Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-03
HEAVY RAINFALL:
SWEEPS OVER CITY
AND ITS SUBURBS
BIadensburg FIooded-Ches-
apeake Beach Line TreStIes
Weakened.

Three squalls" any one of which
would have done justice to the tropics.
all accompanied by thunder. lightning.
high wind and exceptionally heavy
rainfall, struck Washington and the
surrounding country yesterday after
noon, turning the city streets into
rushing rivers and causing much
damage and Inconvenience in outlying
territories.
Little damage WAS reported in the
city proper. but Bladcnsburg and dis
tricts nearby experienced "A real flood.
which was slowly cbbing this morn
ing.
BIadensburg Flooded.
Bladensburg. which is built i'm low
ground in the hollow of curve form
ed by the Eastern branch, was flooded
last night and this morning by a
| lake, from two to four feet deep. ex-
tending half a mile in all directions
from the center of the village. The
water reached the porcheS of the ma
jority of residences. and flooded into
the cellars of stores and other build
ings, causing damage which has not
been est innate
Trestles and bridges along the
Chesapeake Beach railroad were
| weakened by the flood to such an eX-
tent IndI lne TdllTodu tpiiiPhhS
patched a special train along the
routes, to which passengers, held up
on an early committing train at a
blocked treStle. We're transferred ana
brought to town, an hour behlhd
schedule corps of workmen was
sent to the weak spots early today
and will make necessary repairs 10
the road. which probably VIII handle
a large number of passengers TO-
morrow and July .. ,
lpN
rune from 18th and II streets north
east to East Berwyn. Md. was ued
IN today because of damaged Tres
tie between Bladensburg and the eho
of the line.
Week Enders Delayed.
Scores of motorists VINO left Wash-
ington today on week emu touIs
reached Bladensburg, 10 nhu an III,
passable barrier in the lake WhicH
covered the village. \ long Strlng OF
halted cars extended for nearly nan
a mile along the pike. waiting for the
water to subside sufficiently TO mar
the passage Many box lunches. car
ried in the cars for future use, came
| in very handily for breakfast when
| the tourists sitting in their machlnes:
took the situation philosophicaliy no
| wished heartily that Bladehspurg
would once again become Dry.
| The motorman who runs the trolley
| car to Gretna Springs took chance
with his charge when he reached
portion of track one side OF Which
had sunk below the other. AFRAID 10
cross the SPOT he turned on the con-
troIler at lowest speed. jumped from
| the platform and watched his car
| maneuver the crossing while he mace
his way on foot beside 1t, jumped
| a board when the danger was passed
and went merrily along untll ne
reached an impossible trestle
Rainfall Here 2.SS Inches.
| Between o'clock and midnight
| Yesterday the weather bureau re-
| corded a fall of 2.SS inches of rain.
Little damage was done in Washing
ton and the District sewer department
reported the system carried of the ex-
cess load in good fashion ohls rev
stoppages occurring. The police depart
ment received reports from the precincts
! of sjxty-three trees and limbs blown TO
the street by the wind, and today
CORPS of men from the superintendent
of parks office was clearing away the
debris.
The fagpole on top of the White
Cross Bakery. at 1911 1th street north
west. was splintered by lightning.
A telegraph pole in rear of 213S +
street northwest was blown down, faii-
ing on garage belonging to George
Walsh of that address, and crashing in
| the roof.
Along RnOne 1Sidfu avenue htGi thc
Baltimore and Ohio railroad crossing,
the water rose to depth of more than
two feet Automobiles We're stalled as
the water reached the radiators and
some of the inmates were forced to take
temporary refuge on the backs of the
| seats.
Street Cars Tied LIP.
Street cars along this line were tied
up completely during the storm. the
water playing havoc with third-rail con-
nections Following the squall. how
ever. the service was resumed and the
ma iority of automobiles proceeded un-
der their own power, though some were
crippled for the time being.
Backwards at residences along lower
Park road near Rock Creek Park. were
flooded for d time. and only by heroic
work of volunteer workers. dressed inn
maculately in palm beach suits and
white canvas shoes. was the torrent
diverted from the cellers. where the
damage would have been serious.
The storm was popularity known as
CLOUD burst" though officials at the
weather bureau Indignantly denied to-
day that any such accident had hap
pened in the atmosphere above. Such
storms are common in this section. it is
stated, and Will be followed by fresher,
cooler weather today and probably to-
morrow.