The morning times., 1896-05-20
NO KIN TO THE CYCLONES
Yesterdays Blow Only a Thua-
der Storm Of Larger Growth.
PLAYED HAVOC WITH TREE S
Many Were Uprooted and Others
Stripped of Foliage-NO Serious
Damage OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Rain
fall and High Velocity of Wind OBJ
served-Wlres Out of Order.

Streets Uttered with leaves and branches
and now and then PROSTATE tree at,
test the severity of the two storms that
have swept Washington within the past.
forty-eight hours.
While tue first, which. rushed over the
city early Monday evening, was unusually
severe for this section, it was probably
surpassed both in rainfall and wind ye-
locity by that OF yesterday.
The effects OF the two storms VIII he
apparent all through the summer, as the
hade trees We're the worst sufferers
The foliage is abnornally thick this year
and the gale played havoc with the young
leaves. Aided by the terrible downpour
IL battered and twisted and lashed the
branches OF trees in exposed places, aud
hardly a street but now bears evidence
OF the blow in piles OF broken limbs and
stacks Of leaves swept up by the caprice OF
the hurricane.
Some houses We're unroofed, a few chin
neys suffered and here and there slam
ming shutters made work for the glazier.
but no damage of serious nature has
yet been reported.
SPRANG INTO EXISTENCE.
The rapidity with which the storms
were born Is one OF the most remarkable
features a sudden eclipsing OF the sunshine,
a Skirmishing patter of rain drops.
swirling cloud OF dust. darkness, thunder
a roar OF wind and it descended. With
equal rapidity the furious elements spent
themselves. and Il few moments later tie
sun smiled down on the wreckage.
The storms have occasioned considerab bic
comment as To the direct or indirect
cause. Major Dunwoody, the assistant
chief at the Weather Bureau, says they
werehardly unexpected, for thunder storms
are expected TO come during May, June
and July. The two storms which visited
WashIngton Lad no connection with those
atmospheric disturbances OF the West,
other than the fact of being alike, the
western storms being much more severe
and OF more tornado character.
The storms of Monday and yesterday were
occasioned by the accumulation OF a cur
rent OF air which was hemmed in by
cool wave from the section oi the lakes
and New England, and an extremely warm
wave from the South. These thunder
storms and high winds on Monday covered
"a latitude extending over the Southern
New England, the Middle Atlantic States,
ONO, and ont to Missouri and Kansas.
1t was simply one of series OF thunder
storms, which may he expected. The
storm yesterday was confined 10 Il lower
latitude, the second one taking III Louis
vile, Ky.
RAINFALL WAS EXCESSIVE.
On Monday the rainfall was 3S OF an
inch, and the winds velocity AZ miles
an hour. Yesterday the rainfall was a
very rapid one and measured AZ OF an
inch, the winds velocity being 50 miles
an hour The thermometer registered
81 on Monday and only SO yesterday.
The storm yesterday caused consider.
atse excitement at the Capitol. Ia the
Senate the glass roof was not impervious
TO The deluge OF rain which fell upon
it, and il leaked a various points. Many
Senators betook themselves to the marble
room and other places, from which they
could observe the grand spectacle Of the
storm raging outside. The instruments
OF the Weather Bureau i'll the marble room
show that the wind blew for four minutes
at The rate of sixty miles an hour with
one squirt Of seventy-five miles. The
temperature fell 2S degrees IN four min
utes and the rain fell in sheets, SO OF
ali inch being recorded.
STAMPEDE IN THE HOUSE.
There is considerable diversity OF opinion
a. to whether there was Il stampede among
the members OF the House.
Some hold that those Gil the floor simply
went out IN the corridors in order that they
might better observe the violence of the
clements. Others claim that Tie Impression
prevailed that the glass roof over tie han
was on the verge OF Icing preCipitated To
the floor below.
Without attempting to judge as 10 which
of these views is correct the fact remains
that Speaker Reed would have been about
one hundred and fifty short II lie had been
called upon 10 count quorum during the
climax OF the atmospheric disturbance.
There was surprisingly little damage
done at the Capitol by reason OF the storm.
The flag poles bent almost double, but did
not break Several of the large gas lamps
on the terrace were blown down and
shivered TO pieces The lightning came
in on the, electric light wires and threw
off showers of sparks in the corridors and
Hobbies, but did no damage.
By far the most serious aspect of the
disturbance, however, is found in the fire
alarm system. Last night it was stated
to be in complete collapse so far as
utility was concerned.
The storm had disarranged the wires
SO that'it was almost impossible to send
in an alarm. The police telegraph system
was in the same condition and at the
operation room bells were iangng out
of time and pluce al the evening
large tree standing in front of No.
626 Massachusetts avenue north west +,
and measuring over twelve inches In di-
ameter, was blown down. The tree fell
directly across the side walk.
A tree directly in front Of No. 1915 Ne W
York avenue north west, was snapped off
about five feet from the ground Others re-
ported down yesterday were at the corner
of Fifth and X streets north west, Florida
avenue and w street, New Jersey avenue
and R street, and Kenesaw avenue and
Fourteenth street
A large maple in front Of the residence
OF Col. william Winthrop, next to the
Army and Navy Club, was blown down and
fell directly across and blocked the front
door.
One part of the great twin oak which
stood in the northwest corner of the White
House grounds was blown down by the
wind on Monday night.
During the storm an electric wire waa
dislodged from it's fastenngs and blown
across a patrol box in Georgetown.
Instantly the current was communicated
to the patrol wires and into the station.
The system was unable TO withstand the
increased voltage, and the instruments
were burned out in the station and at ca ch
box on the circuit The damage will
amount 10 several thousand dollars.
CHA RGE ED WITH EMBEZZLEMENT.