Evening star., 1918-02-18
RIVER CONDITIONS
NEARLY normal,
Steamers and Sailing Craft
Expect to Resume Within {,
the Week.
THOUSANDS VISIT SCENE

Except for ice piled high on the
shoals and on the wharves and about
the lighthouses at Georgetown, condi-
tions in the river channels here, as Tar
as water and ice are concerned, now are
normal.
The ice which jammed the channels
from Georgetown half way to Aex-
andria has broken up and passed ont.
and within the next week steamers and
sailing craft will be able to move At
will There may be light freezes on tho
river before warm weather sets In tor
the summer, but there is no danger OF
another freeze and ice trouble such asA
has just passed.
Estimates Of the damage done by fhe
ice and high water range from s5o.ooo up
to three times that amount and 1t VIII
be several days before correct estimate
can be reached. Two tugboats Of the Co
lumbia Granite and Dredging Company
and many pleasure craft are known to be
lost, as we'll as several lighters A num-
ber Of launches and other craft that were
thought lost have been saved ana VIII CUT
down loss figures. Another thing that VIII
figure in the damage done will be the
filling up of the Georgetown channel Ac
year, but it is believed the fcs brought
down from the upper river large quanl-
ties Of material that has settled IN tne
channel and made fill OF considerable
magnitude
Workmen were employed this morning
in cleaning away the ice and mud about
Moore's, Dempsey's and the canoe club
lighthouses preparing to start work on
repairs to the wrecked buildings Ono
fact stands prominent as a result OF
the ice rush on the river. The AQue-
duct bridge stood the hammerfng OF
the big ice foes as did the newer
Highway and railroad bridges further
down the river.
Ice Broken; Steamers Now Pass-
Except for the ice piled in the shoal
water on both sides of the channel the
river in the vicinity of the Highway
bridge is open and the jam about 0fes-
boro point and the steel plant wharf
has broken and steamers are now able
to pass up and down the river without
difficulty. Ice piles in the shoal water
of the Virginia channel are from ten 10
fifteen feet high, and probably will re-
main for several weeks. until the
weather and the water gets warm
enough to melt them. The remains OF
the tug Minerva, belonging to the Co
lumbia Granite and Dredging Company.
have disappeared entirely. as have sew
above and below the bridges. Warmers
holster is in the ice above the Highway
bridge. the tug Baby and a scow are
also where they have been for the last
three days. and the big dredge of the
Columbia Granite and Dredging Com
pany is apparently all right 1t Is be-
lieved these vessels will be saved.
When the ice went out last night the
west end of the railroad bridge fender
dropped several feet, its underpinning
having evidently been cut away
by the ice. The tenders of the highway
bridge are practically gone, only por-
tion of them being left standing. The
cable under the Highway bridge draw.
which furnishes current for the wash
ington-Virginia railroad. was cut By
the ice yesterday morning. but the
overhead emergency service was ready
to cut in and very short delay oc-
CURED while this was being done. To-
day service over the electric lines -
being maintained as usual.
Boats and Tugs Being Picked Up.
The harbor policeboat vfgilant this
morning picked up the lifeooat OF the
tug Selectman and carried it to the har-
Dor precinct. The Selectman is sunken
out of sight somewhere in the George
town channel near the forks of the
channel The navy yard tugs have
picked up sunken launch, name un.
known. and several big lighters and
have taken them to the navy yard.
The launch Tuckahoe, which lay in
the ice below the bridges, was picked
up off Alexandria by j. s. Jones of 212
North Patrick street, and is at Alexan-
dria, and the launch Peggy, belonging
to Mr.. Pickford, was seen going by
Alexandria with only its bow showing
above the water. The navy yard tugs
ard the Fort Washington tug Capt.
Wetherill have resumed their trips.
The heavy current has almost run
itself or, only traces of it showing
this morning. and the water is at it's
normal level. 1t is generally believed
that it will be only a few days before
the river steamers will be able to run.
and by the end of this week the ves-
sells that have been icebound here will
be able to leave for the lower river.
Norfolk Vessels Resume Tonight.
Vessels of the Norfolk and Washing
ton Steamboat Company, frozen in at
both ends of the river since last
will commence running to-
night, the Northland going south and
the Southland coming north through a
now passable channel.
Resumption of river traffic was gem
eral today for Gle larger boats, with
the way down sufficient to permit the
passage of these craft. Small
vessels are still in danger. owing to
the drifting ice. and few of them are
out
The water was down to normal ON
the sea wall today. A fairly good cur.
rent ran through the Georgetown chan
mel, in which there was a good deal of
ice.
Still Dangerous for Small Craft,
The ice in the river is still sufficient
to make navigation dangerous to small
craft and such are warned to be wary
in attempting to put to sea" at this
time. Rivermen stated that 1t will be
some days before small boats may run
with SAFETY.
Damage done by the flooded condi-
tions and ice jam will run into the
thousands of dollars. 1t was estimated
today. When the ice is gone it il
feared that still further damage may
be revealed or result from the with
drawal of the ice.
Yesterday thousands of sfghtseers
focked to the Aqueduct bridge and