Evening star., 1939-06-14
Worst Thunderstorm
OF Year Spreads
Damage Over City
Cellars Flooded,
Cars Stalled, Debris
Strewn in Streets

Flooded cellars, mud covered high
ways, ack-flring automobiles and
debris-strewn streets today were
Washington's mementos of the
worst thunderstorm of the year.
For three hours last night, from
6 to 8 o'clock, the heavens poured
forth rain, lightning and thunder.
During the period, 204 of an inch
of rain fell-nearly twice as much
as had fallen during the entire
month.
Automobiles were stalled in all
parts of the city, the Sewer De-
partment was deluged with calls
from citizens who complained that
drainage systems in their neighbor-
hood had failed, and the Fire De-
partment was summoned to clear
away fallen trees and check light
ming damage.
Rock Creek Sweeps Away Car.
Rock Creek, at ebb because of
the long dry spell, was transformed
into torrent with velocity enough
to sweep an automobile downstream
like wood box
l.. w. Catlett, 4704 Seventeenth
street NV, was crossing the ford at
the Klingle road entrance to the
Zoo when his car stalled. He picked
up his dog Mickey and waded
ashore.
Five minutes later he saw the
muddy waters rise over the running
boards, turn his car over and tumble
it downstream several hundred feet.
1t came to p rest near the small
bridge that crosses the creek at the
Harvard street enVance to the Zoo.
Firemen were summoned to the
Holy Cross Academy when lightning
ripped through the roof of a chapel
of Dunbarton College at Twenty
ninth and Upton streets NV.
Floor Hit Near Altar.
The bolt ripped 4-foot hole in
the roof and apparently struck the
floor near the altar. No one was in
the chapel at the time, flremen re-
ported.
The Sewer Department received
IS calls during the storm from cit
teens who complained that their
cellars had been flooded when over
taxed sewers backed water.
The department had 20 men and
10 trucks on call last night and
pumped out as many cellars as
possible. The men were still work.
ing today, having received a dozen
calls this morning
Many streets were under water
and police reported that hundreds
of automobiles, soaked by the driv-
ing rain, were stalled all over town.
More than dozen cars we're
stalled near Twenty-first and Okla
homa avenue NE. in the waters
that piled up in deep depression
in the road. Roads through Rock
Greek Park were closed and the
area near the Tidal Basin boathouse
was under 18 inches of water.
The Memorial highway to Mount
Vernon was under water in several
places, as were Central avenue and
other roads leading into the city
from the suburbs. Mud still covered
the flooded streets today.
Street car service was slowed down
or interrupted in several places.
Passengers on the H street line re-
ported that cars were stopped near
tho orni1tryNrf1 i,1Y,ctinr, hv o.
feet of water.
In Seat Pleasant, Md, town Of
f1cials were told that at one point
near Watkins Coal Yard the water
stood 4 feet deep
Firemen Clear Fallen Trees.
Trees fell across the street in the
b700 block of Colorado avenue NV.
and in the 5000 block of Fifth street
NV. Firemen were called to clear
them away.
hue for the new court buildings
and municipal center project were
flooded.
Police radio cars were called into
their stations during the electrical
disturbance and held for emer-
gency calls.
Airplane traffic was halted during
the storm, but the Washington,
Boiling Field and Naval Airports re-
ported today that their fields were
In good condition.
Years Rainfall Now Normal.
The heavy downpour brought rain
fall for the year up over normal
1t had been low, only 104 inches
having fallen in June up to yester-
day. But the downpour raised the
fall to 80 over normal for the year,
although there was still small
deficit for June.
Temperatures scared to "a at 3
pm. and had dropped to 81 at 8
pm. 1t was still cool early today,
the Weather Bureau reading at