Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-02
ROUTED BY STORM,
HEAT LEAVES D. c.
WITH 2OOvERCOME
Trees, Poles and Buildings
Damaged by Disturbance
of Unusual Character.
HIGHER TEMPERATURE
TO FOLLOW WIND TODAY
Local Thundershowers Are Likely
Tomorrow, Says
Forecast.

The fierce electrical storm which
hit Washington late yesterday to
plunge the mercury from 81 to II de-
grees in little more than an hour, and
which left in its wake uprooted and
shattered trees, fallen telephone lines
and lightning stricken buildings, was
characterized By Weather Bureau Off
cials today as an event which would
occur but once in 10 years.
The disturbance. which had its in
ception in New York State early yes
terday. moved with great speed from
the north apd northeast, passed over
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, and
moved southwark to the Carolinas, over
a route considered by experts as phe-
nomenal.
While the official average of wind
velocity recorded at the local Weather
Bureau during the height of the storm
was 90 miles per hour, gusts at times
attained a speed of nearly so miles.
Baltimore, according to reports regi-
stored So miles an hour officially. The
rainfall during the brief period of the
storm here was recorded as 10 of an
inch. indicating heavy deluge.
Wind Continues Today.
A northeast and east wind. moving
on the trail of Yesterdays disturbance,
was blowing across the Capital today.
tending to keep the thermometer down.
The forecaster predicted however, that
the breezes are likely to die later in the
day. when the mercury will soar to a
much higher level. but not quite so
high as Yesterday. The warm weather
will continue tomorrow with a posi-
bility of local thunder showers during
the day.
A second movement is drifting East
ward from the Central States. according
to the forecast. and probably will reach
this area by late Friday, bringing
showers and cooler weather There is
possibility it may pass over during
the night. however. in which case fair
and warmer weather may be expected
for July 4.
The parks and streets today were
lined with fallen trees and limbs A
number OF private homes were struck
by lightning. although no serious dam
age was done. The airplane warning
lights and the telephone service at the
Washington Monument were put out of
commission for the second time in two
weeks by the lightning. The roof of
an apartment building at 2l01 Con-
necticut avenue was scared by a bolt
which struck during the height of the
storm. breaking several windows i'll an
airShaft
The facilities of the local telephone
company were taxed to the limit last
night and early today as workers were
engaged in repairing broken lines which
decommisSioned nearly 800 telephones
in Washington and nearby Maryland
The service between Washington and
Rockville, Bowie and Annapolis was
completely several for several hours
last night as a result of the storm.
Although the volume of phone calls
fell off materially during the storm,
telephone company officials reported to-
DAY that reserve forces of operators
were called in on manual exchanges to
take care of a flood of telephone traffic
which attained the proportions CT that
following the tornado which visited the
city few years ago
20 Stricken in Two Days.
The list of heat victims reported to
police yesterday brought the total for
two days to 20. 1t included; Thomas
Haislip, SO years old, of 729 Tenth
street; Howard Carter, colored, % years
old, of 1448 @ street; Thomas Bennett,
IS years old, colored, of 202 l street;
Frank Selby, 81 years old, of 2907 Olive
street. Jack Hunt. 80 years old, of 8l2
Tenth street; Chaplin King, 26 years
old Fort Myer, Va; Mrs. w. o. Will
liams, 81 years Old CT Cherrydale, Va;
Clark Arnold, 80 years Old of Florida;
Keturah Snowden, colored, "a years old,
of 1900 block of Fifth street; Aloysius
p. Shields, 70 Seaton place; Daniel
Hawkins, colored SIS years cid. OF 302
street, and James Meade, SO years old,
of SIS C street southwest.
Beaten Murray, 70 years old, of 1885
Thirtieth street was struck by the fall
ing limb of tree while walking on
Thirty-frst street between o and P
streets during last nights storm. He
was not seriously injured.
The automobile of Rodney A. Caid-
we'll of Clarendon, Va, was slightly
damaged when a tree fell OF it in
front of 1910 M street.
The homes of Morris Gewirz. at 1920
Ingomar street, and Maj. Frank A.
Frost of 1928 Jonquil street were struck
by lightning. Damage was slight in
both instances. The home of Walter
j. Steward. at 2001 Douglas street
northeast. was also struck.
Several of the Government depart
ments excused their employees from
work during the heat of the afternoon.