Evening star., 1920-04-04

The steamboat Washington ran on
the Potomac river from 1915 to 1925.
She was probably on the river before
1915 and the Rambler feels sure she
was here in 1914. The advertisements
of this boat are to be seen in the
National Intelligencer in 1915, but
there is no news story" and 1t seems
unlikely that the Intelligencer would
let pass without comment the appear
ance of steamboat on the Potomac.
In August 1914, the Intelligence gave
nearly all it's news space to the
threatened invasion by the British. It's
office and plant were wrecked by the
British on August 25. 1914. and for
several weeks after that the paper
reading matter related to the capture
of Washington and Alexandria. 1t
gave literally of it's space to stories
of survivors of the fight at Bladens.
burg. Some time later came the con-
gressional inquiry into the causes of
the American defeat at Bladensburg,
the burning of the Eastern branch
bridges and the navy yard and cer-
tain ships there by order of the Amer.
lean authorities. Excitement ran
high for long time and the investi-
cation ran through many issues of
the 1ntelligencer. 1t is possible that
during that period of excitement a
steamboat may have come into service
on the Potomac without being men-
toned in the papers.
A number of years ago the Rambler
wrote: Turning back through the
3 files of 1925, 1924 and 1923, you come
upon the name of a steamboat which
is new to you, but which you are soon
to find is an old boat. You see the
name in this advertisement: The
steamboat Washington. Capt. Charles
Walker, having been completely re-
paired and repainted. is in excellent
order for the accommodation of par
ties Of pleasure. She will also tow
vessels up and down the river BY
means of the old notices you can trace
the steamboat Washington back
through the years 1890, 1919, 1915.
1917, 1916 and into the year 1915.
There you lose the thread. In 1915
the Washington Is advertised to leave
the steamboat wharf in Washington
city every day. Sundays excepted, for
Alexandria and Fredericksburg at
2:3O PM. and that by this road and.
river route the hundred miles between
Baltimore and Fredericksburg can be
covered in ninetee hours. The pa
pers Of 1914 contain, 50 far as The
Star man could find. no notice Of
steamboat on the Potomac river. but
1t is probable that the Washington,
or, perhaps. another boat, was in
service on this river in that year. be-
cause the steamboat Washington
seems to have been an institution in
1915, and in the advertisements there
is no suggestion that she was nov
city"
The route of the Washington was
from the steamboat wharf" which was
close upon the intersection Of 7th and
Water streets, to Aqua creek, where
connection was made with stage
coaches for Fredericksburg and points
south and southwest. The steamboat
Washington" disappears from the ad-
vertisements in 1925. the year in which
she was Completely repaired and
painted and is lin excellent order for
the accommodation OF parties OF
pleasure" and the year in which she
will also tow vessels up and down
the river" What became OF the nrst
steamboat OF the Potomac is one OF
the many things not recorded in the
public prints of that time. 1t Is likely
that the Washington was supplanted
by better and faster steamboats, ana
in her old age worked at towing ana
freighting on the river-occupations
which 1t was thought needless to ad.
vertise. Or she may have been sold
for service on some river farther
south. The history Of many steam
boats of the Potomac is that after
good many years Of service ON
northern river they come here and
after a good many more years OF
service here are bought for use on
some quiet river farther south. But
the fate Of the Washington is pure
guesswork. The Rambler has not
found out whence she came or whith-
er she went. and he feels that "
would be most imperfect history OF
Potomac steamboats,. were these aues: