Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-07
ICE PACK BREAKSA
GORCES At THE BRIDGES
Movements of Sailing Vessels
on the Potomac Meet With
Obstruction.

The ice that had been forming on the
river between the Aqueduct bridge and
the Little Falls since the beginning OF
cold weather. about month ago. broke
loose from its moorings against the banks
and rocks Thursday night and started
down the river. 1t moved smoothly enough
until it reached the Highway and Long
bridges, but there the big cakes hung
did not stop the other did. and as a
gorge at both yesterday, but not enough
to be at all dangerous. though sufficient
to give the tugboats some trouble.
Jumbled Mass in River.
The river above the Highway bridge
and between it and the Long bridge was
filled with jumbled masses of ice, cakes
piled upon cakes, to the depth of two or
three feet Mixed in the ice were logs,
limbs of trees and other debris that made
the ice pack look much more dangerous
than it really was, and drew the atten-
ton of persons from Virginia who come
daily by the steam and electric lines into
Washington.
The tugs Minerva and J. T. Selectman,
belonging to the Columbia Granite and
Dredging Company of this city, tenders
to a sand and gravel digging machine at
work near the Long bridge, were hung
in the heavy ice, and in response to the
requests of the owner of the boats the
District fireboat, the Firefighter, was sent
to their aid. The Firefighter soon broke
the tugs loose from the ice. and then
with the tugs loosened up the packed Ice
by ramming 1t with their bows so that it
will pass down the river with the tide.
The river in the vicinity of Georgetown
is free of ice, and no further trouble
is anticipated Should the ice covering
the river above the Great Falls come
be so broken by coming over the falls
and through the gorge that 1t will pass
under the bridges freely.
Interferes With Sailing Craft.
The ice on the river, while less than
an inch in thickness, is heavy enough to
interfere with the movements of sailing
vessels unless their hulls are we'll pro-
tected by sheathing Of metal or wood
from it's cutting powers. 1t I; not heavy
enough, however, to interfere in the
slightest degree with the progress of
steel hull steamboats,, which move to
and fro in 1t as if in clear water. The
recent warm rain ana sunshine dispersed
all the ice in the river, and up to Thurs
day morning the river, save for a
few scattered blocks, was as open as il
is in midsummer. The ice had moved
out Of most of the creeks and it looked
as If navigation would be resumed. as
the masters of several vessels took ad-
vantage Of the open water to sail into
port or to leave for the lower river.
Wednesday night the river again froze
from shore to shore. and again Thursday
night ice made, but 1t was soon broken
I'D by passing steamers and f1Oated w
and down with the tide.
Channel Free Today.
This morning the river channel under
the bridges was entirely free of ice and
the tugs are moving about with all ease
On each side the channel, in shoal water
large masses of ice are still hanging, and
on the Washington side of the channel
the space between the bridges is packed
solid with Ice that came down from the
upper river. Below the bridges and as
far down the river as Alexandra the
channel Is clear. The drift ice is re-
ported in the river in the vicinity of Fort
Washington. There have been no ar
rivals Of sailing vessels under sail since
early in the week, but two lows of river
craft have reached here since yesterday
noon.