Evening star., 1937-04-12

with automobiles two and three
abreast.
The crowd, which had been pouring
into Washington steadily since early
in the week, reached its peak yester-
day afternoon, when $4,000 persons
visited Potomac Park, according to
park police estimates. Other esti-
mates placed the total number of
visitors in the city at between 2500OO
and 100000. Many, it was believed by
police, did not attempt the trip to
the Basin in the face of jammed
traffic conditions and overcast skies
which sent light rain and snow fur
rieS down on the shivering throngs.
Huddled figures sleeping in parked
automobiles Saturday night testified
to the lack of housing accommoda-
tions. Police reported many persons
were forced to sleep in Union Station.
A harasSed Police Department
strove valiantly, if not always sue
cesSfully, to keep the seemingly end
less stream of cars in motion. Jams
of nearly half hour were reported
on the more crowded streetS-Rhode
Island and Massachusetts avenues and
Sixteenth, Fourteenth and Thirteenth
streets.
All day, from am. to 7:30 pm,
the flood of motoriSts-moSt of whom
entered the park from Seventeenth
street-moVed around the Basin in
clockWiSe motion. A one-Way traffic
rule was in effect throughout the day.
The park police estimate was based
on count of $1,000 pedestrians in
the Basin area and the 37,085 auto
mobiles that crossed the Inlet Bridge
Crowds, usually bonanza to taxi
drivers, turned into a boomerang yes
terday. Hackers, with the rest of the
thousands, were caught in the slug
glsh traffic stream. Many drivers re-
fused to enter the cOngested areas.
This darn day is well toward be-
Ing the worst 1 ever had" said one
driver, I'm either going home or out
in the suburbs"
Even President Roosevelt, out for an
afternoon drive, was caught several
times in the Jams at the park. 1t took
the Presidents car little more than
an hour to complete the round.
If weather predictions hold true, the
thousands who left the Capital yes
terday will miss the blossoms at their
best. Today's weather prediction calls
for fair skies and rising temperature
Park police said only few persons
and very few out-of-town licenses
were in sight at the park early today.
1t was expected, however, that many
WaShingtOnians would take advantage
of the improved weather conditions
and lack of crowds to see their city's
chief Springtime attraction Thus far,
park officials said. the blossoms have
not been affected by the cold weather..
80 Per Cent in Bloom.
This morning the blossoms were
around 80 per cent in bloom, Frank
T. Gartside, assistant superintendent
of the National Capital Parks, said
David Saunders, chief of the horti-
cultural division of the parks Office
made an inspection of the trees and
found they had not been harmed by
the thousands who tramped around
under the bloSSom-laden boughs. 1t
is against the law for any one to
pluck the blooms and park police
keep wary eye out for any infrac-
tions, which will bring a fine in Police
Court
Everything is ship-shape," Cart
side declared. The blooms are in
fine condition"
The blooms will be 100 per cent out
OF
pending on warming SUM- Cart
side pointed out again that when the
blossoms are opened full they do not
present the deep pinkish tinge they
do when in the incomplete stage.
The April sunshine bleaches the
petals and the scene, after time,
changes from pink to white.
Flooded with applications for rooms,
the American Automobile Association
turned to the Police Department yes
terday for assistance, after sending a
large part of its staff on house-to-
house canvass in search Of lodging.
The Traffic Division reported a
record number of calls. A chief COM
plant was that "out-of town motor
lists don't know how to get around
the circles"
On many highways last night, out
going traffic was given three lanes
and incoming one, instead of two each
Even then, it was reported, traffic
frequently came to standstill. Con-
ditions were reported near normal
shortly after midnight, however.
Nearby Hotels Crowded.
Hotels in Baltimore, Frederick and
several other nearby towns reported
near sell-outs. Visitors to Washington
said that in several of the smaller
towns they were unable to find any
accommodations.
Humorous sidelights were a dime a
dozen as blase New Workers and Others
pulled and turned, twisted and jerked