Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-11

accompaniment Of railroad. and the
Rappahonnock from Fredericksburg
to its mouth has never heard the
rumble of a train. On the east side
Of the Potomac a branch of the Penn
sylvania passes down the peninsula
Of southern Maryland and comes to
an end on the Potomac at Pope's
creek. Then there is a little railroad
called the Southern Maryland, which
runs. sometimes from Brandywine to
Mechanicsville. 1t is fair general
statement that the northern neck of
Virginia from Stafford county to the
Chesapeake and southern Maryland
from Prince Georges county to the
bay still depend on the steamboat
for freight transportation and to
considerable extent for passenger
boat in these matters on the Poto-
mac and the Rappahannock has lately
been diminished by the private auto
mobile. the auto bus and the auto
truck.
The Rambler believes that in this
series of narratives he will permit
none of the old Potomac steamboats,
to escape mention, and he has already
compiled a list that is of surprising
length. Wandering through the files
of The Star for 1887. a few days ago.
he came upon a story. three-quarters
of column long, in the double
sheet" Star of Saturday. June IL, 1887.
which contained some information
about the Potomac boats of that time.
A part of that story follows:
There is a very respectable Net OF vessels
now plying up and down the river engaged In
transporting pleasure seekers and freight.
without taking into account the Alexandra
ferry boats, which, by the way, AFFORD by
their hourly trips very pleasant little e1cur-
sons, there are now fourteen steamers plying
on the river which are used for excursion pur-
poses. It may be also noted in passing that
the number Of boats have received two addi-
tons since last year. which may be taken as
an indication that going down the river"
has not yet lost Its hold upon the public. OF
course, all these boats are not maintained
purely for the benefit Of pleasure seekers. and
when river men talk about the boats they do
not speak Of them all as excursion boats. The
freight business between this city and Norfolk
has reached considerable proportions and Is
not only sufficient to maintain to a large ex-
tent four steamers. but also whole deet OF
sailboats Of various degrees and kinds.
There arc In addition tive beats that do not
carry passengers at all. but transport freight
from this city to New York and return. These
are the d. c. Knight, Capt. George Young. and
the John Gibson. Capt. John g. Young, be-
Company. The proper classification Of the
boats 10 as follows:
First, the boats plying between this city
and Norfolk: second, the river boats which
touch at the various river landings. but do
not 20 outside the river; third the excursion
boats which 90 to the various pleasure resorts
along the river. In the first class are the
Lady Of the Lake. Capt. James T. Barker: the
Jane Moseley. Capt. c. J. Bonneville. belong
ing to the Inland and Seaboand Coasting Com
pany. and the George Leary. Capt. Pope
Eeacham. and the Excelsior. Capt. George
Davis, belonging to the Potomac Steamboat
Company. One Of these boats on each line
leaves this city every evening for Norfolk.
All the boats stop at Piney Point and the
IHary and Excelsiss also stop at CornAeld
Harbor.
The river boats are also four in number and
are fitted for passenger as well as freight
tranhc. They are the Mattano, Capt. vii.
liam Skinner. which makes three trips a week
to Colonial Beach. which Ia sixty eight miles
from the city. 4 hotel has been erected there