Evening star., 1920-03-21

mac river where passengers can be
landed with convenience" Also. In the
eos. the steamboat Fredericksburg,
Capt Benedict Jenkins. was running
between Washington. Alexandria and
Passengers will be taken up and
landed on either side Of the Potomac
river. and as soon as the necessary
arrangements can be effected, fixed
places on the route will be designated
whereat freight will be received and
delivered" Then. during the eos
there were steamboats, called the
Dandy. Surprise and Independence,
and when they first came under the
eye Of the Rambler they were ferry
boats between Washington. George
town and Alexandria.
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But the fog has lifted from the river
and the steamboat phantoms have
passed. The Rambler has this thought
in mind. He means to write q series
the old steamboat men the old "re-
Sorts and the old landing places Of
the Potomac river, It's creeks ana Its
tributary rivers-the Port Tobacco,
the Wicomico. the st. Marys. the Yo-
comico and the Coan. He wants to
print the pictures Of the old boats
and the old river men. the captains.
mates. engineers. pursers. agents and
the rest. He has q pile Of notes on
these subjects. but he needs the help
Of the memories Of other people. He
hopes to get information from ofncers
Of the old boats and from their grand
children. He feels that there ought
to be public interest In this sort of
thing and that . record Of these Po-
tomac subjects ought to be gathered
and he will work to that end with
such industry a. he can.
Soon after this steamboat idea
came into his head the Rambler
walked down to the harbor police
ONCE and sat down. II was . fa-
miliar place to him. Lieut.. Russell
Dean and the Rambler are old
friends: they were friends way back
in the days when the Joe Blackburn.
who, or which. for brevity and love
we called "the Joe." was one of the
proud and "cocky" little steamers OF
the Potomac. russ Dean was born
down in Charles county. near Port
Tobacco. He holds q "frst-class
pilots license''-thAt 10, a license as
pilot ''for the Chesapeake and its
tributaries, Including Hampton roads,
and also master Of lakes, bays. sounds
and rivers throughout the United
States" Russ served at sea and
for q long time was employed on
boats Of the Maryland state fishery
feet In the work Of guarding the
oyster grounds or oyster waters. He
came to Washington and served on
q number Of the bay and river steam
boats that are now historic. He was
appointed on the police force In 1885
and became q member OF the harbor
police June s. 1888 serving. among
his other duties. as pilot OF the "Joe."
That boat, before becoming tho WASH
ington harbor boat. had been the
yacht of Monroe. New York pub
fisher, and under his ownership her
name was the Edwin N. The zoe"
was named for J. G. 8. Blackburn
("Joe" Blackburn Of Kentucky. and.
although the facts are not at hand.
the Rambler believes that Zoe"
Black burn was conspicuous in bring
Ing about the appropriation for the
purchoee of q harbor police boat.
When the Joe Blackburn came to
the harbor. IN 1888. Harbormaster sut-
ton--genial. bluff. good-natured Bob"
sutton--was given the honorary title
Of Commodore" and that title clung
to him uutN Death claimed him, in