Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-06-29
wind, Hail, Thunder and
Lightning Yesterday
and Last Night.
NO SERIOUS DAMAGE
Thrilling Scenes on River While Ele-
ments Are at Work-Trees Pros
trated and Limbs Sail in Air.

+.s Alexandria anu NiSihiey "e>'
min Of a terrific electric, rain ana
ha;] storm yesterday evening ana
,ast night, and although no serious
damage resulted considerable appre-
bensisn was manifest. So far as
known. about all the havoc caused by
the elements was in the way OF dam
,pe to trees. Several were blown
down in different sections of the CITY,
while branches were twisted from
many.
There had been thunder storms ev-
erv day last week. Rain fell in tor
rents Saturday afternoon, which
brought about considerable relief from
the terrible heat which had prevailed,
and between four and five o'clock yes
terday morning copious showers fell,
accompanied by thunder and light
ming. 1t was supposed that the tenn
perature would be more pleasant al
| ter these heavy rains, but as the day
GREW older the heat became uncom-
Portable and the humidity was op-
pressive.
The western heavens became over
cast in the afternoon and distant
thunder announced the approach OF
another rainstorm. Between four and
five o'clock heavy black clouds were
rolling from the northwestern heav-
ems, and when they reached this city
they brought darkness SO great as
v, render it rhecesss.ly-s-eL L-ss-,~s; ssl t.
in houses. The lightning became Wv
id, followed by heavy peals of thun-
der The wind in the meantime had
reached, a high velocity, causing no
little tremor to all nervous persons,
who were apprehensive lest storm
similar to that Of July 31st last year.
which caused so much damage was to
visit the city.
Rain mingled with hail was soon
dashing against windows, trees were
swaying and the .lightning; incessant.
There was a Short lull in the work of
the elements; i'm about half an hours
time, but the clouds soon gathered
again, and while the darkness was
not so pronounced. the, rain fell as
heavily as, ever. These conditions con.
tinued until nearly midnight, when
to the relief of all, stars. began tc
glimmer.
There was intense excitement or
the river front when the first storm
broke. People who owned motor
boats moored in the docks eXperr.
enced great difficulty in preventing
the high wind from blowing them
out into the river. In some cases lines
were snapped mad anchors dragged.
A motorboat containing Charlie!
Rambo and George Nails with thei
families was off the shipyard whil'
the storm was in the height of it
fury. In the darkness and excitemen
the boat struck Sunken piles.
short distance from the old wharf
The bottom of the boat was stove Il
and it began to settle as thoug,
about to sink. The two men, with re
markable presence of mind, carries
the members of their families upoI
their backs to places of safety max
ing several trips in order to do SC
The boat did not sink, as twas sup
posed would be the result of the az
cident, and it was later release
from the pile and brought into tn
dock at the shipyard.t.
1t was for time supposed thu
disasters had overtaken other motor
boats which, it was ayerred wea
seen off the city when the element
got to work: Several persons wei
positive in statements that gillir
skiff off the shipyard had sunk. Se7