Evening star., 1914-12-27
ICE ON TIDAL BASIN
Joy TO THE SKATERS
Lovers of Sport in Large Mum.
ber Accept the Offered
Opportunity.
MUCH OF RIVER SURFACE
: IN PROCESS OF, FREEZING
Small Craft Brought Into Port by
Tugs-Continued Cold Menaces
Potomac Navigation.

The tidal asiu is covered with a
hest of ice said to he about three
riches in thickness. aud yesterday aft
cruoon and last night some of the more
Enthusiastic sportsmen and sportsw wom-
en- of Washington enjoyed the first
skating of this season on it's frozen
surface.
With the continued cold weather
there is a prospect that this three
inches will increase in thickness.
Heavy ice Is reported all along the
Potomac waters, and as far down the
river as Indian Head it Is in jumbled
blocks of a foot or more in thick
ness. Many vessels last night and yes
terday afternoon asked for assistance,
and the harbor police precinct reported
that rivermen are aprrehensive that
general navigation may be held UP.
The skaters of Washington, led by
nr- W. b. Hudson, superintendent of
the bathing beach in the summer, last
night issued an appeal for volunteers
who are fond of skating to appear at
the tidal basin to assist in clearing
the frozen surface of snow and loose
ice. so that there may be n more gen.
eral enjoyment of the sport, which be-
san yesterday They succe red in bor-
rowing twelve shovels for She purpose
from Maj. kutz. Engineer Commission
er of the District.
Organization Proposed.
The skaters are discussing the pos
sibilify of an organization. which may
be an outgrowth, it is said, OF the old
Washington Ice Skating Association.
Some of them are even ambitious
enough to hope that funds may be
raised TO furnish music for the skaters.
There is good skating on the pond at
the Zoo, and on other small ponds
about the city. but there is no skating
at Chevy Chase lake, nor Will there be
this winter. Is the exhaust from
nearby power plant is being turned
into the lake, keeping the water above
freezing temperature.
incoming steamers report having run
through ice Friday night from Malta
woman creek to this city. The bulk of
the ice consists of the snow that fell
Thursday and lay on thin coating of
zee over the surface OF the water, to-
he solidified when the cold snap came
Friday night
The ice has caused. the temporary
withdrawal of the steamer Frederick
deBary, her wheels and guard braces
being somewhat damaged by running !
through ice on her last trip from the
lower river to this city. With the ex
ception of the deBary all other steam
crs continue in service on regular
schedules and are arriving and de-
parting on time. The new ice has ef-
fectually tied up navigation as far as
sailing vessels are concerned, even
when they are equipped with auxiliary
gasoline engines, and they are only
moving when in tow of a tugboat.
Hurry Call for Tugs. :.
Yesterday hurry call came for ting
boats to go to Fort Washington" after
the lumber-laden schooner Lizzie V.
Hall. which was in danger of: being
carried ashore by the drifting ice. and
the tugs James o. Carter ard Capt.
Toby were sent to her aid. Yesterday
afternoon the vessel was brought into
street. Later in the evening the tugs
left for Mount Vernon after the oyster
laden schooner Bessie Reed, the mas
ter of which had called UP by te1e-
phone and requested that steamer be
sent to help the schooner up the river,
and she was also brought into port.
reports received from the creeks down
river report the ice constantly increaS-
ing in depth. and on Occoquan bay and
-\quia creek it Is said to be about five
inches thick.
Reports received from the upper part
of Chesapeake bay state heavy ice has
made on the tributaries of the Chesa-
peake and that the approaches to the
Chesapeake and Delaware canal are
closed to all except tugs and steamers.
Preparations are being made to send
out the Baltimore iceboatS to open
channels, SO that vessels bound to Bal
timore can reach that port.