The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-17
ESCAPE IS NARROW
FROM LIGHTNING
Bolt Tears Off Roof, But
Young Woman Is
Uninjured.

Miss Ina Reid. of Do New Jersey ave-
nue. northwest, is today receiving con
gratulations of her friends because Of
her escape from a bolt of lightning
which crashed through the roof of her
house during the storm last evening.
Miss Reid was closing a window On
the second floor about Z o'clock when
there was q binding fash ana a tire
raendous crash of thunder. The light
ming played havoc with the roof and the
rooms on the third floor but, except Tor
a severe fright. Miss Reid was UNI
touched. The roof was torn OF and
four large holes blown through the plas-
ter, through which the rain fen in tor
rents and damaged a great deal of fu--
niture. Miss Reid called the police at
ence and they assisted her in carrying
furniture from under the broken roof
and IN clearing away the tin roof and
timbeTs from the front walk.
Uprooted trees, damaged buildings,
overturned signbOards. and broken tel
egraph wires today mark the path OF
the severe electric storm which started
somewhere below Alexandria, wound its
way UP the Potomac and wrought havoc
in different sections Of the District last
evening.
Makes Narrow Escape.
Col William A. Smoot, senior member
Of the firm Of Smoot & Co. coal and
lumber dealers. of Alexandra, had a
narrow escape during the height of the
storm Standing at the telephone in
his office, Colonel SmoOt was badly
burned on the left side of the face. and
was also stunned for several minutes.
1t was a freak storm that seemed to
cut a swath in certain sections like a
tornado, while other parts of the Dis
trict were not affected. II played havoc
In Judiciary Square. where there are
some OF the oldest trees in the city
Tall trees were uprooted and overturned,
others blown down. and there was hard
ly a tree from which limbs were not
torn by the heavy wind.
About thirty valuable shade trees in
different parts of the District were up
rooted, and the parking and street
cleaning department are busy today
cleaning up the debris. The storm fol-
lowed the Potomac from Alexandria 10
the Arsenal II passed through south
west Washington, over the central part
OF the city. and BrightWOOd.
The roof CT a large house at 3I4 lnGi-
ana avenue was torn completely on and
hurled to the street, a tangled, twisted
Makes Way Up River.
Before the storm broke the electric
display was watched by thousands as
the storm made its way up the river
The sharp flashes and heavy thunder
fast made their way toward Washing
ton. giving fair warning that there
would be a heavy storm. The wind
blew a gale, and when the rain started
to fall IN torrents most people had
needed the warning and We're in places
of shelter The fact that the binding
rain made il almost an impOssibility for
pedestrians TO use the streets probably
prevented numerous accidents, all
though many persons We're more or less
badly hurt in different WAYS.
Miss Alice Pearson, OF the Iowa,
Thirteenth and o streets northwest,
Was hurrying 10 her apartments TO avoid
being caught N the rain, when she fell
while alighting from an Eleventh street
car and broke her left leg. She was
taken to her apartment in carriage.