Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ON THE RIVER FRONT

The season for shipping oyster shells
from this city to points on the lower Po-
tomac river and Chesapeake bay Is at
hand. and during the coming month many
thousand bushels of shells that were
shucked on the oyster wharf during the
past seven months will be sent to depleted
oyster beds to aid in again making them
productive. There Is a small mountain Of
shells piled back of the fish houses at
the east end of the row at the wharf
market, waiting to be sent away. and It
will require quite a fleet to move them.
but before the end Of the summer there
will not be many shells left on the wharf,
Several vessels laden with shells have
sailed In the past week for river and bay
points and others are at the wharf, load
ing. Other vessels will follow. and the
procession of shell-laden vessels from this
city will be steady for several weeks
Oystermen say that an oyster bottom that
has been overworked and made barren
1t with shells and leaving 1t undisturbed
for shout three years, when good-sized
oysters will be found clinging to the old
shells and ready for market.
The steamboat men assert that the
masters of sailing vessels on the Potomac
river do not observe the marine reEula-
tons in times of fog on the river, and
that many accidents do not occur Is due
to the vigilance and skill OF the men In
the steam vessels. and not to any care
exercised by vessel masters. Vessel cap
tains. 1t Is alleged, will anchor their boats
In fog and 60 to sleep, leaving no one
to ring a fog bell. as required by law. II
q steamboat strikes the vessel the chances
are the steamboat man will be found to
blame, as the regulations require him to
keep out of the way Of sailing vessels,
and little or no excuse is taken by the
steamboat inspectors in the investigation
that follows. The latter part Of last
week q thick fog covered the river. A
river and anchored almost in front Of the
ferry slip at Alexandra. No bell was
rung aboard her and the steamer Lacka-
wanna came within few feet of hitting
her, and was only kept from doing SO by
her course being changed when Capt.
through the haze.
The tug Spray, which lay in the ehoal
dock at the foot Of King street. Aaexan-
dria, for several months, was this week
hauled out on the marine railway to be
given general overhauling In prepara-
ton for returning to service on the river.
The Spray is one Of the older of the Pc
tomac tugboat deet: hut for the exception
of open seams 1t is stated her null Ii in
good order. The vessel is owned by Ag-
new & Co., who purchased her recently,
and are fitting her up for commercial
towing work on the river in the vicinity
Of this city.
Arrived: Schooner Nettie. pine lumber
from the Rappahannock river for the
dealers: tug William H. Yerkes. jr., with
a tow from Baltimore; tug Minerva, tow
ing three sand-laden lighters from Green
way flats: schooner barges c. c. Co. No.
Al and No. q, light from New England
ports to load coal at Georgetown; schoon-
salt from Newport News; schooner Will
liam H. Meekins, lumber from a Virginia
port for dealers; schooner Edna May, at
Georgetown. from river point with sand:
schooners William II. French. Earl Bis
coe and Eleanora Russell, cord wood
Sailed: Schooner Mary A. Shea, light,
for down river point to load; tug Meade,
with a tow Of light scows for river
point; schooners Belmont and Oakland,
city: bugeye Ella, salt and fish barrels for
Tar bay; schooner 9. c. Kimble. light for
Colonial Beach to load; tug Camilla, with
tow for q river point; schooners Cen
turian and A. F. Lewis, shells for Chesa-
peake bay points.
Memoranda: Schooner Sidonia Curley is
on the way to this city with q cargo of
lumber: tug Fortuna, towing barge Tioga,
has arrived at Baltimore from this city:
tug 8. o. No. IL. towing tank barge No.
Baltimore; schooner Samuel Wood is
chartered to load lumber on the Kappa.
hammock river for this city.
Barges William Donaldson. James w.
Davidson, A. w. Embry, Rappahannock
and Magnolia are lying at the George
town coal piers discharging cargees OF
coal from Philadelphia and Baltimore.
The barges have each aboard about TOO
tons of the fuel for local consumption.
The steamer Norfolk of, the fleet of the
Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Com
pany has returned from the Newport
News shipyard, where she has been re-
ceiving her spring overhauling. She will
resume her place on the Norfolk route
at once. relieving the steamer Newport
News.