Evening star., 1940-07-28
5 in D. T.. Area
Die as Mercury
Climbs 10 100
Cooler Weather.,
With Showers,
Predicted Today

Five persons in the Washington
area died from heat prostration
yesterday during a sweltering day
that saw the mercury soar to a
season record of 100 degrees at
4:30 pm.
A delayed mass of cool air NOV
ing toward the city was scheduled
to bring some measure of relief to-
day, with thundershoUers and a
maximum of 80 degrees expected.
Cooler weather and more thunder
showers which may bring a definite
break in the nine-day torrld spell
were predicted for tonight.
List of Heat Victims.
The dead were:
James l.. Marshall, 81, Of 439
Second street Sc, who was pro-
nounced dead at his home by DR..
Warren Fletcher of Casualty Hospi-
tai. He was found across the bed
in his room.
Martin Lohan, about 55, sexton
at st. Patrick's Catholic Church,
Tenth and G streets NV, who was
overcome in the afternoon and
died about 10 o'clock last night.
Henry Barckhaus, so. of Staten
Island, N. Y. who collapsed on the
Monument Grounds and was pro-
nounced dead an arrival at Emer-
gency Hospital
Heart Attack Fatal.
J. Cleveland Griffith, 56, of 3lo
North Royal street, Alexandra. Va,
who died of heart attack whicn
DR.. c. E. Hawks. Montgomery
County Md medical examiner,
said probably was induced by the
heat. Mr.. Griffith was at his sum-
mer home in Washington Grove
Elizabeth Massey, 65, colored. of
AL P street NV, who was pro-
bounced dead at her home last night
by a Casualty Hospital ambulance
doctor.
Among those treated at Emer-
gency during the day and later re-
leased were Hattie McManus, 81,
of l438 S street NV; Dorothy Ka-
let, 80, of New York City; Irving
Condo, "a, of Alexandria. and Elmer
Taylor %, of Quantico, Va.
An Emergency Hospital ambu-
lance treated four persons on calls
and a Casualty Hospital ambulance
treated five. Georgetown Hospital
reported treating one heat victim at
the hospital
NAVY Reserve Officer Diex
The Associated Press reported
from Columbia, Mo, that Emery
l.. LASER, 81, a Lieutenant COM
mander in the Naval Reserve, who
has been on duty at the Bureau Of
Ships here, died of heat prostra-
ton while driving from ST. Louis to
Columbia. He was en- route from
his post here to his home in Hay
ward. Calf.
The Weather Bureau said last
night the cool air had reached
Frederick, Md. earlier in the eve
ming and was moving slowly in this
direction. Frederick experienced
local thundershowers.
The record heat yesterday was the
second time since 1886 that the mer.
curry had reached the 100-degree
mark, having eQualed this figure last
September 8. On July 10, 1886 the
thermometer came within one de-
gree of the all-time record of l06
for Washington. established in 1918
and eQualed in 1880.
Only once during the current
heat spell has the maximum tenn
perature been under 90-on We'd
| nesday when it was SO following
heavy rainstorm.
Humidity 43 Per Cent.
The humidity yesterday-43 per
cent when the l00-mark was reached
at 4:30 o'clock-made the heat espe-
cially uncomfortable.
| The heat was such yesterday that
| even Weather Bureau employees
were released an hour earlier than
usual, as we're many other Federal
employees.
Health Officer George C. Ruh-
/ land, in the face of the rapidly in
creasing number of heat prostra-
tlons, again called on the citizens
to be careful of their health. He
urged drinking plenty of water, with
pinch of salt in each glass, and
the eating of fruits and vegetables.
Virginia and Maryland likewise
were sweltering in heat that broke
season records, the Associated Press
reported.
From Richmond came word that
an ice company had to bolster the
ice supply in Norfolk and numer-
GUS other Eastern Virginia cities
(See WEATHER pnnn