Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-09-18
NO. Xiv.
THE COLD SUMMER OF isIo.

Persons are in the habit of speaking of the sums
mer OF 1916 as the codest ever known, throughout
America and Europe. Having in our possession some
facts relative TO this subject, we propose to give
them, in order TO revive the reeoections OF such q
mong US as remember the year without summer.
also to furnish correct information for such as feel
any interest in matters of this kind We sha H. there's
fore, give summary of each Of the months of the
year 1916, extracted in part from "Piercs on the
Weather."
January was mld-so much so as to render fires
almost needless in sitting rooms December, tho
month Immediately preceding this, was very cold.
February was not very cold with the exception
of few days, it was mild like its predecessor.
March was cold and boisterous, the first half Of il
the remainder was mild. A great freshet on the o.
hio and Kentucky rivers, that caused great loss of
property,
April began warm and grew colder IS ths month
advanced, and ended with snow and ice, with TEN.
perature more like winter than spring
May was more remarkable for frowns than smiles.
| Buds and fruits were rozen-ice formed an inch in
hickness-corn killed, and the fields again and again
replanted, until deemed too late.
| June the coolest ever known in this latitude
Frost and ice, and snow were common. Almost ev.
ery green herb killed. Fruit nearly all destroyed.
Snow fell to the depth often inches in Vermont sew.
eral inches in Maine and it fell to the depth Of three
inches in the interior Of New York it fell also ia
Massachusetts,
| July was accompanied by frost and ice On the
morning after the fourth, ice formed of the thickness
Of common window-gass throughout New England,
New York, and some parts Of Pennsylvania. Indian
corn nearly all killed some favorably situated fields
escaped This was true Of some of the hill farms in
Massachusetts.
August was more cheerless if possible than the
summer months already passed Ice formed
half an inch in thickness Indian corn was so fro-
that the greater part oft was cut down and dried
for fodder. Almost every green thing was destroyed,
both in this country and Europe Papers received
from England said"It will be remembered by the pee.
sent generation halthe year 1916 was year in which
there was no summer" Very little corn in the New
England and Middle States ripened. Farmers sup
piled themselves from corn produced in 1910 for seed
in the spring of 1877 Ii sold for from four 10 five
dollars bushel.
September inn shed about two weeks of the mild-
est weather d eseason. Soon after The middle il
became very 6 hd frosty-ice forming quarter
of an inch in thickness.
October produced, more than its usual share OF
cool weather frost and ice common.
November was cold and clustering. Snow fell 50
as to make sleighing
December was mild and comfortable
We have thus given brief summary Of the "cold
summer of 1876" as it is called, in order TO dstin.
guish it from the cold seasons. The winter was
mild. Frost and ice were common in every month
of the year. Very little vegetation matured in the
Eastern and Middle States. The suns rays seemed
10 be destitute of heat throughout the summer; all ma.
turo was clad IN sable hue, and men exhibited no
little anxiety concerning the future of this life.-Ro.
chester american.