Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1895 — TORRID ZONE BURSTS. [ARTICLE]

TORRID ZONE BURSTS.

PAST WEEK HAS BEEN A RECORD BREAKER. Mercury Climbs Up and Peeps Over the Top of the Glass—Many Deaths and Prostrations Re ported—Crops in Many States Burning Up. Hottest in Years. There is not much in the way of weather that the United States cannot dish up m the course of twenty-four hours. Indeed, eoincidently there may be every conceivable variety fashioned into a sort of meteorological mosaic, making up what may be styled one unified aggregation of universal climates. As a matter of fact the American weather nowadays is not, strictly speaking, weather at all; it is an assortment of samples, no sample warranted to “hold.” According to former rules of computation and average it should be intensely hot down South: whereas the region of the magnolia has been deliciously cool, refreshed by abundant and frequent rains, with now and then a delicate, barely perceptible pinch of frost in the air. In New York, where a reasonable degree of heat would have been admitted, but cool breezes were normal, all records have been broken for hot May weather. While New York was sweltering in this way Colorado had lost herself in eight or ten inches of snow. While Texas was being deluged with rain Indiana was burning up with drought. Other sections pined for a patter of rain upon corn leaf and wheat ear, and a cloudburst came along to drown out a part of Nebraska. Now, all this is indicative of bad management somewhere. The distribution is performed in a bungliugly incompeteut manner. This business of turning on a burning glass where the earth is already parched and the people baking, emptying clouds into lakes, and sending a surplus of rain into a State that has an instinctive aversion to water, has been carried to a stupid excess. It is time a stop were ordered. Record for the Week Appalling. Tuesday’s torridity was the climax of a hot week that broke the record of twentyfive years. In Chicago every day the mercury climbed up to the 90 mark, and several times took a peep over the top of the glass. Not since the bureau began regulating the weather had the corresponding week let loose so much caloric. The excessive .heat was due to the south wind, the scorching breath from some Mexican inferno that so often sweeps across Kansas and Nebraska, leaving death, destruction and mourning in its track. The record shows a remarkably high temperature from an early hour and a striking drop during a shift in the wind. Chicago did not get the worst of the heat, for at Indianapolis, Louisville and Charleston, S. C., the thermometer registered 100, making the first century record of the season. It was 98 at Washington and Norfolk. Va. The maximum of 98 was reached at Detroit, St. Louis, Springfield, 111., Cairo, Nashville, Memphis and Cincinnati. New York, as usual, played a second to Chicago, with only 94. Boston had a lucky day, having a sea wind which kept the record down to 60. At 7 o’clock at night Ohio and eastern Indiana were still sweltering under a temperature of SO to 92. The Rocky Mountain region was enjoying compensation for the suffering of last week. Beyond lowa and Minnesota the temperature was down to 60 or below. In Colorado and Wyoming it even went as low as 50. There were general rains, with more or less thunder, in lowa, Nebraska and Colorado, and those sections will probably get more s!> ers later. This is likely to prove the longest spell of wet weather the arid section of the West has had for years. Cairo and Nashville also reported showers.

Government correspondents Lent in the following as the highest marks for Mon'S ay: Abilene 881 Little Rock 94 Bismarck 62 Louisville 100 Boston 60; Marquette 70 Buffalo 74; Memphis 93 Cairo 1)6 1 Miles City «o Cheyenne 50; Milwaukee 7,8 Chicago , 96 Mlnnedosa 69 Cincinnati ....... 96; Montreal 70 Cleveland 901 Moorhead 5u Davenport 921 New Orleans 84 Denver 56; New York 94 Des Moines 84’Omaha 82 Detroit 90! Oswego 80 Dodge City 68’ Palestine 90 Duluth 00’ Pierre 48 El Paso 841 Pittsburg 94 Erie 88; Port Huron 94 Galveston 86 Pueblo 72 Grand Haven 90; Rapid City. s4 Green Bay 78’ St. Louis.'. 96 Helena 60[ St. Paul 80 Hurou 60 Salt Lake City.. .. 66 Indianapolis 1001 Sioux City 76 Jacksonville 92! Springfield, 111.... 96 Kansas City 84| Springfield, M 0... 88 Knoxville 96| Toledo 94 LaCrosse 88j Washington 98 Many cases of sunstroke are reported. In New York it is safe to say that at least twenty-five persons have died during the last five days as a result of the heated term, and that over 150 have been prostrated and taken to the different hospitals of the city. In Chicago four persons died Monday frptn sunstroke and many others overcome by heat will not recover. Philadelphia reports seven deaths and nearly fifty prostrations as Monday’s addition, to the heated term while Baltimore and Pittsburg each record four fatal cases. The mean temperature for May from IS 1 1 to 181)5 is shown in the following table: 1871 58 1880 65 1888 52 1872 56 1881 61 1839..: "lor 1873 52 ISB2 51 1890 53 1874 58 1883 53 1891.... 53 1875 54 1884 56 1892 -50 1876 59 1885 53 1898;.....52 1877 57 1886 57 1894 56 1878 55 1887 60 1895 59 1870 58 The highest notch reached during May, 1895, was 94 degrees, the lowest being 32 degrees. On seventeen days the temperature was above normal, and on fourteen it was belfiw normal. The weather has been more freakish during May this year than iii twenty-five years before. On four days—May 4, 29, 30 and 31—the records were smashed, the mercury beating its competitors in former years. Crops Burning Up. The most serious condition which ever confronted the farmers of Illinois, Indiana, lowa, Wisconsin and Michigan reigns in many localities, and every'crop is threatened by serious danger—wheat, corn, oats and hay. There has been less than half the usual rainfall this year, and many of the smaller streams are now dry, while wells and cisterns have been dry for weeks. The hot wave of this week has made the condition more alarming. So long as it was cool the growing vegetation held its color, but under the influence of the sun and wind of this week vegetation of all kinds is withering. Many of the meadows are already in August brown. The blue grass pasture will not much longer afford grazing for the cattle, the farmers say, and the wheat and corn are both in danger of being destroyed. There does not seem to be any moisture in the earth. Great clouds of dust follow the men plowing the young corn. In some localities live stock are driven lor-.g distances to water. Farmers in many sections declare that another week of this burning sun and hot wind will settle the crop question for this year. Twenty-eight artists and sculptors are at work upon designs for the new silver dollar. President Cleveland also is thought to have designs upon.it.