Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-11
Wind and Rain Swept Over the Dis
trict Last Evening.
BRILLIANT DISPLAY OF LIGHTNING
Damage Slight, but the Discom-
forts Were Numerous.
MANY CELLARS FLOODED


for time it seemed if great damage
would result from its effects The one of
last September somewhat similar,
though, of course, was much greater in
intensity and violence. The one of Sep
TENDER was an adult, vigorous cyclone,
while the ona last night was merely 4
f1edgling, not certain of it's powers and
only exerting them to limited extent.
That it was far from being impotent,
however, is shown today by washed-out
walls, flooded cellars, streets in some sec
tons strewn with branches of trees, gravel
and mud, causing them to resemble the
beds Of rivers. At one time boats would
have been a premium, though hacks
and hanson cabs were by no means at a
discount.
mass of dark, sooty looking clouds, which
had been piling up in the west and north
west 1t was not believed that there would
be a storm. as the weather bureau ex-
pected the one haunting the western states
TO take course along the New England
coast and when the lightning flashes grew
more frequent with occasionally a NUT
tered rumble of thunder in the distance
Washington treasured itself and continued
to make preparations for its usual outing
OF the summer night.
Some Took Warming.
A few of the more careful reconsidered
their street car excursions and saunterings
on the streets, alarmed by the somberness
of the sky, illumined several times a min
ute by the vivid lightning flashes.
Heralded by gusts of wind the electric
pyrotechnics and a few drops of water, the
storm arrived suddenly and with force The
gale began at a terrific rate while the
water poured down In thick sheets, as if
they We're liquid drop curtains, let down
from the sky in all available space at once.
In a minute almost, 1t seemed. the streets
were creeks and the sidewalks canals. The
cars We're tied up, and the storm was so
great that vehicles were compelled to seek
shelter wherever it could be found.
In the space of thrty-fve or forty min
utes. during which the fury of the elements
continued, one inch and eighty-seven-
hundredths of rain fell. while the number
of volts of electricity necessary to make up
such display as was furnished could rot
be estimated by human methods The wind
was especially severe. Several objects
We're struck by lightning. but no serious
damage or fatalities resulted.
The Effects.
A large service pipe, which was laid to
run into the building being constructed at
14th and F streets northwest broke from
the amount of water being forced through
it, and an eighteen-inch wall was washed
out in the cellar, resulting in probably the
most serious damage reported so far in the
city. 1t was thought at the time that the
foundations would be weakened and the
framework of iron loosened. but this was
prevented by the water being turned off In
another direction.
Passengers on board car No. 25 of the
Chevy Chase railway had an experience
during the storm which some of them did
rot relish. The car was going out 18th
street when the display opened. The cur
tailiS We're pulled down at the sides, so that
there was no danger of being wet, but the
ranf lIrn
that many of the ladies were terribly
alarmed Several times the car was en-
veloped in sheets of flame. and the thunder
followed afterWard that the holt
seemed TO have been very close As the
car passed Florida avenue the flashes were
almost continuous. Suddenly the coach was
enveoped III binding sheet of fame there
was a grating noise on the roof, and the
lights went out. One of the ladies' who
was accompanied by two others. became
mad with fright, broke from the car and
Notwithstanding the rain was deluge and
the water in the street several inches deep,
dashed through and into house across the
way.
Apparatus Burned Out.
The apparatus on top of the car was
burned out. and the motorrnan, George
Cornell, had the handle bar of the con-
troller almost terked out of his hand
Luckily for him he had on rubber gloves
The other passengers remained until the
cars began running to the city, in the OPP
posite direction to that of The one they
were on. and all transferred. The lady
who had run across the street was finally
in Mysteries
Lightning struck the residence of Mr.
John Hyde. on the corner of Euclid and
University places, Columbia Heights. but
the damage was confined to the tearing
away of a portion of the roof.
AT the baltimore and Potomac depot the
water was four or five inches deep. The
grounds of the Smithsonian Institute and
Agricultural Department buildings were
completely submerged in some portions
Narrow Escape.
The residence of George Jones, in Bright
wood, was struck by lightning and set on
fire. but the new engine company, No. IL,
responded to an alarm and the flames were
soon extinguished. The roof was struck by
the bolt. bed room was entered by it,
then went in the parlor, where Mrs. Jones
held baby in her arms. struck close to
Ter. breaking some of the furniture.
The electric current sounded a false
alarm of fire from box Cos, 10th street and
Benning road, to which the department
responded. The box was examined by AS
sistant Foreman Schrum of No. 10 engine
house. who found that the signal was evil
IDENTIFY caused by the fluid playing about
the box.
lightning struck the mass of telephone
"hSS a. gu anu NJ streets, out dam
age was done.
The telephone at engine house No. was
turned out, an instrument across the street
beng brought into requisition a watch
man being placed there to attend to it.
The 9th street branch OF the Metropolitan
Railway Company was delayed nearly an
hour by the storm, on account Of the wafer
backing up on Missouri avenue between Az
and 9th streets
The r street line was delayed by the con-
duits being flooded with water. There was
slight delay on the 18th street branch of
the cable road, caused by flooding conduits
In the vicinity OF Center Market
Fear of "a washOut
There was some fear at the B. and @.
depot that there would be a washout. hut
the water subsidized before any serious
damage resulted. Water backed I'D along
b street back of Center Market, and en-
tered the building at some points, but did
no damage.
At Wizards Hotel one OF the Ieaden
pipes choked and water flooded the Office
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