Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-09
STORM WATCHING FROM DOME.
A Brooklyn Clergy man Writes n Vivid
Description From Washington.
From The BROOKLYN Eoria

n
Description From Washington.
From The Brooklyn Eagle
The Rev. Horace Porter. DR.. Lyman Abb
botts active young assistant, has written
the following interesting letter to friend
in Brooklyn:
"As 1T was my first visit to Washington.
the Capitol, with Congress in session. was
the first attraction. There. after visit to
the Senate and House. the library and SUI
preme Court rooms, l made my way 10 the
dome for first impression Of the beauti-
iul city. The glories OF the vision from
that height only those know who have
stood on fair spring day. As you encircIs
the dome you find the Capitol to be the
center or broad. shady avenues, convergine
from all points of the compass II not
paved with gold, they are, at least quite an
loeally smooth, and the prancing horses
the great coaches. the gliding bicycles, pass
IN silent panorama far below you To
the south and west are the parkways called
the mall, in which is the Smithsonian In
stltution, and at the further end the ma
JeSuc aShIngton monument a giant low
erihs above all else, as was he to whom thu
pie was raised fitting monument.
Ihls monument is at or within a few
yards OF the exact center OF The original
District OF Columbia. While viewing all
TINS and with the beautiful Potomac in the
distance, a slight cloud was obsary-a HE in
the southwestern horizon. Lingering a lIt-
Tie time to drink in the fascinating scene
IL was soon evident that il was question:
aDle whether one could reach Kendall
Green, my destination, without eocounter-
ing something of storm.
In moment more wonderful scena
burst upon the view, far over Arlington
beyond the woodlands in Virginia If
seemed as If a gigantic battle were raging
Just beyond the Virginia Shores Clouds OF
rising dust seemed like the smoke of the
battlelields, the lightnings in the depths of
the storm were like the fash OF a hundred
cannon, the distant thunders like the bat
Tie roar. The scene was too fascinating for
me to think of retreating before the an
proaching hurricane There were those ON
the dome with me who exclaimed st
Louis cyclone, and fed, taking their flight
heaQlong down the dark stairways within
But, II 1t were cyclone, where could one
be safer than within the giant arms of
steel which support that great dome? on
the storm came! Suddenly Arlington and
all beyond were totally hidden from view
in the cloud of dust, flying leaves and small
branches torn from the trees. The storm
seemed fairly to plunge down the placid
Potomac. In the pathway of the storm
the river seemed to turn black with rage
then was lost in the confused mass of
storm, while on either side the storms path
the river was still calm, rejecting its Sill
very light. In another instant the whole
water front of the city was the scene of
some awful attack. On the right. as the
eye followed down in the general direction
over Pennsylvania avenue, the dust shot
forth from the west in a northerly direc-
ton, while on the other side the storm
path another enormous tusk Of dust shot
forth in a southerly direction Ii was
no longer battle scene, but rather
that of some monster hidden within
the cloud, which his own terrible motion
had created plUnging down upon the city,
10 gore ii with those giant tusks and tram
pie it in his fury!
The old dome keeper and two or three OF
US faced the awful sight as long rs we
possibly could, then retreated before the
binding dust to the doorway of the dome
There we held our ground throughout the
whole of the terrible scene. The dome
seemed transformed into a great boiler
room. the wind was as escaping steam
whistling about our ears! The streets be-
low We're the scene of the widest confu-
sion; workmen's coats went flying down the
avenues, hats and umbrellas were lifted
high into the air, cabs were turned about
horses took fright, awnings were torn
looSe-and then all was darkness-the cloud
OF dust was SO dense that the beautiful city
at our feet was totally obscured We could
hear the crash Of breaking trees and hear
the shouts of horsemen; then the drench-
ing rainfall drove us within the dome.
When We descended we discovered how
soiled were our clothes. how thick matted
our hair and how dim We're our eyes from
the cloud of dust which had been raised to
the lofty dome-and probably far higher"