Evening star., 1909-06-15
GENERAL NEWS GATHERED
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT

Although Washington harbor, from the
arsenal wall to the railroad bridge over
the tidal basin outlet, is a mile long and
| over, the space now given up to the
steamboat lines will accommodate but
about ten vessels. There are fifteen or
sixteen passenger and freight steamers
owned at this city, and when more than
ten have to lay up In the harbor at one
time n is necessary for some OF the
steamers to seek berths at the ice or lum-
Der wharves. In order to give room for
the berthing of its steamers the Potomac
and Chesapeake Steamboat Company is
enlarging and deepening its docks at the
foot Of Sth street southwest. When this
work is completed four steamers can be
laid at the Potomac and Chesapeake
wharves instead of two as now. The
steamer Washington of the feet of the
Norfolk and Washington Company is
berthed at the wharf of the American
Ice Company at the foot Of 9th street, for
want of berths at Its piers for all its
fboats. On numerous occasions In the past
few years steamboat owners have been
forced to take their extra boats to Alex
andria to lay them up. This condition IS
largely due to the fact that the District
and national governments have taken pos
| session Of fully third OF the wharf space
in the harbor.
All the excursion steamers owned in
this city that will engage in excursion
business during the summer months are
now in active service and are making
regular trips to the river resorts or on
moonlight trips down the river. The
nearby resorts. Marshall Hall for white
people and River View and Washington
Park for colored people, have been In
operation since the latter part of May.
The steamer jamestown OF the Norfolk
and Washington fleet will tonight begin
her daily evening trips on the river. and
Beach service began making daily-ex-
cept- Monday trips to the resort. The ex-
cursion boats will be kept in active serv-
ice throughout the summer and the ex-
cursion season will not end until Labor
day and after. In all. nine steamboats,
are this season employed in the excursion
business on the river and 1t is stated
that an excursion barge will shortly be
added to the fleet.
The fishermen operating trot lines in
Four-Mile run and other portions OF the
river. in the vicinity of this city. are
having considerable success. 1t is stated.
and catfish of large size are being caught
daily. While the fishermen down river
are not capturing fish in great quanti-
ties. they are said to be catching more
than they were a week ago and a further
increase In the catch is looked for as
the summer grows older. The scarcity
OI tIc HSIp IOuplcu Will q SOou oCIiidiu,
is keeping prices at an unusually high
figure.
Arrived-sloop Flying scud. shells. coral
and the like from the Florida coast: tug
Camilla, with tow from down-rfver
point; schooner Annie Mills, cord wood
from a river point to dealers here: barges
Quantico. Pocomoke. Christiana and Nan
jemoy. coal from Philadelphia to dealers
here and at Alexandria,: tug Capt Toby.
towing lumber-laden vessel from
down-river point: tug Rosalie. with a tow
OF sand and gravel laden lighters from
Piscataway creek.
sailed-Tug Fortuna. with tow of
light barses for bay points: schooner Os-
car. light, for a Potomac point to load
back to this city; schooner Avalon. light.
for Virginia point to load lumber for
the dealers here: schooner Silver Star.
light. for a Potomac point to load; pungy
cord wood for the dealers: schooner Phil
Sheridan. light. for a Potomac point to
load for the dealers here: tug Minerva.
with a tow of sand and gravel lighters
for Greenway fats.
Memoranda = Schooner Cherubim is
chartered TO load lumber on the Kappa
hammock river: schooner Oriental is at
Maryland point. loading for this city;
schooner Mavflower is at Potomac point,
loading for this city: sloop Melissa Wash
ington is in Chicamuxen creek. loading
cord wood for the dealers here: schooner
Mary Francis will load cord wood at
river point for the dealers here: tug S.
o. Co., No. IL. is on her way to this city
with a tow OF oil-laden lighters
The little sloop Flying Scud is lying at
the nth street wharf with a cargo gath
cred from the deep sea off the coast Of
Florida In the vicinity Of Tampa Stored
in her hold are Abalone shells OF all
sizes. shapes and colors. which consti-
tute the bulk of her cargo. but coral OF
various kinds. sea beans. sponges and
products Of the water are also to be
found in her cargo
The schooner Cherubin1 which is lying
at this city unloading a cargo OF lumber
from a Virginia port, is another old
trader to this city that has not been COM
ing here. for two years or longer. Al
few years ago there was hardly a month
that the vessel did not bring lumber
here. but recently she has heen fradinr