Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-05-31
N0RF ok STORM
NOT So SERIOUS
Early Morning + reports of
Severe Blow oh Chesa-
peake Exagg Rrated.
NO LIVES ARE LOST.
Houses Were Overturned and Vessels
Wrecked-Property Loss Will be
Large-People InjuA ed.
Especial to the (tazettd.)

Norfolk, Va, ay 31.l 2:3O p. NJ
The early morning rtports of has
nights storm have been greatly eX
taggerated There has teen no loss o.
life reported up to the present tlm'
and investigation has n$t been able tt
substantiate the eports lof the loss Of
several vessels which I were report
ed to have gone down Iand all hand:
lost.
The storm however was one Of tine
most disastrous that has ever wit
! tied this city and the property los!
Twill be very large.
Norfolk, Va, May$31.-Wiah the
wind reaching a velocity of approx
nlately IS miles an hogr, accompanied
!by rain and hail, this section last
night was visited bysole of the worst
jstorms it has ever experienced. More
than a score Of houses were wrecked
and number Of people are reported
to have been drowned,
While the steamer Virginia, of the
Bay Line, was making her way out
of the harbor en- routa to Baltimore
lin the teeth Of the storm the tug
John Towhy, at Pinhers Point, sig
,,.na|ed 4e3,,:ar. . s,r:.1l@s t%at containing
several people had Ssone down anG
those on board were lost Their
names were not learned. A launch
containing score oftpersons is re-
ported to have been caught is re.
storm near Old Point and those on
board are reported lost. Scores of
small craft dragged anchors during
5the blow, and were either driven
ashore o" turned over.
In South Norfolk, al suburban resi-
Dental section, fifteen houses were
bblown down, and while no lives are
reported lost a score of persons are
injured.
The mammoth government wireless
mast erected in the navy yard was
completely wrecked by the storm.
THE largest of the network Of steel
poles, commonly called the 5-gallon
mast, was wrecked. and the plant
was put out of commission. 1t would
have been impossible Tear vessels
calling for help in the s form had they
needed it. The .Msr Pni wireless
plant at Virginia BeaEh is also re-
5iported to have been wicked.
During the height of Ehe storm, the
revenue cutter Ononda which was
lying at anchor in thHharoor, was
blown from her mooriR Rgs and came
near being driven ashoa near Craney
Island.
Five children were attempting to
ross a Seaboard Air Slne trestle IN
Portsmouth and one d them is re-
ported to have been bll#n overheard.
Scores of cottaeesNat Virginia
Beach and Ocean View Were damaged
and several are reportento nave oeen
totally destroyed. Ss
In City Hall avenlsf one OF the
principal business thcfpughfares OF
the city, the cutters Tsfe unable 10
carry off the terrific Mount OF ram
that fell, and many sSores ana OIL
fees were flooded. Every STORE anu
office on the first fio@of the Montl-
Gallo Arcade was ADded. Trees and
wires in all sections o1 Vne Guy were
4blown down. M
In Portsmouth thsstorm dio con-
siderable damage. So
The Tuuis LumberAompany surfer
ed loss Of $4,000 Wnen sned ool
feet long, water tanlySand dust smeie
were blown away. sa ne 1reehfea1
Johnson Company aso sustained ser
: fous losses. S
All lights in the ttN went out dur
: ing the storm. Thdaudience in tn
Colonial Theater 9g- sentimental
land ragtime songs the darkness
, Aand the orchestra fvented Z PAM
lby playing "Dixie" pa ooher popuia
airs. 8