Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-29
Many Trees Blown Down and Houses
Unroofed.
Mt. ZION CHURCH DEMOLISHED
Only One Serious Accident Was
Reported.
E FIFE CT ON THE WIRES


the announcement of the frghtful tornado
which caused de struction and havoc in
st. Louis, the miniature cyclone which dis
tributed itself thu oughout all Washington
about $40 o'clock yesterday afternoon
created probably as great amount of
fear in the hears of the citizens as it did
damage. The general opinion seemed to be
that the ST. Louis tornado had Circled
around and was making straight for the
na tional capital. TIE storm was in evil
dence but a short time but while it was
here it displayed great activity and made
itself deeply felt.
Came Up in Hurry.
About $3.50 o'clock dark clouds doomed up
in the west, and with remarkable rapidity
the wind began TO blow with great force.
Pedestrians made a grand scramble for
shelter, and drivers of vehicles whipped up
their horses in an effort to escape the
storm. The many bicyclists who were out
had a hard time of it, The dust flew
through the air so thick that it was almost
impossible to see, and for keeping hats
on that was out of the question. Within
few moments rain descended as though the
clouds had literally parted, and the scene
when observed from indoors was rather
awe-inspirng, and in some instances ludi-
Crous. In several sections of the city i'm
mense trees were lifted from their roots,
while on Pennsylvania avenue stray arti-
cles of headgear were propelled along in
quick succession. A heavy timber blew
from the top of the city post Office
building and landed in the center of the
avenue, but fortunately struck no one.
Awnings were spanking about in the breeze
as though merely banners, and in conse-
quence plate glass windows were smashed
almost without number. All over the city
trees were either blown down or had limbs
and branches torn from them. Telegraph
and telephone wires were disconnected,
many houses We're unroofed and the gen.
eral appearance was wreck and ruin i'm
parted. Along the river front many small
boats were cast adrift and some injured
beyond repair.
Only One Serious Accident.
So far as is known but one person was
badly injured as a result of the storm.
but several structures were completely de-
molished. The unfortunate pedestrian was
Harry Gates, an eleven-year-old son of
Rev L. S. Gates, who resides at 1922 18th
street northwest The lad was on his way
hcme from school at the time the storm
broke out. and in an effort to escape the
rain and reach his domicile as soon as pos
slble he ran through the alley between 18th
and 18Th, NJ and n streets northwest Sew
eral bricks from chimney became loosen
ed at that moment, however, and one de-
scended with great force upon the head of
young Gates. He measured his length on
SiStance and the unfortunate lad was car
rled into the residence of DR.. E. A. Ballock
I'm Eth street. until the Emergency Hos
pital ambulance could be summoned At
the hospital the surgeons soon found that
the boys skull was fractured, and in the
possibility of saving life mis- skull was
trephined. Rev. Mr.. Gates was notified of
the accident and was soon at the bedside
of his son. At the hospital this afternoon
a Star reporter was informed that young
Gates is doing much nicer than was ex-
pected, his condition being noticeably i'm
proved over esterday There is q very
good chance for his recovery.
Mt. Zion Church Demolished.
Perhaps the most complete establishment
in any single instance was that at the Mt
Zion Colored Baptist Church, on 18th
street near d northeast. The storm burst
with full fury just at this corner, and the
brick walls of the church structure simply
burst with a crash. Bricks and beams
flew in all directions, greatly to the detri-
ment of adjoining property. A portion of
the floor was carried bodily to the other
side of the street. and like a great bird
with outstretched wings the roof of the
church foated eastward, and finally land.
ed fully four blocks distant from its orig
inal roost. The church stood on an en-
bankment about ten or twelve feet above
the street level. and was therefore rather
easy for Old Boreas. The streets in the
vicinity were rendered almost impossible
by the remains of Zion Church, and after
the storm it was necessary to stretch ropes
and at night hang danger lamps. The loss
is thought to be about $1,000, and the prop
erty is said to be insured for $4,000
Concurrent with the destruction of Mt.
Zion Church things were rather lively at
the Lovejoy school building near by. The
roof was blown off, windows smashed and
other damage done. The storm got in some
heavy work at the Cairo apartment house,
and portion of the tin roofing was blown
from the Luther Memorial Church, corner
nth and n streets northwest The hand
some residence of Capt. Tanner, at 18th
street and kenesaw avenue, was struck
by lightning, the chimney knocked off, the
roof damaged, and two brick dwellings on
the opposite side of the street were I'M
rcofed.
Whole Row of Houses UnrOofed.
The storm played checkers with a row
of houses on 18th street northwest be-
tween o and P, and moved their roofs
about in a promiscuous manner. The
houses, which rumber from 14lO to 1920
11th street, had their roofs ruthlessly torn
off and filled the street with debris The
which are unfortunately situated for high
winds from the northwest. No interven-
ing buildings protect them for long dis
lance, and the wind mastering its force
away down Rhode Island avenue has a
free and unobstructed track right to the
rear of these houses. This is not the first
time they nave been CnrOOfed but the
other time not one-fourth the damage was
done that accomplished yesterday The
storm seemed to strike the big cupola
house, No. 141O, occupied by DIR. Riggs
first. The heavy tin roof was torn away,
but the timbers remained intact. On down
the line far as 1920 the wind hurried,
lifting the big fat roofs as though they
were paper, and leaving the inhabitants
to the mercy Of the rain, which beat right
into the houses. Thousands of dollars
worth of damage was wrought right in
this square. The storm played some fun
ny pranks. The big roof from No. 1412 was
hustled across the street to the small two
story brick dwelling No. 1423, where 1t
smashed Into the front of the house,
breaking all the glass and cracking the
brick front The cclored people who oc-
cupy the house were all in the parlor when
the crash came. GLORY, honey, It's de end
of de earl" shouted one of the elderly
women, and straightway she led the re-
treat to the rear of the house. and waited
The fury of the storm was spent in q short
time, and with a feeling Of reinsurance,
a reconnoiter was made. AS soon as the
cause of the trouble was learned, the in
habitants f1ocked to the front of the house
and viewed their front yard, which was
piled almost to the housetcps with tin
and lumber. In Its passage across the
street the flying roof came in contact with
sycamore tree fully nine inches In d.