Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-21
HEAT OVERCOMES
.. 8 HERE; SHOWERS
ONLY RELIEF HOPE
Mai. Pratt Grants Policemen
Restricted Privilege OF
Shirt Sleeves.
rs DEGREES MINIMUM
WITH BOAT II O'CLOCK
Drop in Humidity Makes High
Temperature More Tolerable.
Record Last Year.

Aside from the temporary comfort OF
local thundershowers this afternoon
and tonight, Weather Bureau officials
said there was no relief in sight from
the existing heat wave which yesterday
caused eight cases of prostration in
Washington.
With the official bureau thermometer
climbing steadily during the morning,
reaching 81 degrees at 10 o'clock, Maj.
Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of po-
lice, came to the relief of policemen
by directing rush order to all pre-
cinct commanders making shirt sleeves
the uniform of the day under certain
conditions The order was received
with cheers at the various precincts.
An hour later the temperature was 80
degrees.
Shirt Sleeve Rules Issued.
The order read: Members of the
force provided with clean white shirts,
black ties and who do not wear sus-
penders. will be permitted to perform
street duty in shirt sleeves. Command
ing officers are especially charged,
however. with responsibility Of seeing
that the members Of their force main
tain themselves In cleanly and pre-
Sentable manner"
When the purport Of this order was
understood, all the suSpender- wearing
policemen went Scurrying for belts and
there was much discussion as to just
what constituted clean" shirt on a
humid day. The last police order to
this effect was for desk sergeantS.
At the Weather Bureau 1t was said
Chat local thunder showers, pretty gen.
eral over the whole Eastern United
States, would continue indefinitely.
While it is about 2 degrees above nor
NAL, the heat of today Is mild compared
to this time last year. year ago yes
terday the official reading was 106 de-
grees, an all-tirne record for Washing
ton, and today a year ago the ther-
mometer registered 103 degrees. There
was much less humidity, however, than
there was today. Last years extreme
heat wave lasted from July IT to the
end of the month. There is no hkelt-
hood. it was said, of this record being
duplicated during the present Summer.
IS Degrees Minimum.
Today's minimum, rs degrees, was
registered at o'clock. about the same
as yesterday. At O'Clock the mercury
had risen to II degrees. The other
readings were 81 degrees at 8 o'clock,
S5 at 8 o'clock, 81 at 10 o'clock and 90
at IL o'clock.
The humidity however. was slightly
lower than yesterday. The percentage
at o'clock was 81, as compared with
90 per cent as that hour yesterday. II
the relative lowness of the humidity
continues during the day the weather
will feel a bit more comfortable, even
though the mercury might soar a point
or so above yesterdays maximum OF SO
degrees official.
Compared with California coastal
cities, the Central West and Eastern
parts of the United States are COM
Portable. West of the Rockies 100 de-
grees was common in most places and
in some sections it reached as high as
100 degrees. At no place east of the
Rocky Mountains was 100 degrees re-
corded. but the temperatures generally
ranged 90 and slightly over.
Unidentified Man Collapses.
One of the eight heat prostration
Eases yesterday was that of an uniden-
titled man who collapsed at Fifth and K
streets. He was taken to a private
physician by unknown persons. police
learned.
Ulysses Wells. SO years old, of Balti-
more employed by the Washington, Bal
o ladder at Twelfth street and New
York avenue after being stricken by
the heat and cut his head. He was
treated at Emergency Hospital.
Others treated for prostration at
Emergency Hospital. were: Eva Jones,
colored, 81, of 1887 Ninth street, who
was overcome in a G street store; Will
liam johnson, Al, colored 1923 New
Jersey avenue, overcome at First and
Elm streets, and Dorothy Paw, Fifth
street near Eye street, overcome at
Sixth and F streets.
James ffcCall, 48 years old, 1907
Twelfth street, employed by the Dis
trict Repair Shop. collapsed at Prospect
avenue and Bank street, and was
treated at Georgetown University Hos
pital. Rosa Frederick, colored 80
years old, of 706 Second street, was
taken to Casualty Hospital from her
home. Charles Barnes. 81. colored. was
overcome while walking at Nineteenth
street and Potomac avenue northeast,
and was taken to Gallinger Municipal
Hospital for treatment.
MERCURY REACHES ia.