Anie and F'any r.. oysters
in the shell for the Alexandria market.
Sailed: Schooner John Branford. light.
for a down-river point to load oysters; tug
Camilla. towing Standard Oil Company
tank barge No. e light for Point Look
out to join tow from Baltimore; schoon-
err Cora Mckinney. light. for a river
point to load back to Alexandria: tug Ro-
Sale with tow Of sand and gravel car
rying lighters for river point; tug Car
ter. with a tow for river point.
Memoranda: Bugeye Grape Shot is due
at Alexandria with a cargo from down
river point: schooner "A. III. Quinby, with
lumber for this city, was of lower Cedar
point Saturday afternoon: schooner Susie
H. Davidson for this city. sailed from
Boston 18th instant; schooner Mable and
Ruth, with lumber for this city. sailed
from Newbern n. c.. 10Th instant;
schooner John McGinnis Of this city has
been chartered to load lumber at Laytons
Va. for Philadelphia; bugeye Kirby is a,
a river point loading oysters in the shell
for this market: bugeye Tropic is in
Machodoc creek loading for this city.
One OF the. clam shell sand digging ma
chimes belonging to the John Miller Com
pany Is reported prospecting along the
river in search of beds Of sand and gravel
that can be worked to advantage. The
supply OF sand and gravel a.ong the river.