Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-19
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

The charging OF the COCK on lHe soutii
side of the pier of the Norfolk and WASH
ington Steamboat Company, in order TO
make room for the new steamer South
land. now building at Newport News FER
the Norfolk and Washington route, has
been started and the dock will be ready
for use several weeks before the big ne"
steamer is ready to come to this city. ne
bulkhead line of the dock. which is no"
about twenty-five feet back from the line
of Water street. will be brought
out to the line of the street, and II Will
also be widened and deepened Even TAX
ing in all the sapce that can be optaiieo'
the dock will not be long enough for the
big steamer, which will project TO con-
siderable distance out in the harpor De-
yond the outer end of the piers. Inc
ground to be taken in the dock Will De
cut down to the highwater mark by Ia
borers with pick and shovel, and after this
portion of the work is completed dreog-
ing machine VIII be put in service to COM
pete the work of giving about twenty
feet of water in the dock. Where the
work is completed this will be the widest
and deepest dock in the haroor.
The tidal basin is now practlcaNy
closed to small craft as nothing larger
and this can be done only on certain
stages of the tide. The inlet into tle
basin near the north end OF the Hlsh-
way bridge has been closed by the con,
struction of the new bridge which Will
soon span it, and at the outlet, near the
foot of 18th street, the tidal gates have
been removed from all the arches except
one and a timber work built in them that
does not allow the passage or noat o!
any kind except on very low tides. AT
certain stages of the tide the gate In one
of the arches will swing open and the
boats can get in and out of the basin. In
consequence of the heavy current that
flows In and out of the basin. at Its out
let, on the different tides, it is said to be
dangerous for a small boat to approach
the outlet bridge except at slack water
A few days ago the police launch MAI
Sylvester was at the upper end of the
harbor and she was caught by the water
rushing into the basin. The engine In the
boat was not powerful enough to work
her free of the current, and the ponce
men had to get out and pull the boat
around before she could get away.
The fine weather was responsible yes
terday for the unusually large number of
power boats that were out on the river In
the afternoon. There were but few pleas
ure craft left in the harbor yesterday
evening. and the river from the forks Of
the channel to below Fort Washington
was filled with the little craft, all of
which had pleasure parties aboard: When
the boats of the COrinthian Yacht Club
came up the river from the oyster roast
at River View the exhausts from their
engines made continuous roar that
could be heard for several miles.
Arrived: Scow Farmers Friend, at AL
exandria with wood from a down river
point; tug Carter, with a tow of light
coal barges from Indian Head: barges
Pamlico. Maggie Donaldson, Alexander
Gibson and Thomas J. Cleaver, coal from
Baltimore for dealers here; schooner Mag
gle. oysters in the shell from the Potomac
beds; tug Minerva. with tow of lighters
from a down river point.
Sailed: Tug Fortuna, for bay point
with tow of light barges from this city;
schooner Biscoe, light, from Alexandria
for a river point to load back to this city;
schooner c. A. Parks, light, for a down
river point to load lumber back to this
city; tug Camilla, for a river point seek
ing vessels bound to this city; tug Rosa
lie. with tow of light scows for Pts
Getaway creek; sloop Daisy, from Alex
andria with a cargo for Pennington. Md
Memoranda Steamer Dennis Simmons
is at Baltimore with cargo of lumber
for this city: bark John E. Emery has
arrived at Newport News to load coal
for a Maine port; schooner Elvira Ball
from this city is loading coal at Balti-
more for a New England port; schooner
Belmont is at river point loading cord
wood for the dealers here; schooner
French will load wood In the st. Marys
river for this city; schooner E. r. S.
Dougherty will return to Pocomoke sound
to load oysters in the shell for this city
Fishing on the river below this city is
said to have been excellent during the
past week or ten days and catches OF
bass rock and perch have been made
The cut through the flats opposite Alex
andria made about two years ago to al
low the scows of the Miller Company to
go in and out from the sanddigging ma
chine working near Goose Egg Island. is
a favorite fishing ground, and numbers
Of the patient sportsmen go there daily
TO try their luck. Some good catches have
been made recently.
The Southern Transportation Company
tug Dixie is on her way to this city tow
ing the barges w. A. Smoot and Christi
ania laden with coal from Baltimore for
the dealers here. The tug Dauntless has
sailed from Baltimore with a tow for
Norfolk, and the barge Juniata for Alex
andria. The barge has fertilizer material
hot I'd