Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-01
Dozens Fe|Ied
As Heat Hits
Record 1O3


Highest Since 1886.
One Man Decd;
Today to be Cooler
The hottest day in 10 years
yesterday felled citizens by the
dozen, contributed to at least
one death and burned several
pages out Of the weather record
book.
It was 103 degrees at $50 pm.
The temperature. which as
early as midday began limiting
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Story on the Washington Areas Voter
Supply Problems on Pose A.
Photos Of the city's Hottest-ond Cold
est Spots. Pose A-l0.
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at record-breaking possibilities.
surged past the predicted high
of 100 degrees and rose to 1903;
then sagged slowly.
It was the hottest July 81 on
record, exceeding by four degrees
the previous high Of 1917.
It was the highest reading for
any day Of any month since q
los on July 10. 1886.
Near ALI Time Record.
It lacked only three degrees of
equalling the all-time heat rec
ord-106 degrees reached July
90. 1880. and August s. 1918.
A little relief from the heat
is in sight for today, probable
high of only 30 degrees. but the
Weather Bureau offered slim
hope for rain sufficient to help
dry. cracking farmlands and
brown-baked lawns.
The forecast called for partly
cloudy today, a chance Of brief
showers this morning. There also
is q chance Of afternoon thun-
der showers tomorrow and q
high Of about 90.
Only a relatively low humidity
kept yesterdays high tempera-
ture mark from having higher
casualty rate. It was only "a per
cent when the mercury tagged
1O3, but as the temperature
dropped during the evening. the
humidity started climbing.
/ Rockville, Md, reported high
Of los degrees.
| Edward Tauber, fire alarm SUI
pervisor charged with ambulance
dispatching, reported calls almost
four times over the normal day.
Ambulances Rushed.
1 Between 4:30 and 5 pm. when
the temperature was about 101
degrees, every available ambu-
lance controlled by fire alarm
headquarters was on the street.
he said. These included three
from the fire department; two
rescue squads; two from Casualty
Hospital; two from District Gem
eraI: one from Emergency; one
from Freedmen's, and two res
cue squad wagons. called to fill in.
Despite the number of heat
victims, there was only one death
unofficially attributed to the
heat. Booker Hall. So. colored.
of 1248 Eastern road, Sc. col
lapsed on the street and died at
District General Hospital a short
time later.
| One of the victims was a Penn
Daw (Va.) volunteer fireman,
Henry Thomas Barden. 10, Ala
Ross street, Groveton, who COLI
lapsed while fighting a brush fire
on Kings highway near Grove
ton about S pm, yesterday. He
was admitted to Alexandria hos
pital for observation.
The burning sun drove people
from downtown streets to shady
bv-ways and water-side picnic
grounds. Some hardy golfers
were out. but golf courses re-
ported the play from 80 to SO
per cent of a normal Saturdays
business.
Harbor police said 1t was even
too hot to be on the river"
1t was burning exit for q
hot, dry July which saw less
than two inches of rain. There
have been only six Julys with
less rainfall since 1871.
Record Low for Rain.
In all, the Washington area
i has had only 2.94 inches Of rain
in the last two months--also Q
record. Previous low precipita-
ton was 3.25 inches for June
July of 1893.
The Southern and Eastern
parts OF the Nation and a part
of the Far West took the heat
beating. but in the Midwest 1t
was comfortably cool.
Needles, Calf, for instance,
had l13 degrees: Las Vegas, New,
i08.
Light, scattered showers were
reported from the Eastern Great
Lakes and Ohio eastward into
the Northern Appalachians. in
Southern Texas and in Indiana.