Evening star., 1938-03-28
CHERRY BLOSSOM
CROWDS CONTINUE
Blooms Expected to Draw
Large Throngs for Week.
$4,000 Out Yesterday.
Pictures on page BIZ

pictures on page BIZ
A week Of gradually diminishing
cherry blossom splendor lay ahead Of
Washingtonians and visiting sight
seers today as the Tidal Basin area
continued to attract thousands Of
spectators.
The forecast OF fair weather all day
and somewhat warmer temperatures
tonight indicated . continuously heavy
turnout for the annual display of the
Japanese blossoms.
For tomorrow the weather mans
word was cloudy and warmer, followed
by showers. Should the expected
showers arrive ahead of schedule, to-
nights fireworks exhibition scheduled
for $50 o'clock will be deferred until
tomorrow night.
Each year the blossoms OF cherry
trees given to Washington 26 years
ago by Japan burst forth in bloom for
10 days. Offiials of National Capital
Parks estimated the unrivaled seem
cry will remain throughout the week,
but with nothing left next Sunday
comparable to yesterdays beauty.
Crowd Estimated at $4,000.
The largest crowd Of the year, An
estimated $4,000 persons In automo-
biles and afoot. came yesterday to
see and to photograph the short lived
show.
Automobiles formed an unbroken
ring around the Basin, the Lincoln
Memorial and through other traffic
arteries in Potomac Park An
augmented force Of Park and Metro
politan Policemen spent an endlessly
busy day coping with District resi-
dents, suburbanites and sightseers
from many States.
Park Police estimated the Sunday
spring-day turnout at $1,000 auto
mobiles and $4,000 pedestrians. Aver
aging four persons to a car, this ac-
counts for the $4,000 estimate, ap-
proximately 10000 under the all-time
record crowd Of $4,000 on Sunday.
April II. last year. There were l65, 900
visitors on the second blossom day."
April l8, last year.
The figures of 37,085 cars and s., 900
pedestrians at last years blossom show
indicate that about 10000 Washing
tonians needed the advice Of the police
and left their automobiles ut home.
The other greatly visible means of
transportation through the blossom
area was the bicycle, single and tan
dem.
Blossom petals were spread over
lawn and roadway by intermittent
spring breezes, and everywhere cam
eras, ranging from the simplest and
cheapest to the latest and most ex-
pensive. were clicking at the pale pink
OF the cherry trees, at friends. chill
dren. lovers and the scenery in gen.
eral. 1t was a record day for cameras.
Popular subjects were dogs with
their owners, men putting their pipes
amid the scenery. and babies under
and even perched in-the cherry trees.
While the blossoms were drawing
. mass Of humanity. the National
Geological Park was another center
of attraction for the day, drawing
An estimated $4,000 men, women and
children to see the latest additions
to the expanding animal kingdom Of
DR.. william M. Mann, Zoo director.
Crowds also visited the 25th annual
amaryllis show at the Department
of Agriculture greenhouses, Pour
teenth street and Constitution avenue.
Here 1900 bulbs were on display,
earlier than had been anticipated
this season. 1t will remain open
from 9 m. to 9 pm. each day through
next Sunday. Many shades of color
featured the amaryllis show. some
specimens measuring II inches across.
Metropolitan Police increased the
Sunday traf1ic force from Is to -,
brought in IL rockies from the police
school and added between so and 70
men from the first and third precincts.
The Park Police force of 20 for Sun
day duty was raised to so for the
cherry blossom occasion
The extra police control and
vigilance was rewarded with an
equalized now Of traffic and the
absence Of accidents except for minor
collisions, which included clashing
bumpers and an occasionally dented
fender.
Special Trains Arrive.
-Four special trains, two from New
York, one from Philadelphia and one
from Cumberland, Md. brought in
an estimated 2.400 visitors from outside
the metropolitan area. This number
was far lower than in previous years
because the blossoms came out 50
unexpectedly as to forestall plans for
the annual festival.
Airlines reported .trafhc into the
city was the heaviest for the year,
with every plane loaded to capacity.
Trafac was especially heavy in the
outlying communities of Maryland
and Virginia, but no so heavy as in
previous years. Out-of-town license
plates predominated in automobiles
touring the Tidal Basin
Unomcial calculations of the dav's
events showed staggering stack of
statistics, for example:
Number Of times irate motorists
footed their horns. 7.445.091..
Wives who told husbands to stop
footing horns, 1891.
Children who got lost, but were re-
united with their parents, 347.
Number Of couples who posed be-
meath the trees, 1855.
Number of couples who posed be-
meath the trees holding hands or with
arms around each other, 1855.