Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-08
District Area
|HitbYDownpour
And Lightning
| ITS Inches Of Rain
| Falls in Few Hours;
| Circus Is Flooded

cloudburst proportions, struck the
District area last night, accom-
panied by bright flashes of lights
ming and loud thunder
For the second successive night,
the city had traffic tie-ups. brief
fires from lightning and minor
floods.
Although less violent than Fri
days storm. during which the wind
blew in gusts that reached "a miles
an hour, last nights rain lasted
longer and spread over a wider area.
While the rain pelted down, streets
were almost deserted as pedestrians
took cover. Those who bore the
brunt of the storm and were
drenched were the 10000 spectators
attending the final performance OF
the Ringing Bros. circus.
Rainfall 2.75 Inches.
The Weather Bureau measured a
total of 2.75 inches Of precipitation
between 1928 pm. and approxi-
mately midnight, more rain than
has fallen in one day since at least
the beginning of 1915, according to
daily records available to the fore
caster last night.
The heaviest previous rainfall
during that period, the forecaster re-
ported, was on August 6, 1916, when
2.59 inches was recorded The record
rainfall for one hour is 342 inches,
recorded in September, 1914.
The forecaster reported that rain
fell heavily and steadily for two
hours during last nights storm.
There was brief rainfall beginning
about 7:3o pm, with the heavy
downfall starting at 8:45 pm.
Whereas Fridays storm covered
an area about 10 miles in diameter.
the Weather Bureau reported last
nights precipitation was spread
over width of 10 to Is miles and
length of between so and 60
miles The area extended from west
of Fairfax almost to Baltimore.
No Panic at Circus.
The spectators at the circus made
an orderly exit at the height of the
dramatic electric storm, and there
was no panic.
They had to leap roaring torrents
of water more-t than inches deep.
A bridge, four planks wide, made
from the bleacher seats took most
of them.
The circus managed to complete
its show despite conditions which
would have suited an aquacade bet
ter. The track ~on the western side
of the tent, opposite the best seats,
was flowing stream two to five
inches deep. Clowns got extra
laughs as every antic was accom-
panied with splashes.
AS the elephants trooped around
the track in the finale, the people
in the lower reserved seats INC a
muddy splashing. The 40 elephants
had waited patiently during the
storm for their entry in the finale,
"Elephantasia." Circus concession
holders made a small fortune dur
ing the performance by selling spec
tators paper pouches to put over
their heads at So each, as water
came through the tent. One circus
patron said that private automobile
owners were hauling drenched cir
Gus spectators from the grounds at
Benning road and Oklahoma avenue
NE. to the downtown section at
fanciful fees.
Midway Becomes Stream.
Outside the big top, the midway
was 60-foot-wide stream of water
varying from two to six inches deep.
Roustabouts managed to strike
the big menagerie tent on schedule
despite the heavy rain, but circus
bosses estimated that it would be
we'll past daylight before the last
train rolls for Baltimore. Ordinarily
the circus is we'll on its way before
dawn.
No traffic accidents of conse-
quence were reported during the
storm as streets were nearly empty
of autos. Those that did venture
out moved cautiously through the
storm.
The Capital Transit Co., however,
reported every streetcar line, except
the Eleventh street line. tied up by
the storm. The principal trouble
was flooding of underground conduit
lines.
Service on the Benning line which
passes the circus grounds was halt
ed for approximately an hour be-
fore 1890 pm.
Lightning Strikes Wire.
The overhead wire on the Glen
Echo-Cabin John carline was struck
by lighting at $40 pm. and a 150-
foot section fell to the tracks, block
ing westbound cars for almosT two
hours. The break occurred at Ed
wards place and Sherrier place NV,
near the Palisades field house.
The control box in car near the
fallen wire caught fire, but the blaze
was quickly put out by fremen.
Twenty passengers and the oper-
ator, Joe Rosenberger, of 1900 Dex-
ter terrace Sc, remained in the car.
The transit company provided
buses to take passengers on to Glen
Echo or Cabin John, Eastbound cars
we're not affected.
The Star switchboard received a
number of calls inquiring about an
unusual light to the northwest when
the storm began. The Weather
Bureau explained it was caused by
the suns reflection on the rain from
the west, where it was clear.
Street Drain Flooded.
Police reported temporary traf-
fic tieup at First and H streets NE.
because of a flooded street drain.
Easements we're reported flooded in
several sections of the city, but no
serious damage resulted.
The Capital Transit Co. said a
few transformers burned out during
| the storm. The damage was quickly
repaired, the company reported. No
damage was reported by the tele-
phone company.
! The American Automobile Asso-
citation reported a deluge of calls
from motorists who we're stuck in
mud or had their motors drowned
! by the rain. BY 1890 pm, a spokes-
man reported, its cranes and service
| trucks we're operating an hour be-