Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-23
Colder Tonight, With Clear
ing Skies, Dims Hopes of
White Christmastide.
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 4
JAMMED WITH CROWDS
Police and Car Companies Prepare
for Peak of Holiday Rush
Tomorrow.

Splashing through snowy slush, thou
sands thronged the downtown streets
today in a rush Of last-minute shop
ping while hopes for a white Christ
mas, which ran high after a night OF
snow and sleet, were dimmed by the
pronouncement of the Weather Bureau
that colder weather tonight will bring
clearing skies and two days of fair
weather.
thsw which began with the dawn
continued during the day and on all
thoroughfares the early morning COW
ering OF snow, which delighted thou
sands OF children out of school for the
holidays, gave way to slush and water,
The temperature probably will mod
crate somewhat over Christmas. the
Weather Bureau said.
Throughout today great thronRs of
shoppers jammed the midtown district.
The congestion was most acute on CEN
tral sections of F and G streets. and
Seventh and streets. where the street
railways have double tracks.
Peak Rush Tomorrow.
The Police Department and street
transit systems are preparing for the
peak rush OF shoppers tomorrow, when
the Government departments will be
closed. The crowds which move down.
town, however probably will find streets
and sidewalks clear of the melting snow
which worked considerable hardship
today
Additional precipitation is exrected
later today in the form of scattered
rain, or an occasional furry of snow.
The temperature should remain slightly
above freezing. however, and most OF
the snow Is expected to thaw.
The low extreme this morning was
29 degrees, while the temperature To-
night is expected to get down to 23.
Yesterdays extremes were "a and a.
degrees
Clearing skies tonight will be attended
by moderate to fresh" west and north
west winds, the Weather Bureau pre-
dicted.
The snow called into service the 40
snow plows and scrapers Of the Dis
trict Street Cleaning Department at
am. The scrapers traversed the heavily
Travelled thoroughfares.
Crew Out with ShoveIs,
Two hours later the white wings IN
the departments employ were turned
out with .shovels to keep the sidewalks
clear, particularly in the downtown Sec
tion.
Although hampered by weather con-
ditions this morning, the motor deliv-
cry service of the Post Once Depart
ment was able to keep incoming and
outgoing mail clear.
Post ofice trucks were delayed some
what In leaving their garages this
morning while chains were put on
The volume of mail for local delivery
was the heaviest Of the holiday season.
Extra trucks we're pressed into service
to transfer 1t to the substations, and
to distribute special delivery letters and
parcels
Postal authorities said there was less
OF last-minute rush this year than
last, a circumstance they attributed to
mail early" publicity campaigns. Every
piece of outgoing and incoming mail
had been cleared at noon.
Fewer traffic jams have resulted this
year in the shopping district. police
ofncfals say. This was due to some
extent to new signal lights at num-
her of intersections t,..
The 90 extra policemen detailed BY
the Trafhc Bureau to shopping districts
last Monday have been able to keep
the intersections clear, and few Jams
have resulted.
Several additional policemen will be
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