Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-19
LITTL E CY CT o N e
Washington Had Fierce Rain and Wind
Storm Today.
CONSERVATION Mt the Capitol, but No
Serious Damage-AnOther
Storm Tonight.

A severe rain and wind storm swept over
Washington about 1890 today. Almost
without warning the elements whirled into
lire and assaulted the town. Lightning.
thunder rain, wind and hail, all in the
space of half an hour had the streets In
their full possession. During that time the
scene was appalling. Few could Withstand
the power of the wind, and the streets
were quickly deserted.
The velocity of the wind for few min
utes was terrific. The wayfarer who I'M
dertook to breast the storm found his
breath taken away, and lodged to shelter
to fill his lungs At the weather bureau
the pace of the storm was registered, and
for fifteen minutes 1t was at the rate Of
fifty miles an hour. For one minute it was
sixty miles; this was the maximum.
The rain fell in sheets, and during the
brief duration of the cyclonelle forty-seven
hundredths of an inch of irrigation oc-
Cured.
The storm created something like a mo-
mentary panic at the Capitol The tempest
was signaled by binding flash of light
ming, accompanied by fierce clap or
thunder. 1t seemed that the Capitol must
have been struck, and most of the mem
bers in the House rushed to the lobbles TO
see If any damage had been done. There
was also rush from the galleries by
frightened visitors and for five minutes
business was practically suspended In the
House.
The windows of the House folding room
were blown in by the storm, and the clerks
had their hands full collecting the docu-
ments and getting them out of the wet.
The meteorological instruments In the
lobby of the House showed remarkable de-
velopments The thermometer fell thirty
degrees in ten minutes, half an inch or
rainfall was registered in five minutes and
the wind velocity was shown to be over
seventy miles, a higher rate than has been
known in this city since 1892, when Meter
otis Music Hall was blown down with loss
Of life.
AS far as reporte ed no great damage oc-
Cured. Limbs were blown or trees and the
sidewalks and pavements were streWn with
foliage One man walking along Pennsyl-'
vania avenue near the Raleigh lost his
hat, the wind snatching 1t, setting 1t on
the edge of the brim and the last seen of
1t it rolled into the mist and rain just be-
yond the Franklin statue. The owner
never went after 1t, but philosophically
coughed up dollar for another.
Electric light, telegraph and telephone
wires we're yanked off their moorinGs in
many places. giving linemen good deal
of prompt work to do. The roof of the
workhouse was blown off and other roofs
injured, while awnings suffered severely.
At the weather bureau 1T was said that
the storm was wholly local. and that all
through the Maryland. Virginia and Dis
triCt of Columbia regi>a they were occur
ring today. Furthermore the weather off,
likely to occur tonight.
The storm lowered the temperature per-
oeptibly and agreeably, and for the rest
Of the day the air that had been washed
by the rain and electrified by the lightning
was as bracng as ozone.
Damage to White House Plants.
The storm did considerable damage to
the fine trees and valuable plants in the
White House grounds Several large maple
trees were blown down and many large
branches were Topped off at the trunk.
Scarcely a tree in the grounds wholly es-
capped injury, and the lawns and paths
were strewn with the wreckage. Many of
the large palms which decorate the lawn
in front of the mansion were toppled over
and more or less damaged, and the same Is
true of many of the smaller ported plants.
Considerable damage was also sustained
by the more delicate plants in the various
flower beds. 1t will take some time to put
force Of men started In on the work i'm
mediately after The storm subsidized.
Fire Alarm Wires Damaged.
The result of the storm on the Districts
overhead fire alarm wires puts the city in
a dangerous condition, and 1t Is doubtful
this afternoon If many Of the fire alarm
boxes are in working order. 1t is certain
that both the telephone and fire alarm
services are terribly demoralized. but to
just what extent could rot be told this af-
ternoon.
Wires are crossed and grounded, and
there is a continual buZZing Of the instru-
ments in headquarters on the top floor Of
the District building. Five Of the nine
police telephones were left in working
order, while the others were cut OF from
all communication with police headquar-
ters There are but few underground
wires IN the fire alarm service. but these
few. it is thought. were not Injured.
When the storm, accompanied with the
high wind came number of horses on
the streets were frightened. and there were
several runaway accidents reported, but
there was no apparent damage done.