The Washington times., 1902-07-21

necessary for the Southern Railway TO
run two special trains to camp Mr.
Joseph l. Jacocks. the chief clerk to
the general agent, was In charge Of the
eXeursionists.
Heavy Rain Fell.
About Il o'clock the special trains ar
rived in camp and at that time every
one was complaining OF the dust. Bat
this did not last long. Evil foreboding
clouds which for the past two days have
encircled Leesburg were lowering about.
and shortly after noon they belched
forth in ali their fury. The guardsInen
were taken unawares and many tents
were thrown down For ten minutes
the wind blew gale from the south
west. and after it had done its utmost
the rain came. Everyone suffered. and
ii Is conceded to be the worst storm
that has visited a District Of Columbia
National Guard camp in years. 1t was
felt mostly by those who came here pre-
pared for another dry spell like last
year, when not drop OF rain fell.
When the storm struck the camp the
hospital, which stands on a knoll Just
at the entrance. was the drst to feel It.
In fact. 1t was this most important de-
partment of the brigade which felt the
storm most, but the surgeons. under
Major George Henderson. were not long
in repairing the damages. As the wind
swept up the hill ii struck The tent oc-
cupied by Capt. Clarence A. Weaver
and Capt. F. ]. Woodman the regimen
tai surgeons. ard toppled it over like
ten pin. a peculiar thing in conner-
tion with the wrecking OF the tent was
that not ore of the pegs was drawn out
of the ground. but the brass guy blocks
were bent and broken.
Next the wind struck one of the hos
pital tents, and then the latest i'm
proved army tent, invented by Surgeon
Munson. was raZed to the ground. DR..
Weller, the hospital steward. was inside.
and as it had been reported that the
tent could not be blown down he re-
mained where he was. 1t came down
however. throwing over the medicine
chest and wreclCing other things Tha
hospital tent to the east OF this was
also thrown down and Lieut.. Warren
D. Fales. the commanding officer of the
hospital corps, was made homeless for
a time
Havoc at Headquarters.
At headquarters The wind played
havoc. First the mess tent In which the
cook was preparing dinner took to the
wind and was carried away. and the
utensils. food, and tables were carried
with ii, while the cooks and walters
ia.t-a1 90. - 4, ,r.g %, ~, b. l-.....
ters OF both regiments, and lunch was
all around. Even the tent Of the |
Young Mems Christian Association
dropped. and the mail which was re-
reived this afternoon looked as though 4
il had passed through a cyclone.
The Signal Corps tent also was put |
out of business by the storm. but to the |
credit OF the men under Lieutenant Me |
meyer ii might be said tha, while the /
tent was OH the ground the wires were /
not out of order. The wires. which 10 /
all through car :. ana to the headquar- |
ters of the cuEr'ry regiment. remained /
intact, and even those running to the /
telegraph Office of the Southern Rail |
fcad leading to Washington were not
displaced II was thought that some Of |
he valuable Instruments in the signal /
.ent might be affected. but only a small
AMOUNT of damage was done.
Religious services were conducted bv
Chaplain George F. Dudley, Of the Sec
md Regiment. n front of the head
quarters tent this morning. and Chap
ain c. c. Pierce. of the Second Cavalry.
assisted
The ehaplains stood on 4 temporary
,latfcrm made of boxes OF ammunition.
N which was spread an American flag.