Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1901 — Some Dry Spells of Other Days [ARTICLE]

Some Dry Spells of Other Days

While farmersand the general public are complaining of the present severe drouth, it may be interesting to know that it is very mild in comparison with some of the dry spells in he past. The longest drouth ever known in the United States was in the summer of 1762, when the country went without rain for 123 days. In 1749 there was a complete dry spell extending over 108 days. The drouth in 1762 covered a period of over four months, during which time no rain fell. Here is a list, showing the number of days without rain in the summer of each year from 162T\to 1876: In 1621, 24 days.; in 1630, 41 days; in 1657, 75 days; in 1662, 80 days; in 1674, *45 days;, in 1688, 81 days; in 1694, 62 days; in 1705, 40 days; in 1715, 46 days; in 1728, 61 days; in 1730, 92 days; in 1741, 72 days; in 1740,108 days; in 1755, 42 days, in 1762,123day5; in 1763, 80 days; in 1791, 82 days; in 1812, 28 days; in 1856, 24 days; in 1871, 43 days, in 1875, 26 days," and in 1876, 26 days. It is said a total failure of crops on account of drouth was never known in Indiana.