Evening journal., 1896-10-01

shed at Alexandria was blown down, and
the debris is across the tracks.
Reports from Rockville, Nd, and other
small places along the metropolitan branch
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad show
that TIE storm did great deal Of damage,
hut no loss Of life WIS reported The
Episcopal church i'm Rockville was demol-
ished, ami "a tree fell upon Che Episcopal
parsonaga wreoking a portion OF It,
Houses wero unroofod and trees blown
down In al tha smaller towns outside Of
Washington. GrOat damage is reported in
tho farming districts. where all grains In
stack or shock have boon strcwed over the
land Many barns have been blown down
All reports indicate that tho storm was
very severe in every direction outside Of
Washington.
IN this city the papal legation was un-
rooted. and the Chinese legation was dam
aged TO the extent Of about $1,000
White House and Grounds Damaged.
The White House was slightly injured
by the storm, a portion of the copper roof
ing being stripped OFF and othcr damage
dore The most notable loss TO the build
ing was that Of the tail flagstaff from
which the signal was given TO the city
when the president is in town. This
disappeared completely, and no trace Of 1t
has been discovered In the beautiful
grounds surrounding the house tho dam
ago sustained was narrowing to the feel
ings Of lovers Of nature. No less than 20
Of the splendid trees elms sycamoros,
walnuts and magnolias, some of great ago
and Of historical associations were COM
pletely levoled, while fully 90 Of the sur
viving trees suffered the loss Of their tops
and principal branches and are perma-
nently defaced. As this is the third timo
within year that the grounds have suf-
fored in this way though not before any
thing like the present extent, there is roa-
son to foar that the beauty of the lawns is
permanently impaired.
The vast pile occupied by tho state, war
and navy departments was touched on the
southern side by the storm and lost por-
tions Of its roofing and many OF the states,
while a structure erected by the signal
service for tho study of clouds was PARTIAL
ly demolished Tho new naval observatory
building suffered in the same fashion, to
the extent Of about 81 300 A the Wash
ington navy yard the big shiphouse was
partially unroofed and the gunshops
were damaged by the stripping OF the roof.
A special bulletin issued by the weather
bureau states that for one minute the
wind reached the fearful velocity of so
miles an hour
Lives Lost In the Suburbs.
Fortunately no loss Of life was caused
within tho oity, but reports from Alexan-
dria, only six miles down the Potomac
river, state that four persons were killed
by the storm and several are injured The
loss in Washington is estimated at upward
of $3.50, 600, while In Alexandria it was
as great, and some estimates place the
property damage in this little town as
high as s400 coo. A strong characteristic
Of the storm was the uniformity of the
damage done, no part of the city or sur
rounding country escaping, and, likewise,
no part being so badly damaged as to in
dictate that 1t has been specially singled
out as an object Of the storm S wrath.
Quite a number OF houses were blown
down, and there were several of the most
miraculous escapes from death, but II Is
not the loss to any individual building,
but the vast number of losses, ranging
from a few dollars to several thousands,
that bring the aggregate Of damage up
into the hundred thousands. The Metro
politan Street Railway company probably
suffered tho heaviest individual loss, but
in its case $50, 600 will cover fully the
damage to its buildings and cars
Intelligence Of the death of seven per
sons as the result of the storm has reached
this city. Dr. II. @. Sherman Of this city,
cousin of Senator John Sherman Of Ohio,
died of fright at his country residence at
Olney, Md While going out to his barn
two large trees suddenly blew down in
front of him so that no returned TO the
house, sat down In a chair and almost i'm
mediately expired Three colored men
were burned to death at Washington Grove,
about 20 miles from Washington, on the
metropolitan branch Of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. They were in a cabin.
When the storm broke, tree blew over,
demolishing the cabin, and, overturning
the lamp, set fire Co the place, burning the
men so that they died. Captain Robert
Cheseldine with his schooner Capital,
having a crew of white and a colored man,
was caught by blow of Sandy point, 81
miles from Washington. The boat was
overturned, and all three were drowned.
There were about two dozen persons in
this city more or less injured, some Of
them seriously, by falling debris.