Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-18
TWO HOUSES STRUCK
Lightning Shocks Inmates and
Fires Building.
TORRENT OF RAIN FALLS
Washington Visited by Tempest and
Deluge.
MANY TREES BLOWN DOWN
Higher Range of Average Tempera-
ture of Summer Held Responsible
for Early Hurricanes.
dANY TREES BLOWN DOWN

rain and wind broke loose last night. For
an hour there was deluge. The rain
kept up with mitigated violence for an
hour or two longer. and was renewed at
| intervals during the night.
| The storm had been threatening all
afternoon and broke about $50 o'clock
in almost inky darkness with tornado
Of wind and clouddust of rain.
The wind reached a maximum of almost
forty miles an hour. No particular dam
age was done. although few shade trees
were trimmed without THE assistance of
the District government.
Two Houses Struck.
Lightning caused more damage than
the wind. Two houses were struck, one
in northeast Washington and another at
Chevy Chase.
severe disturbance that originated in the
Windward Islands and travelled up the east
coast. This is early for the West Indian
hurricane season. Usually 1t does not be-
gin till about October. when the ragged
edges of such disturbances bother WASH
ingtOn.
This year the wet season started in
earlier. following q higher range of aver
age temperature for the whole United
States for the past two years. The COM
IueHCcIIlcHl VI luc hurricane ScdSOH III
the West Indies has conceded with this
change in the seasonal temperature.
Therefore the storm yesterday was not
surprising.
The temperature in Washington had
been high all day. The maximum was
close to ninety and was even higher In
the downtown streets. There were no
actual heat prostrations in Washington.
Damage in Northeast.
OF hon indicate
that the wind did more damage in the
northeast section than elsewhere where
number of trees were blown down.
Trees were broken in front of 3H 9Th
street. 1923 street 90 Massachusetts,
avenue, one at Sth and B streets. one at
18th and B streets and one on the Bla-
denSturg road. Several trees in the parks
were also broken.
The police reported several dangerous
holes in streets and roads caused by the
storm.
One house struck by lightning and
seriously damaged by fire was the home
of J. Campbell Malcolm. 1885 Northamp-
ton street. Chevy Chase. The other house
was the residence of Miss Annie Hurley.
300 Sd street northeast The damage at
each house will amount to about 81 UW.
The fires occurred five minutes apart.
The blaze at the house of Miss Hurley
started about 6:4O o'clock.
Al the MdICOiUl HOuSc Tic
struck the roof near the chimney and
made a. hole through the shingle cover
ing about the size Of hat and stunning
several members of the family at home at
the time.
In the heavy downpour the members of
the family sought shelter in the house OF
q neighbOr.
Members Of No 90 engine company re-
sponded to an alarm of fire, reaching the
house after the blaze had gained some
EirQmPn
ceeded in extinguishing the flames.
The lower portion of the house and the
furniture suffered considerable damage by
water. The house is owned by the Chevy
Chase Land Company and Is insured.
At the house of Miss Hurley the light
ming struck the telephone wire and COM
municated the blaze to two rooms and the
rear porch. The shock was great enough
to throw one member of the family to
the floor although serious injury was not
sustained
Several companies Of the fire department
responded to an alarm that was turned in
by a neighbor. The force of the lightning
had caused some damage to the house.
What other damage the fire failed to do
was done by water.
Down in Maryland.
In the Maryland territory lying between
Chesapeake Beach Junction and Ches-
apeake Beach there was a tremendous
sharp lightning At Pindell station the
lightning was particularly severe. One
bolt struck large tobacco barn on the
farm of John Anuger, splitting into kim
ding wood the large eighth foot posts and
clearing off the roof rafters as clean as
human work could have done. A freakish
feature was the drawing of nails from the
rafters as slick as If done by a carpenter
with tools. The boards and shingles were
deposited nicely In a field nearby
At Chesapeake Beach the rain and light
ming continued throughout the entire
night. The first storm struck the beach
in the early evening and gave a feeling of
dread to several hundred excursionists
from the Eastern Shore, who awaited en-
barka ton on the steamer at the long pier
The waves and high winds rocked the ves-
sci and pier. and the captain started for
home without waiting any longer for
about 115 tardy ones who were en- route
from Washington on a belated train. The
contingent that arrived later in the rain
was compelled to find lodgings for the
night as best they could Manager Bent
ley took care of the women and children
but the men pu. In the night on benches
and tables.
An incident of the storm was the birth
OF three babes. which KEEP. folks busy for
the balance of the night.