Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-17
THE WORK OF A CYCLONE.
Whtr1ing Wimdst0rm Cuts q Swath
Through south Washington.

THE WORK OF A CYCLONE.
A WhirIing Windstorm Cuts . swash
Through south Washington.
HOUSES uNRooFKD AND TREES UPRoorKD-DANAaH
DOME IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENs-THE HowIs
OF THE WILD BEASTS IN THE 200" MINGLED
WITH THE ROARING OF THE WIND.
washington had cyclone yesterday afternoon.
IL was small one that confined its operation TO o
| narrow strip Of South Washington, extending
along the line OF Maryland avenue, from 10th
| street eastward to the Botanical Gardens Then,
at the foot OF Capitol HILL It seemed to spend its
fury. II occurred about O'Clock, during the wind
and rain-storm that prevailed then over the whole
city. In the track Of the cyclone houses were un-
| rooted, trees were upr0oted. Its approach was
heralded BY a rumbling roaring noise. The cy-
| clone is said to have been visible, like dark
funnel-shaped shadow, as it swept up from
| the river along the line Of Maryland avenue.
When It reached the high ground about 10Th
force was expended in a traction OF minute. It
came suddenly and worked all It's destruction pc
fore people fairly realized what was occurring: us
path was apparently not over 2OO rect In Wlotn.
| tn. DAMAGE DONE.
II took the roofs from houses $50 and 92S street.
owned by Mrs Fitzgerald. whose loss is 81 600 On
the opposite side of the street the row Of houses
921 70 93I, owned by Edward Temple, was un-
rooted inilctlng loss q about 5000 damagea
and the old Armory building. The cyclone then
swoOped down on w. p. WOODS mill In Armory
street, between ~ and 9th and Maine and Mary
land avenues. This had the third story and the
roof carried on and the loss is thought to be 81 500
or over. Whites foundry, Oh Maine avenue, was
also struck and the rear walls demolished. A
neighbortng row OF houses belonging TO Mr.. White
was badly damaged, his loss being something near
Square was completely destroyed. The cornice OF
the house OF John Miller, corner OF ~ and Armory
streets, was torn on. Several OF the houses Of
John Shea, on Maryland avenue, between Sd and
~ streets, were unroed, entaiing loss OF 81, 600
and the house OF VIM. Cash was damaged TO the
dens and wrecked trees and did considerable dam
age to the glass-roofed lighthouses all along its
path and lamps were. damaged.
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
The damage done the National Museum building
was comparatively slight 1t consisted OF few
small holes in the roof OF the north wing and the
smashing OF quite a number OF window panes In
the roJunda. The Smithsonian grounds suffered,
however, 10 considerable extent Trees were up
rooted In many parts or the grounds.
THE SCENE IN THE 400"
The ZOO" shielded by the Smithsonian build
ing, escaped without injury. Mr.. W. c. Weeden,
one OF the keepers described the scene inside the
900" building as something frightful He says
the Jaguar beat his cage and roared continuously,
The mountain lion was considerably scared by the
noise, and made repeated efforts TO escape Birds
and mammals added to the excitement by their
screeches, ank the noise Was deafening. Mr.
Weeden expressed his opinion that had he not been
there the taguar and mountain lion would GER
tatnly have escaped.
THE ARNORY BUDDING.
The old Armory building, used by the Fish Com
mission, suffered considerably. The slate roof
was ripped of and the rain poured In, wetting the
specimens stored therein. Workmen were busy
this morning covering the roof with canvas. A
Waterman who was 10 the building at the time
hkl moi hsl Glnf nVrr frffsn
sounded like discharge OF muSketry.
Mr.. Sherman, the assistant superintendent Of
work of repair to-day. He thought the specimens
were mostly saved, as nearly all OF them were
heavily boxedup.
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.
The storm, or cyclone, manifested singular
freaks at the Botanical Garden. Superintendent
Smith and Gardener Clark were In the east end Of
the main conservatory when the destructive
storm swept over the gardens. They had Just
passed through the rotunda and were on their way
out at the east end. suddenly there was terrific
roaring OF wind and a smashing OF glass accom-
panied by a shaking OF the entire conservatory.
Mr.. Smith says he grasped the most substantial
For a time he says he thought he was to be buried
in the ruins OF the conservatory.
A STAR reporter visited the garden this morning.
and the appearance was anything but inviting.
Walks and beds were strewn with fragments OF
sash and glass, and great holes appeared in the
conservatory, as If IL had withstOOd lombard
ment.
The cyclone came from the southwest and swept
over the garden In diagonal direction toward
the northeast. AT the southwest corner, lust out
side the garden several large shade trees were up
rooted. section Of the iron fence was thrown
down, and the storm, passing over the brick house
servatory. 1t tore on the top, which was
OF iron, capped with asbestos, being
The iron framework was torn to pieces and the
fragments scattered to the earth. Whole tiers Of
the ribbed or nuted glass covering the dome were
ESCAPED serious injury. one or twoof the naims
suffered slight Disagreement from pieces OF broken
glass cutting out the foliage, but no harm was
done 10 the trunks. section OF tin-roofing lifted
from house outside the garden near the SOUTH
west corner was carried entirely over the conser-
vatories and deposited on the ground near the
main east and west walk.
MEMORIAL TREES LAID LOW
The Garfield memorial tree, being an acacia in
the south OF the main conservatory and between
1t and the smaller lighthouses, was laid nat. few
steps further south and on the border OF the walk
fronting the row OF lighthouses the Garland me-
On the north side or the main conservatory a
buckeye, taken seventeen years ago from the
grounds OF the late Hon. ThOs A. Hendricks and
down with such violence as TO tear the roots from
the trunk. The GARFIELD tree was planted as a
memorial OF the late President and the Garland
tree was planted and named in honor OF the pres
ent Attorney General All three are destroyed.
CARRIED A LONG DISTANCE.
Several sashes were lifted from the smaller hot
houses and. carried over the main conservatory,
were lodged In trees at the corner OF LIST street and
Pennsylvania avenue. One Of these was recov-
cred from the topmost limbs OF a tree, with only
half dozen OF the panes Of glass broken. Some
OF the largest trees In the garden, among them
black walnut that had stood for years, were up-
rooted. ON the north side OF the large conserve
tory large tree was lifted bodily from the earth
and laid across the walk ten feet from where It
had stood. But the power OF the cyclone IS
nv ha 49, ~
tlon OF the main conservatory between the roCunda
and the east wing distance OF IL Inches out OF
plumb The entire framework OF the structure
Is OF iron, and hence could not be torn about but
II was moved from its base northward at least q
foot. number OF the palms. In the grounds were
overturned but IL Is believed all but one OF them
can be saved. 1t Is Estimated that the damage to
the conservatory Is about 81 600; that 1t viii cost
that much to make repairs But as there IA An
appropriation or 5000 In the pending sundry
civil BILL which 1t Is believed will be passed in a
day or two, for the garden, the work OF repairs
Will De carried forward as rapidly as possible In
fact, IL has already been commenced as a force or
men were engaged to-day In removing DEBRIS
THE SIGNAL SERVICE RECORD.
The cyclone was a visitor from a large storm
center In the states Immediately west from here