Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
LOCAL IN ORIGIN
SEVERE IN EFFECT
Storm With Tornado Symptoms
Passes Over City.
AN ATMOSPHERIC UPHEAvAL
Houses Unroofed and Streets Strewn
With Debris.
PATH COMPARATIVELY NARROW
Force Felt Only Slightly in George
town-FaIl of Hailstones-Clouds
Churn Angrily.
AN ATMOSPHERIC UPHEAVAL
Houses Unroofed and Streets Strewn
With Debris.
PATH COMPARATIVELY NARROW

Tornado symptoms accompanied the un-
usually severe storm which swept over inns
eitv last evening leaving considerable oe-
struction in its wake. "a.
While the disturbance was local III iIs
origin. II possessed in its center the eie-
tnents of q general atmospheric upheaVai'
Most OF the damage was accoHplsiieu Ia ="
eomparatively narrow path extending iroih
about 9Th street northwest easterly u
point on Capitol Hill. In TINS pain 'he
wind ragged at a velocity estimated at any
where from fifty to sixty miles an hour'
Houses were unrOofed, trees snapped OH
nike pinestems large boughs torn loose and
hurled through the air, chimneys tumoled
down In several instances shrubbery up
rooted and the streets strewn with debris.
The storm was peculiar in number OF
raspects and some OF it's characteristics
resembled these of the mild tornado that
swept over a narrow territory, mcluolng
the botanical gardens. several years ago.
and which wrought consideranIe oest,uo. 1ra.,
st. The center OF the storm of last evening
passed over the same path, but ITS area
was wider. In East Washington the dam
age was also great, and hundreds OF tree
limbs were twisted off and blown to the
roadways.
In West Washington.
In West Washington but little OF the
force of the storm was felt. For instance
while the gale was blowing at a velocity or
anywhere between fifty and sixty miles an
hour along Sd street, in the vicinity OF
Massachusetts avenue northwest, the ane-
mometer or wind register at the weather
bureau on Path street was recording velo2-
ties between fifteen and twenty miles an
nom fna nff record given
Prof II. c. Frankenfield, showing the wind
velecities during the prevalence of the
storm In the vicinity of the weather ou-
reau. Is as follows At $50 o'clock pm,
six miles an hour: at 5:45 o'clock, nineteen
miles: from that time TO 6:35 o'clock 1t con-
tinued at the rate OF from fifteen 10
eighteen miles an hour, and just after 6.ao
o'clock a gust blew at the rate OF twenty
one miles, which was the maximum velocity
recorded there. The wind came from the
south until 6:10 o'clock, when It went
rapidly around 70 the northwest and at
T:30 o'clock II came from due north,
Preceding the breaking Of the storm the
clouds. which were rather high. churned
angrily. and there was vivid display OF
lightning with heavy claps OF thunder
Then the gale howled along, causing the
trees to twist and bend. In a few moments
boughs were being carried along by the
force OF the gale and trees went crashing
down. In number OF households small
panics ensued and in some instances the oc-
streets.
Outskirts of the Storm.
On the outskirts of the storm there was
q fall OF halstones. Several tie-ups oc-
CURED on the street car lines A former
soldier who saw foreign service in the late
war with Spain, said the storm reminded
him OF some OF the terrific atmospheric dis
turbanoes he witnessed in the Philippine
Islands. During the early hours of yes
terday afternoon the city sWeltered in the
grip OF a tropical hot wave which sent the
downtown temperature up to the 90 mark.
The humidity was high and the conditions
were so oppressive that several persons
were affected by the heat and humidity
One Of these was Roland Herbert fourteen
years OF age living at 322 l street south
west, who was overcome In South Wash-
ington and was removed to his home
Following the heat wave the CITY and
vicinity were visited about 2 o'clock yester
day afternoon by a sharp thunder shower,
with heavy downpour OF rain. This
caused the temperature to take a sudden
drop OF several degrees and a cooling OF
the superheated atmosphere was the result.
Cloudy and rainy conditions continued until
about $3.50 O'Clock. AT that time the light
wind turned into a heavy gale. heavy
masses of storm clouds rolled up from the
south and there was considerable rain. with
thunder and lightning. Then came the tor
nsdo symptoms with the turning and twist
ing motion OF the Wind.
One of the Effects.
One of the effects Of this twisting of the
gale was observed at the corner OF Sd street
end Massachusetts avenue, in front of
Eealy's drug store. A large tree was snap
ped off about three feet from the ground
after II had received a severe wrenching by
the swirling wind. A colored man who was
running FOR shelter narrowly escaped being
caught under the tree, which descended
with a crash. In the same vicinity several
other trees were blown down by the twist
ing motion OF the wind, while boughs were
st1ewn along the roadways
The gale from the south finally subsided
ana there was q lull for a short time
v hen the wind went around TO the north
west and north and blew again with con-
siderable velocity.
Evidence of Local Origin.
As an evidence OF the local origin OF the
storm. Prof Frankenheld was visited last
night by gentleman who brought with
Llm carrier pigeon which had arrived at
his lofts at 0:22 O'Clock last evening from
Hardeeville. s. c. The message on the leg
OF the bird showed mat Il was liberated at
the southern town at 5 o'clock Yesterday
MORN morning, ana new over the intervening dis
lance. 5O1 miles. at the rate OF forty miles
an hour. The pigeon came right over the
course OF the storm and arrived here Just
after the force OF the disturbance had been
spent. That the bird was perfectly dry and
nninjured was regarded as good evidence
py The weather forecaster that the storm
originated only a few miles south of this
city, and was local In character.
such disturbances" said Prof. Franken-
held. sometimes come in spots especially
When the conditions were so favorable as
they were yesterday afternoon for their de-
Selopnent with the atmosphere hot and
moist ana frequently there IS no accounting
Tor Them he outlook is for further un-
skies"
he added that the tropical storm-the first
OF this season-which was reported In The
ntar yesterday as on the coast of Cuba had
moved northward and last night was rem