Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-08
Washington suffered severely nfty
years ago from violent storms. partly in

washington 0uu0fe0 severely uIty
years ago from violent storms. partly in
consequence of the COM
Destructive paratively unsubstan-
=. tial character Of build
o'oAms' ings and the lack Of
pavements. In The Star OF May 81.
1869. was an account of such q storm:
Saturday night a terrific rainstorm
passed over the city. accompanied by
hail and wind. and giving the streets
thorough cleaning; and yesterday
afternoon between and 4 o'clock .
tornado passed over the northern
portion of the city and the adjoining
portion OF the county. doing consid-
cradle damage to property. A frame
dwelling In course of erection on the
18th street road. opposite the residence
of Gen. Howard. was blown down.
Four persons who were returning
shelter in II and were caught In tho
ruins, one receiving severe injuries.
Another frame house in the bottom
near the junction of Grant street with
Boundary. west of 7th. was demoi-
ished and a stable belonging to Mr..
above the park. was also RACED to
the ground. Three large trees on the
grounds of Howard University and
two in the 18th street park were up
rooted. The tin roof of the three
stored brick house in course of erec-
was carried OFF, as also the roof of
the building at the corner of I'd and
r streets. The skylights in the pa
viliOn of Abner's Park were also car
ried OFF. The storm was felt with
some severity along the line of the
river for some distance down. doing
much damage to growing crops.
fences, outbuiIdings and trees. In
Charles county plat of wheat be-
longing to Mr.. Brice, which promised
to yield about 1000 worth, was COM
pleteiy destroyed by the hail.
y ~
Fifty years ago Dr. Tanner had not
made his celebrated fast of forty days.
SO that an editorial in
protracted The Star of June /. 1863.
rA: headed. How Long Can
Hoe1ns' Person Live Without
Food?" had not been answered to the
extent of his contribution. Two cases
were cited:
"A negro named James Wilson. en-
steamer Rising Star. lying at Aspin-
wall. on the 18th instant. fell asleep
in the hold of the vessel when the
other hands ceased work on the even
ing of that day. At midnight the
matches were closed on the sleeping
man, and at / O'Clock the vessel start
ed on her voyage to New York. Will
son remained in his prison without a
morsel of food until the morning after
the steamer arrived in New York on
the 25ta instant. Being at the bottom
of the vessel he was unable, by shout
ing or striking the hatchway. to make
himself heard, and finally resigned
himself to his fate. The cargo, con-
sisting of wool, hides, mother of pearl,
india rubber, etc. afforded nothing
from which he could extract sus.
tenance. He finally fell into state of
torpor. As the hatchways were
opened an hour before the hold was
visited the air revived him and as the
stevedores descended the man feebly
rose and revealed himself. Though
his mind was clear. he reeled like a
drunken man and could not maintain
his feet.
This remarkable case recalls to
mind the still more remarkable ex-
perfence of four men who were en-
tombed in one of the Muskingum val
ley coal mines in Ohio several years
since. These unfortunates were shut
in by the falling of the earthen roof
of the passage to the chamber where
they were at work. and they were con-
fined for fourteen days without any
food except what one of the party had
taken in for his lunch that day. Be-
yond this trifle, all they had to sustain
life during their dark and awful i'm
prisonment-for their lamps burned
out in a short time-was the water
which dripped through the coal vein
and formed in puddles at their feet;
and it was to some supposed nutri-
tious quality received by the water
through this distillation that the pres
ervation of their lives for so long a
period was attributed.
After a most exciting and trying
time, and by great labor. attended
with risk of life to those engaged in
the work of liberating them, the pris-
oners were brought forth from their
dark and damp place of confinement,
fearfully emaciated, blanched and
shrunken, more like corpses than liv-
ing beings in appearance, as may well
be imagined. One or two were deli
rious when rescued, but by great care
as to the character and quantity of food
at first furnished them they were all
restored to comparative health.
though we believe some of them never
recovered their original strength. 1t
Is perhaps needless to add that after
their terrible experience they all re-
tired from the mining business"
An interesting ceremony took place