The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-31
FURIOUS STORM
SWEEPS CAPITAL.
KILLING THREE
Continued From First Page.)

TO the very portico OF the building,
blocking the drives President vii.
son was seated In the executive Offices
when the wind crashed through sew
cral windows in the White House prop
er. Secretary Tumulty hurried the
President and Representative korbly,
OF Indiana with whom he was con-
ierring, TO = sheltered interior room.
away from the searching lightning
flashes.
The Capitol. set high above The city,
caught the brunt OF the wind, rain.
hail and lightning. The Senate was in
session when the hail swept down
with deafening roar. beating
on the glass roof Of the chamber. Tie
tumult made further business iInpos-
siblc and hurryimg TO the Vice Presi-
dents desk. Senator Kern megaphoned
with his hands a motion TO recess The
motion Was put and although the Scna-
tors could hear nothing the Senate quit
work for fifteen minutes. in confusion.
Painters HIVE Narrow Escape.
When the storm broke. thirty five
painters were at work on the dome OF
the CAPITOL swarmine over the curving
surface or swinging high on shaky
scanoding. William Reese. the fore
man, hurried 10 the dome and got mos,
OF his men TO shelter inside the big
Ford Noble Bailey and Bruce Jones
were too late. Bailey and Jones sue
ceedcd In scaling the dome in the wind
and rain. and gained a sheltered ledge
where they weathered the storm after
trying in vain to get inside. Boyle ard
Ford were caught on a swinging scat
fold just under the eases of the dome,
and there they swung bufieted by the
wind, beaten by the hail and soaked by
rain. while the flashes OF blue light
ming trickled around the dome. down
from the platinum lightning points on
the head OF the Goddess of Freedom
that surInounts the structurcB. When
the storm was over they crept, shaken
and bruised, TO safety inside the dome.
Here and there throughout the city
panic appeared. Horses driven frantic
by the wind and hail. dashed through
the streets lin terror until they were
stopped by collision with some other
office buildings and the government
buildings disastrous panic was narrow
ly avoided. AT the Bureau OF Printing
and Engraving, where 400 women are
employed. the wind. sweeping through
4 huge window. sent a storm Of broken
plate glass hurting through the big
preSs-room.
$1,000 Scattered by Wind.
Eight or ten women we're cut by
severe scalp wounds
While the excitement was at it's
height the wind caught a bundle OF
1000 81 bills. half finished. and swept
1t through the broken window. The
bundle was ripped 10 pieces and the
bills scattered far and wide.
Director Ralph hurried out a force
OF scouts. and after combing Potomac
Park and the grounds OF the Washing
ton Monument for miles and fishing In
the tidal basin nearby. all but SIS
worth OF the bills was recovered.
Another panic threatened at the Pen
sion Once, where the lightning ripped
n corner off the roof and crashed in
scores of windows. Another lightning
bolt tore n hole in the roof of the
Post-Office Building and ripped open
one face of the big clock in the tower
The wind ripped fifteen heavy panels
from the floor Of the historic old Acque-
duct Bridge. and a horse and wagon
crossing the structure was blown into
the river. The driver escaped.
On the Potomac River water traffic
was demoralized The tug Edith God
dard Winship sank in the blow and her
crew was taken off by barge which
she was towing The excursion steam
er Charles Fl Warner to- night is
aground several miles down the river
with more than 100 excursionists
aboard. She is reported in safe po-
sition.
Soldier Is Hero.
James Stoddard, regular soldier
rescued three Washington physicians
from an overturned small boat in the
river. None of the men could swim
but Stoddard brought them all in safe-
~. towing the three at one time
Launches and small crafts along the
shores were swept from their moorings
and carried away down the river ahead
of the gale.
For circle of about four miles about
the city the countryside was devas-
tated, truck farms swept and crops
ruined. suburban residences wrecked
and trolley lines damaged.
Representative Flood. OF Virginia
narrowly escaped death or serious in
jury when. In the height of the storm
| he was driving in an automobile
through the White House grounds A
huge uprooted elm was thrown by the
wind directly in the path. just missing
the machine. The Weather Bureau to-
night said that the storm was purely
/ local heat disturbance over the city
and that It's path covered only a few
miles. The official records gave the
average velocity Of the wind as fifty
four miles. although at time II reach
ed sixty-siX miles an hour During the
brief storm zoe inches OF rain fell.
Hot In Lynchburg.