Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-06
N|NDSTORM LEAVES
HAVOC IN ITS PATH
'"ty-Iwo-Mile Gale Sweeps
Over City, Carrying All
Before 1t.
STATE CAPITOL is DAMAGED
Northside Viaducts Are Put Out
OF Commission-Street Car
Service Deranged.
STATE CAPITOL is DAMAGED


esterday afternoon. 1t was accom-
anied by rain. hail. thunder and light
'hg' the hail being the heaviest to fall
ere In generation. or so the Oldest
hhaoitants said.
while property damage was large, no
casualties were reported. Aside from
rAffic interruptions the Virginia Rail-
ray and Power Company was probably
ne heaviest sufferer. Every steel pole
Importing the trolley wire across the
ifth Street Viaduct was snapped off
bout six feet from their basea by the
ale. The First street VIaduct SUI
ered to less extent. Here the steel
races which held the iron poles in
iace were bent double. like the blades
5ack-knife. and this caused "a half
ozen poles to lean down across tho
ridge IT was said that the under
tructures of the two spans were no,
amaEed. However. passengers bound
10 and from Gintcr Park. Barton
ieights. Highland Park and other
'oints on the North Side were COM
'elled to walk across the bridges. The
'irst Street Niaduct. Il was said. vii!
'c open to traffic carly this morning
While 1t will probably require all OF
{ day To repair the damage on the
nth Street structure.
DAMAGE IS REPORTED
FROM MANY SECTIONS
Considerable damage was done TO the
itate Capitol and in Capitol square.
One woman and three men were
aught beneath heavy frame stand
which was blown over at the state Fair
;rounds.
Though It's duration was but few
minutes. II was regarded AS the worst
torn which has visited Richmond in
many years. At > o'clock the thcr-
nometer registered So degrees. con-
derably above normal temperature.
shortly after the hail fell II had
ropped to ~ degrees. a difference of
IS degrees. The Weather Bureau re-
,orted that the gale reached a max
mum velocity OF hf,y-two miles an
,our.
Hundreds Of electric lights. those
urnished with current by The City
electric Plant az we'll al By the power
company. were put out OF commission,
md there were many homes last night
n which the occupants retired by can
lie or lamp light Telephone wires
md poles also went down before the
|
,otomac Telephone Company OF NIr-
sinia suffered nothing like the power
company IT WAS said that 300 tclc-
phones were put out OF business. The
elegraph companies reported slight
lamage from the wind.
MANY FREAKS ARE; LEFT
IN PATH OF GALE
The storm lef, many freaks In Its
oath Breaking across the city from
he northwest. the wind struck the
North Side suburbs. Barton Heights
was one of the principal sufferers.
The hall here was severe, and traces
of II were apparent in some places for
several hours after IL fell. The front
oorch OF the home of c. B. Norvell
III Montiero Avenue. was swept away.
while across the street Nos l0S-110
III Montciro Avenue. was swept away.
IN apartment house were torn down.
At Ninth and Main Streets small
automobile was overturned by the
wind, but its occupants escaped in
Jury. huge tent at Laurel and Broad
streets, which sheltered a display Of
automobile trucks. was ripped away
rom It's fastcninGs. At Aibenarle and
Cherry Streets wagon Was blown
,yer Many tree" on Pine Street. in
Capitol Square and other points were
,prooted. a big cottonwood in Laurel
street fell, and when last seen was
.esting across four houses Two huge
prick smoke stacks at the plant of w.
:, Forbes e Co. Eleventh and Byrd
streets we're blown down. Billhoards
n all parts OF TIL" city were quick to
vanish Posters in front of theaters
md movies We're snatchcd away as If
~ magic. while many business houses
suffered tho loss OF plate-glass win
lows.
TRAFFIC POLICEMAN
TURNED OVER IN HIS BOX
Traffic Policeman w. @. Smallwood,
On duty at Laurel and Franklin Streets
was badly hurt when the box he oc-
upied was bowled over before he had
IN opportunity ia get out. He was
ltreated for numerous bruises and lac
.rations and removed to his home.
Fallen wires and poles were not the
,nly causes for Interruptions to street
,ar service ON the hills the water
,oured dowr ir torrents, and at points
where switches were located. filed
hem with sand and dirt so that 1t Was
m possible FOR ears to move for MANY
minutes. Occurring at the evening
irush hour, thousands of passengers
we're delayed reaching their homes
from Offices IN the downtown section.
is noticeable block was at Eighth and
Main Streets. where the switch box
vas filled with sand as rapidly as en-
|bloyees of the power company cleaned
i out.
For a few minutes the downtown
I;treets were flooded so that il was i'm
t,ossible for ped es, rianS to move about.
tWith little or no warning, preceded by
n he high wind. the rain came down
iyi.h velocity seldom witnessed III
This climate. There was a hurry and
l,curry for any cover. and her" n'asL
hf the storm-bouId remained until the
worst passed. Then there was a swarm
4,or the trolleys. and congested traiTlc
was further, blocked Loaded to their
Continued on Second Page.)