Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-22
STORM HITS HARD
IN SUBURBAN AREA
Three Cars Submerged Under
Silver Spring Viaduct-Fire-
men Kept Busy.
BY a stan Correspondent of The Star.


SILVER SPRING, Md, June a.
Simultaneous with the deluge which
flooded many parts Of the metropolitan
district last night, fire sirens called vol
unteer firemen to blazes started by
lightning in various sections. Roads
were flooded. cars slid into bitches and
water almost completely submerged
three cars at the viaduct here.
Montgomery County police. making
their rounds during the storm, discov-
cred the tops Of three cars showing
Just above the water level under the
railroad bridge and, not knowing
whether passengers were In them, took
prompt steps to have them hauled out.
However. it was found that the occu-
pants had gotten out safely ana had
sought refuge elsewhere.
of water .pours into the viaduct, placing
from to feet there, 1t runs on
usually in about 20 minutes. Last
nights rains almost doubled the usual
quantity, and with accompanying silt,
clogged the drain so that the water re-
NAMED all night. The pool formation
there is said to be caused by an insult
fcent drain, and County Commissioners
Shaw has been considering having 1t
enlarged.
Both the Silver Spring and Kensing-
shortly after midnight to the residence
of Capt. c. M. p. Lord Of the thirteenth
District police precinct. There hem
house was destroyed, but other build
ings were saved.
The home Of Mason D. :Ieming. at
North Chevy Chase, suffered damage
of $4,000, when fire was discovered
there by q milkman early today. The
house was only partially destroyed. The
Leming family Is said to be in
Oklahoma.
Telephone service in many parts of
the metropolitan district was crippled
by the storm, but was entirely restored
early today.
AS soon as the three submerged cars
were discovered In the Silver Spring
viaduct, Sergt. Guy Jones Of the north
ern district station placed Oficer Joseph
Nolte at the northern approach to send
traff1c around by the Blair Bridge, ana
JUSTICE of the Peace Charles p. Clark
was stationed at the southern approach.
Deputy Sheriff Baker Fling took charge
ports OF the damage, and answered
scores of inquiriers about fires, noticed
by residents awakened by the storm.
Taxed Sewer System.
J. B. Gordon, District sanitary en-
gineer. In charge Of the sewer system,
said that the rainfall last night was
the heaviest that his department had
ever been called upon to deal with and
that it was far In excess of the ca
pacity Of the system. He would not
express an opinion as to whether the
system had failed or had met the
emergency.
Up to 10 am. today there had been
80 complaints of flooded Easements.
The Sewer and Water Departments take
care Of all Of them possible, and when
all Of their apparatus Is busy, the Fire
Department is called upon. Early to-
day the Fire Department was called
out to pump water from the cellars
at Washington Barracks and the Mar
tina washington School, on o near
North Capitol street. The muddy
Department machinery, as the latter
does not attend to pumping out cellars,
except In extraordinary emergencies.
The other departments have special
pumps designed for muddy waters
worked from the engines Of depart
mental trucks.
Every available man In the Water and
Sewer Departments was pressed into
the service OF relieving flood conditions
early. Some were put to work In cellars,
others In removing mud from sidewalks
and streets and others to cleaning sewer
catch basins. fouled with mud. They
were aided by gangs Of workmen from
the highway department.