Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-16
HEAT IS UNbROKEN
IN SPITE OF STORM
THAT SWEEPS CITY
Wind and Lightning Cause
Damage Here, but Fail
to Bring Relief:
75-MILE-AN.HOUR WIND
is RECORDED AT AIRPORT
Thundershowers Are Forecast
Again Tomorrow, With Tonight
Remaining Fair.


Starting fires, flooding cutters and
blowing down shade trees, yesterday
electrical storm interrupted, but failed
to break the heat wave which claimed
life in Washington yesterday. and
promised a renewal of temperatures
well up in the COS today. At one time
during the blow 75-Tnile-an-hour wind
velocity was recorded at Washington
Hoover Airport
While the city counted the cost OF
scattered wind and fire damage, the
Weather Bureau reported that the
storm was Of a strictly local nature,
with generally fair weather tonight
and tomorrow" expected to send the
mercury we'll up toward the 100 mark
later today.
Thundershowers Forecast.
Clouds may develop during the aft
are predicted tomorrow afternoon and
night.
The storm Uttered the streets Of
Southwest Washington with fair-siZed
hail stones and inflicted some damage
to crops across the Potomac in Vir-
ginia, while the attending gale all but
cost the life of a boatman when it over
turned his craft just off Hams Point.
Two prcstrations, one fatal, occurred
before the showers sent the mercury
downward.
Storms Fury Brief.
The fury Of the electrical storm spent
itS:n in a comparatively short time,
but lightning started several minor fires
and hit buildings. trees and fagpole
in widely separated sections Of the Dis
trict.
Among places hit were the Capitol,
the White House Grounds, a Census
Bureau Building at Sixth and B streets
southwest, a church in Anacostia. sew
eral homes and commercial establish
ments and flagpole on the Naval Hos
pital grounds.
The oppressive heat preceding the
storm was blamed for the death OF Ru-
northeast, 58-year-old house toulouse
salesman. who was overcome in a resi-
dence at % Third street northeast,
while demonstrating his wares to the
occupant, Nine. Colo CoVel.
Ambulance Is Called.
Kovacic complained Of feeling i'll after
walking in the sun. Some one sum-
moned the Casualty Hospital ambulance
while other residents of the premises
gave the salesman first aid. He was pro-
nounced dead shortly after his arrival at
Casualty Hospital.
An autopsy probably will be performed
today to determine if any other factor
than the heat contributed to the death
of Kovacic. He was a native of Ger
many and understood to have no rela-
tives In this country.
The capriceS of the weather yesterday
all but cost another life when a 60
to 70 mile gale attending the thunder
storm capsi2ed a small sailboat off Hams
Point and tilted 18-year-old John Pow
ell of POT Ninth street southwest into
the water.
Boat Rolled Over.
When the storm broke, Powell man
aged to lower sail and anchor not far
from the sea wall, but the increasing
intensity of the wind rocked his boat
and finally rolled it over. Shouting for
aid. Powell chung to the overturned boat
! and took Q severe beating from the
waves.
Other river craft had sought shelter,
but Powells plight was observed from
the Naval Air Station across the chan
mel. and a naval launch was dispatched
to the rescue.
Before the boat arrived alongside,
however, a river tug had passed and
picked up Powell, who was on the
| verge of exhaustion. When the Navy
craft came alongside Powell's boat. its
occupants supposed Powell was drowned
and returned to notify police.
| Later, Powell. returning on another
boat after he had been transferred
| from the tug at Alexandria, had the
novel experience Of witnessing general
search for his body by harbor police
and by airplanes from the Naval
| Station.
Virginian Killed by Bolt.
While no one in Washington was
! hit by the lightning. farmer OF kerns-
! town, Va, was killed yesterday AFTER
noon when struck down by lghtnlng
| while at work in his fields.
Shortly after the 5000 employees Of
the Census Bureau had been excused
| for the afternoon because OF the neat
| in the temporary structure. lightning
struck Building c and kindled an attic
blaze which was extinguished before II
caused serious damage.
Prompt action by the bureaus ON.
Gals and its own fire department saved
valuable agriculture and census RECORDS.
Charles D. Bohannan, census olnclal'
discovered the fire when his electric
fan was burned out and smoke puHeo
in at his window.
Mr.. Bohannan's alarm called INTO
play fire-fighting organization Wnlch
: has been perfected in the bureau itself
to offset the fire hazard OF the finder
box buildings. The blaze was under
control before the Districts firemen
could arrive.
Fire Watch Maintained.
Census Director william M. Steuart
J has insisted upon a bureau fre oepart
ment, regular drills and instruction OF
division chiefs in what to 90 In case OF
fire, fearful that fire might one Gay
sweep through the fiimSy poaro PAL.
titions and frame walls. Cigarette
smoking has been rigidly forbidden and
careful watch is maintained against
the possibility Of fire. p.,,.,..
Building G also houses the Public
Health Service and some omceS OF tne
Departnent of Agriculture. It Is OF the
same construction as the old FeoeIal
Trade Commissions quarters. razeo py
sudden blaze last Summer.
Another bolt struck the So-t0ot
steeple of the Anacostla MetnoolS 81
streets southeast The metal cap OF the
steeple conducted the charge 70 the
wooden structure below. which broke
into flames.
The firemen who responded were
aided nv the rain and managed to ex-
tino1Iish the blaze after it had caused
damage estimated at 5000. A fire truck
on the way to the scene slightly dam
aged several parked automobiles wnen
it skidded at q corner.
Capitol Is Struck.
Hundreds in the vicinity Of Capitol
! Iz;1i sew the bolt strike and set f1re
to an awning outside the ONCE OF Rep