Evening star., 1938-07-30
MERCURY ON RISE
IN STORMS WAKE:
BOLTS HIT HOUSES
Lightning, Wind and Rain
Bring Damage in D. C.
and Suburbs.
TWO HOMES AND BARN
STRUCK IN NEARBY AREA
Heavy Crop Loss Is Reported in
Fairfax, Prince Georges and
1 Charles Counties.

the temperature started rising again
today after being driven down "a de-
grees late yesterday by driving rain,
wind and electrical storm that dis
rupted traffic during the rush hour
and caused extensive damage in the
Capital area.
Two houses were damaged and
barn destroyed by lightning. while
the high wind blew down several trees
in the District, and overflow water
from storm sewers added to the haz-
ards of traffic.
The Weather Bureau reported to-
tai of l.l3 inches of rain fell from
AIT pm. to 8:55 pm. nearly half OF
this coming in a heavy downpour
during the first 10 minutes of the
storm. The wind reached maximum
velocity of 38 miles per hour, just
below gale force at 4:30 pm.
The temperature fell from high
for the day of SO degrees at 1:50 pm.
to SO at pm, rising few degrees
after that. 1t had risen from mini
mum of II at am. today to 70 by
10 am, which was 7 degrees lower
than the temperature recorded at the
same time yesterday.
The forecast called for mostly cloudy
weather tonight and tomorrow. with
probably more showers tomorrow. and
not much change in temperature.
Crops Beaten Down.
Most damage from the storm was
reported in nearby areas. where light
ming bolts started several fires, and
corn, tobacco and other crops were
beaten down by the wind and rain.
Lightning, which struck a radio
aerial, was blamed for blaze in the
attic of the house of r. M. Hardy at
337 Windsor lane. Bethesda, Md. It
caused damage estimated at more than
$3.50.
Another bolt set fire to an unoccu-
pied house at Maryland Park. Capitol
Heights, Md, which had just been
renlodeled for a family that was to
move in today Gilbert R. White, a
neigilbor. extinguished the blaze.
A barn and large quantity of hay
on the farm of Bernard G. Gross. near
Centreville. Va, were destroyed by
fire also caused by the lightning.
Damage was estimated at approx
imately $1,000
Particularly heavy crop damage from
the wind and rain was reported in
Fairfax County, Va, in the region
around Aquasco, Hughesville and
Westwood in Prince Georges and
Charles Counties, Md. Parts of fields
were washed out in some sections.
Lightning and wind damage in the
District apparently was confined to
trees, telephone and power poles and
automobiles. A limb and strips of bark
were torn from a tree on the north
grounds of the White House by one
lightning bolt.
A tree fell across the automobile of
Joseph A. Ellis. 124S P street NE,
while 1t was parked in front of his
home, damaging the top. Firemen
removed another tree that was blown
onto the roof of house at 66O3 Fifth
street NV.
Other trees or limbs were reported
blown down or struck by lightning be-
tween Pennsylvania avenue and
street on Nineteenth street NV, at
Sixteenth and Corcoran streets NV.
Tenth and o streets NV, 626 Tenth
street S.W. and 1248 T street NE.
These hazards and the heavy rain
slowed traffic considerably during the
rush hour. Water over the roadway
blocked the Georgia avenue underpass
at Silver Spring, Md, for nearly an
hour. Buses and other traffic had to
detour several blocks.
Car Caught in Ford.
The rising current in Rock Creek
overturend an automobile that stalled
In ford near the Zoo. The car was
towed out by police while the motor
list was seeking help to retrieve his
car
In some sections of the city, tele-
phone wires were ripped from their
poles by the lightning and wind, but
little major damage was reported.
The District Sewer Department re-
celVed ABOUT 5O calls Tor help in get
ting the water out of flooded cellars
during the height of the storm, but had
no reports of major damage.
The storm threw traffic control
lights temporarily out of order on E
street from Seventh to Third street
NV. and on Sixth street from D street
to Massachusetts, avenue NV.
Officials of airlines operating from
Washington Airport said the storm
interrupted their traffic for only about
10 minutes, some planes being delayed
briefly in landing.
Before the storm drove down the
temperature five heat prostrations
were reported in the District. The
victims were Henry M. Thompson and
William Smith. both of Alb Second
street Sc: Geneva Green, 422 Second
street NV; Henry Long. 7 Gessford
court Sc, and Nick Reese, lib I