The evening times., 1898-06-13
4 SPELL 0fWARH WEATHER.
Thousands Of Citizens Seek
Shelter From the Sun.
WIND BLOWS FROM TIE SOUTH
The weather Man Holds out No
Promise of Relief From the Heat
City-People Escape TO the Coun-
try.

After sweltering and in many cases act
ually melting from the effects OF the tor
rid wave which swept over the city yes
terday. the residents Of Washington found
no comfort in the predictions of the
weather prophet this morning. During
the entire day the mercury In the ther-
mometers played hide and seek about the
90 degree point. The few points 1t reced-
ed during the early hours OF this morn
ing were only for the purpose of giving
Old Sol running start to make his rise
during the day. That he got under good
head way was evidenced by the rapid gate
he struck at a. m. starting from the 76
mark unpaced he made the next post at
10 o'clock. when after making five degrees
an hour registered sc degrees in the shade.
From this point another start was made.
but the old man wobbled considerably as
he climbed still higher, but his movements
were so uncertain that an unsettled con-
dition of the weather was predicted. Sol.
however. determined to make a last effort
and struggled on until he was within
sight of the 80 post before he decided to
take rest.
Fortunately for WashIngtonians yester-
day was not a work day.
Thousands escaped from town to hunt
relief In suburban hooks, the water front
otHtT tlousauuS, tHe pdThS
ed shade and cooling breezes to still other
thousands more. while as many. perhaps.
as all these stayed at home and endured.
Washington is blessed with avenues OF
escape from such days as yesterday
Shaded suburbs at every point of the COM
pass. river shores lined with cozy resorts,
all open to WOO whatever breeze may
blow. All were patronized yesterday. The
city emptied itself into these hundreds of
cool spots until their capacities were tax
ed, but Old Sol was not to lose his VIC
tins so easily and even the pilgrims to
most favored spots found no rest. but
famed and fumed as their collars grew
limp. and misery grew apace.
With the early morning hours the exo-
dus from town began and trolley cars
threaded the suburbs laden with passen-
gers. Bicycles by thousands sped out of
the city's hot and dusty streets bearing
their riders on fruitless quests for the
elusive cooling breezes. Long wagon
trains of family parties brought up the
rear guard. their vehicles stocked with
artificial hot weather CONSIDERS of sundry
sorts.
Many well able to escape from the CITY
preferred a negligee costume in a shaded
room in the shadow of the cooler, while
others, seemingly immunes from heat
ravages, made bold TO wear ordinary
clothing as usual and brave the weather
We'l-iaundered linen fell before the
onslaught Of perspiration. and thorough
ly disgusted. the immune chose a shady
path homeward. TO find comfort In lighter
apparel. The costume which gave the
greatest comfort. and one in which men
folks almost all turned out in, was the
madras or percale shirt. flowing and cool.
a sack coat of thinnest stamp and trous-
ers belted at the waist.
Hundreds thought yesterday of the
District soldier boys in the South. and
well imagined that they were suffering
even more keenly than any at home This.
however. is improbable The Atlantic
preserves a mean temperature along the
coast. and il is rare. indeed. that a breeze
does not sweep in from the ocean across
Tampas sand wastes. The probabilities
are that no member of either command
slept last night without his great army
blanket over him. but il is safe to say
that blankets were not in general use
in Washington.