The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-11-18
MAYFAIR | D SIS
S450,000

Dana e inflicted on the Washing
ton Navy Yard and on the Naval Air
Station in Anacostia by the 100-mile
tornado which swept through both
| bases yesterday afternoon will proba-
bly, reach a total of $3.50 900, it was
estimated today by officials, as en-.
gineers of the Navy Department
visited both places for the purpose Of
making an official survey.
Although unofficial, Admiral A. T..
Willard, comma ndant of the Navy
Yard, today placed the damages
there to reach $125.000. while at the
air station of the Navy, the figure
was placed at S295 900.
Eleven aviation machinist mates
and one pilot were slightly bruised
and cut by the blast at the air sta
ton. while seven men were treated
for injuries at the Navy Yard. None
was seriously hurt.
Two land-plane hangers at the
Air Station were seriously damaged
as were eight planes, which were
crushed beneath an entire wall
which toppled over during the gale
Three or possibly four OF these
planes will be repaired, it was
estimated.
Among the wrecked planes wa
the Ford triple motored ship used
in making volume parachute drops:
Rear Admiral Moffat's EO-1 Noight:
three DH planes; a Curtis Hauck
and a DT4.
Although 1t was considered moth
ing short of a miracle that none
Of the 225 men stationed at the
base was either killed or seriously
injured, some 125 Of them were
left rOofless and drenched by the
heavy rainfall which followed the
tornado an hour later.
Added to the wreckage. the Pnto-
mac River rose from its banks and
flooded part of the field. While
the rain still fell, the officers and
men were forced to turn out to take
precautionary measures that the
river did not destroy other planes
stored in three large hangers ad-
Jacent to the stream.
One Of the buildings knocked over
by the tornado was No. 10, the loft
harhOring number of carrier
pigeons. Several of the birds were
killed and many more We're thought
TO have been injured. The damage
of the building permitted the sur,
vivors To fly away and most OF
them had not been recovered today.
The base postoffice was another
sufferer from the blast. 1t was
reported as being completely de.
molished" Roofs of IS structures
were torn off and thrown about
~ Il
The fact that the men were en-
gagged in duty at the time Of the
storm saved heavy loss Of serious
injuries and death. officials said.
An anemometer. WindreCording
device, which was in A place shell.
tered from the full force Of the
tornado, registered a gale of %
miles an hour. The full blast lasted
two minutes, the device showed.
The wind, hurtling debris with
it, bowed over several automobiles
parked along the field. A Govern.
ment truck upon which three small!
boys were riding. was toppled, but
the boys escaped unscathed.
Albert Francis, chief aerographer
of the Air Station, was observing
the approach Of the tornado when
it hurtled him and the instruments
he was using, some yards away. /
He was severely bruised and shaken
by the shock.
nt the men injured, Machinist
Mate kingbaum had perhaps the
closest escape from serious injury.
While running from one Of the ton.
ping Buildings, flying timber
struck him on the head and
knocked him unconscious. Given
first aid. he quickly revived and as.
sisted others in clearing away the
TreckaEe
At the Washington Navy Yard. the
damage was sliGhter both as TO per.
sonnet and property. Roofs were
torn from some 20 buildings, hut the
machinery IN them was saved,
A 15-ton outside crane was ton.
pied over by the force Of the wind
but no one was working nthe struc-
ture.
The destroyer. Allen, training ship
Of the Washington and Baltimore
naval reServists. was torn away
from its mooring and the topmast
knocked down.
OF the seven men injured, none
was serious. FLYING shingles. glass
and other debris inflicted cuts and
bruises to the seven who were
treated at the base dispensary.