Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-22
RECORD HEAT WAVE
TAKES 3 LIVES IN D. c.:
so DIE IN MIDWEST

Continued from First Page.)
doctrines into practice by closing all
it's Offices at 3 o'clock this afternoon,
instead of 4:30. Police Chief Hesse
advised all his traffic officers to take
things easy" during the hot spell,
urging them to rest in the shade on
suitable intervals.
Many Sleep in Parks.
Scores of persons took full ad-
vantage of the parks last night, and
many of them made beds on the
grass and remained all night, accord
ing to members of the park police
force. Both Potomac Park and Rock
Greek Park experienced the heaviest
traffic in automobiles ever witnessed
by veteran members of the force.
From early last night the automo-
lies began to jam the Speedway in
Potomac Park and soon the road be-
came saturated with traffic! II was
then that hundreds Of them turned
to Rock Creek Park, where the tenn
perature is from 10 to Is degrees
lower than in the heated city streets.
Until long past midnight there was
a solid line of traffic moving in either
direction and every available parking
space in the park was in use. AS in
East Potomac Park and soon the road
pie brought bedding along and made
beds on the banks Of Rock Creek.
The park police for some time have
been trying to relieve the nightly
jam in East Potomac Park by call
ing attention to the lower teInpera-
lures In Rock Creek Park. 1t Is
pointed out that frequently there
are many vehicles in Potomac Park
seeking relief from the heat and the
roads In Rock Creek Park are prac-
tically deserted. Many people do
not know that the roadways there
are now lighted and that parking is
permitted at night. Last night was
said to be the first time that these
roads have had such heavy traffic in
the nighttime.
The police. realizing the intense
heat prevailing in the city, will make
no effort to oppose orderly sleepers
who want to use the park.
The Official" temperature Of 104 de.
grees was eclipsed by the street-level
heat OF 107 degrees registered yester.
day afternoon at the kiosk on Pennsyl-
vania avenue near Fourteenth street.
The Weather Bureau instruments are
protected from direct or reflected rays
of the sun, but the thermometer down
town gave evidence of the actual con.
dirions which, confronted the swelter.
ing inhabitants on the streets.
The pavement on many Of the un'
shaded streets We're mushy yesterday
and today from the intense heat OF
the sun, and the tar surfacing on the
new pavement on NJ street, In George
town, was 50 sticky that horses had
great difficult in traversing 1t. Great
patches OF the tar adhered to truck
tires, partially denuding portions OF
the thoroughfaI'e.
Thousands Let on.
Thousands Of Government employees
were dismissed early yesterday.
Apparently the only Federal depart
ments who worked uninterruptedly
to regular quitting time yesterday
were the Interior and Navy Depart.
ments.
The Treasury Department, many OF
whose bureaus and branches are
located in temporary wooden build
ings in the Mall bowed in Difference
to Old Sol. Chief Clerk Birchfeld said
it would be "silly" to expect men and
women to work In buildings where
the temperature scared to more than
100 degrees. as was the case yester-
day. A number of employees were
Frustrated as it was, he said.
TWO DIE AT DANVILLE.