Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-04
AVALANCHE Of RAIN,
DRIVEN BY 36-M|[E
GALE, SWEEPSC|Ty
Storm Does Great Damage to
Crops in Nearby Mary
land and Virginia.
WATER RACES THROUGH
STREETS OF CAPITAL
Many Trees Blown Down, Wires
Frustrated and Fences and
Poles Leveled.
NEAR-HURRICANE ON RIVER
Part of Pier at Chesapeake Beach
Hurled Into Bay-Pleasure
Craft Sunk-Much Small
Game Killed.
WATER RACES THROUGH
STREETS OF CAPITAL
NEAR-HURR1CANE ON RIVER

A southeast storm, travelling
the Atlantic coast, swept over
Washington last night. and for
+ twelve hours deluged the city
with beating rain, accompanied
by gale which was measured at
the weather bureau at thirty-six
miles an hour. Gales of greater
severity were reported from other
places, New York city, for in
stance, catching sixty-mile
breeze. and unscientific, but thor
oughly appreciative. watchers in
Leonardtown, St. Mary and other
points in Prince Georges and St.
Mary counties claim that the
gale struck there at seventy miles
an hour
Reports have been coming in all
day telling of great damage to
corn, tobacco and orchards in the
territory for miles around Wash
ington. Trees and telegraph
poles were slapped to earth and
lay across railroads and turn
pixies this morning. delaying traf-
fic from several points. *
No lives have been lost so far
as present reports indicate, but
river damage includes the sinking
of several launches.
Came From Florida.
Although the published reports from
the weather bureau indicated merely
unsettled conditions for last night. it
was said at the bureau this morning
that storm warnings had been sent out.
The storm has been slowly vending its
way from Florida. 1t covered COM
paratively small area as 1T bowled
along, but was extremely severe. The
storm center on the weather bureau
map looks like a cannon ball. and COW
cred only about fifty miles of area.
The rainfall was heavy for short &
but Raleigh. N. c.. the home of the Sec
retary of the Navy, received almost
twice as much water. the instruments
there recording a total depth of five
inches.
While Washington was in the middle
CT 1t last night, the storm extended
from Virginia to New York city, and
this morning was reported as having
its center over New York city.
Trees Blown Down.
The police estimate of trees blown
down in this city reaches fifty. In ad-
dition hundreds of limbs were brok en-
from trees and scattered upon the
streets. A great portion of these were
defective and would have been trimmed
off soon anyhow, saving work for the
tree trimmers and proving that it is
an ill wind, etc
The police had their hands full, as
the fallen limbs and trees had to be
marked by lighted lanterns to protect
wagons and other vehicles from dam
ger. The rubber coats worn by police
men were small use to them, it seemed,
as nearly every member of the force
turned in from duty thoroughly drenched.
Trouble men" from the electric light
and telephone companies were kept on
the jump in the wind and rain much
of the night Two circuits on the fire
alarm system were put out of COM
in the Tenleytown and Brookland Sec
tions being affected. Telephone wires
were not seriously troubled, it was re-
ported.
Streets Like Canals.
In several sections of the city the
police reported that sewers were OBJ
structed. They were surface sewers
and their failure to carry off the water
meant that streets were given the ap-
pearance of canals or small rivers At
18th and d streets and 18th and H
streets northeast the streets were
flooded and a similar condition existed
at Eaast Capitol and 9th streets and
2sth and M streets northwest
At 18th and l streets northwest a
fence was blown across the pavement,
while at Florida avenue and 5th street
against a residence. The awning in
front of the store>of Berry & Whitmore,
11th and F streets northwest, was
blown down.
A pile of cord wood belonging to
Samuel NJ. Frazier, Nichols avenue
Anacostia. was washed away from
near the seawall by the high water
Early this morning most of the wood
was recovered from the river.
Damage in Maryland.
Reports of storm damage in the
neighboring Maryland counties indi-
cate great damage to crops. Travellers
who reached the city from Leonard
town and other points in that general
direction today tell of fields of corn
and tobacco blown fiat to the earth and
seemingly totally destroyed. Passengers
on motor bus from Leonardtown to-
day said they had to stop several times
to remove big trees and telegraph
pole which had fallen directly across
the road. Rain and wind were. vic.
j lent in st. Mary and Prince Georges
counties. A roof was lifted from a
house just this side of Mechanicsville
travellers reported today. A colored
family living in the house were routed