Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-01
ON THE RIVER FRONT.

Many improvements were made along
the river front in the past year The
District built a handsome armory for the
Naval Battalion of the D. c. n. G.. on its
wharf at the foot of 0 street southwest.
and the local government also is building
a new pier at the foot of 9th street south
west for the storage Of sand and gravel
for the street department This pier will
he ready for use carly In 1872. While
there was no public protest made against
the use of this space by the District. busi-
ness men did not hesitate to express the
opinion that il should have been left for
commercial purposes. because the wharf
space is much restricted, and business in
terests find constantly increasing need for
more wharf room. Lessees Of the wharreS
made no improvements on the property
under their control, the question of what
the government proposes to do in the
matter of imprOve mentS and the doubt as
to how long they will be allowed to hold
the property keeping them from spending
money on the wharves, except that Which
is absolutely necessary.
Four steamboats, were added to the local
boat Company's new steamer Northland
and the ferry steamer Alexandria went
in service early in the year. The steamer
Angler was brought here from New York
by the Independent Steamboat and Barge
Company for excursion work on the river.
and the big sea-going tug Advance. be-
long to \. ]. Taylor & Bro. was COM
pleted and added to the fleet of towboats
hailing from this city. The local fleet
lost the steamer Queen Anne, which was
sold to Philadelphia parties. and the
steamer River Queen. which was burned.
An important event was the re-estab-
lishment OF the ferry line between this
city and Alexandria. In the closing
months of 1910 d new ferry company was
organized with Washington and Alexan-
dria capital. and March Is. 1911, the ferry
/ lao
andria on the route. The line had been
discontinued for about eighteen months.
since the former ferry steamer Lacka-
wanna was wrecked in a collision with
one Of the Norfolk line boats.
The year was free from loss of life
aboard Potomac river boats. and there
were no serious accidents aboard them.
Contrary to general expectation. the
number of large vessels bringing cargoes
to this port was in excess of 1910. due
to the excessively hot summer and the
breaking down OF one OF the local Ice
plants, making the ice companies bring
large quantities Of ice to this city from
Maine. The shipments from this city.
confined almost exclusively to coal and
gravel, were about the same as in 1910.
Two fires of Importance occurred along
the river front. The steamer River Queen
caught fire about midnight July q. while
damaged as not to be worth rebuilding.
She is now being wrecked and her hull
will be converted into a power barge.
The big stablts of Johnson Brothers on
the 10Th street wharf were destroyed the
night of December Is, involving the loss
of forty-three horses, besides the destruc-
ton of the building.
The river in the vicinity of the city
was extensively improved. The harbor
was dredged to a depth Of twenty-four
| feet, and the deepening Of the Anacostia
river, from the Potomac channel to the
navy yard. to a depth of twenty-five
feet at low water. is just being compIet-
ed. The material dredged from the river
bottom was pumped upon the Potomac
Park, and a large section. of the Anacos-
tia flats, from Geisboro point to a point
abreast of the District pumping station
water level. The river off Alexandria.
in District waters. was dredged to a
depth of twenty-four feet. that it is
now possible for vessels of that draft
to come to this city from the sea. The
work at Alexandria was completed in
the closing days of last week.
| The portion of the Potomac Park east
of the railroad tracks. which was a
wilderness of underbrush, received It's
| last FILL and is now at the level desired
| by the engineers. The portion of the
park to the west Of the railroad tracks
also was improved. and is now one OF the
show places Of the city.
The continued Improvement and cheap
| ening Of the gasoline motor caused many
! additions to the fleet Of pleasure craft
owned here, and 1t is estimated that there
are now fully 400 power-equipped boats OF
varying kinds and sizes in local waters.
In addition many vessels employed in
freighting work on the river have been
equipped with power or have had small
engines put in their yawl boats. SO that
now they come and go almost at WILL
independent Of tide and weather.