The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-02-21
WHOLE NUMBER SIS
From the MarIaetta InteIlIgeneer.l r
Brisf Remarks ON. tine Winners,
Since the First settlement or Ohio.

since the Etfst Setttement OF OhlO.
The intense cold weather prevailing since
the Gath Of December last to this time, SO,
days, causes the old settlers 10 brighten
their methorie and try TO recollect what
has taken place in years gone by, since the
first settlement Of the State. In avail.
liable articles from the pen Of Mr.. Mansfield,
in the Cincinnati Gazette of the 9th January,
1856, are found the oldest records Of cold
weather, probably, in the State. Theysf
earlier than any have ever seen. Hon Jo-
seph Gilman, Of ofMarietta, was the only man
in this place who kept a meteorological Jour-
nal, in the first settlement of the town, and
to the time of bis death in 1906, but the man
uscript is unfortunately lost. From this
period to 1917 no record was kept; but in
that year, Joseph Wood, Esq, register of
the U. S. Land Office at Marietta, COM
menced Journ1l under the direction of
Hon. Josiah Meigs, commissioner ofsthe
Land Ofice,which was continued until 1928;
since which time have myself kept
irregular diary of the weather, temperature,
rains, Towering Of fruit trees, &c., upto the
present period; yearly abstract of which,
giving in full the remurkables of the season,
has been published in the Journal OF Science
at New Haven. From the article of Mr..
Mansfield, we learn that on the Sth of Janu-
ary 1897, the temperature was at is degrees
4
below zero. In January 1907 at ii degrees
below. Twas then pfactielng medicine at
Belpre, and have cause to remember it; for
on riding few miles that morning, one of
my ears was badly frosted. The Ohio riv-
er from being full Of floating ice the day be.
fore, was frozen SO firmly in one night that
loaded teams crossed the next day on it's
surface. In January 1918, it was at 10 deg.
below zero. OF the remarkable year 1916
when so many spots Of the sun obscured its
genuine warmth, have no date of the ex-
tremity of the cold. On the Sd day of Feb
ruary 1918, there fell one of the deepest
SHOWS known in this portion of the State
1t came from the north East and East, and
was twenty six inches in depth, lying even
ly over the surface of the earth; The day
preceding was pleasant and mild. On the
9th of this month at IA. NJ, the mercury fell
to 20 deg. below zero; on the 10th it was
% degn with the wind from the North.
west but calm. The intensity OF the cold was
ruinous to the peach trees, killing them,
generally, down to the surface of the snow
which had wasted but little. The tender
branches OF sasafras, with spice bushes were
also destroyed. On the 25th day of. Janu-
ary, 1921, it again sunk to 20 deg. below
zero, and ofi the 26th to 10 deg. below. The
snow at that time was twenty one inches in
depth.
From this period up to 1891. the winters
were milder. But on the 18th of December.
ofthat year. the mercury sunk to 10 deg
below, and on three days was at and below
Zero. The mean temperature for the whole
month was 81 deg, the coolest on my re-
cords. Ice was running in the Ohio and
Muskingum rivers the two last days Of No
vember; navigation closed on The 5th Of.
December. Tie severe cold was universal
to the west OF US, and so intense that the
Mississippi river was frozen over one hum
dred and thirty miles below the mouth Of the
Ohio, and full officiating ice nearly to to the
city of Matches. About the 9th and 9th of
January, 1882, the ice from rains and thaws,
broke up on the rivers. causing great dam.
age to both steamers and fiat boats: tho
Ohio being in manner lined with them,
frozen up by the sudden setting in Of the
winter, long before they could reach tbs
markets below. In many instances whole
curgoes OF apples and POTATOES were destroy.
ed by the ffost and hundreds more lost by
the destruction af the boats in the ice, which
was generally from twelve to sixteen inches
thick. It was one OF the most disasterous
seasons ever known to river craft Feb
ruary following, thegreat food Of l833took1
place. February 1885 was very cold, the
mean for the month being 25 deg. Onihe,
morning Of the 9th, the thermometer was
Q deg. below Zero, cohtihtihg 90 alf day. -
On the mornings ofthe sth, 9th, and I0th.e
four days in succession, it was below; fall.
ing on the 9th to Is deg. This was the win.
ter quoted in the above article as SO extreme
ly cold all over the the United States.
The first four days in FEB. 1896 we're
very cold. On the Sd it was deg below
zero. and on the 6thit,was Is deg. the mean
for the month being "a deg. above zero.
while January was sl1 degs, and the coolest
Jay. the 2sth. at 10 deg. below zero. ffFeb.
1888, the mercury was at and below zero on
i've mornings. The 2lstit was at 10 deg.8
below; the whole month . little under 2r
leg. From this period to January. 1852:
iourteen years, no very severe winter occur !,
ed. On the 18th January, 1852. there fel
'ix inches snow, which with The previous
alls. made about ten inches. On the NOR
,i1s of the 18th the mercury fell u zero:
q the 20 L was as 90 deg. below, ii 8 i. u.
II an earlier hours VIZ; three Of four o'clock
/ was st ~ deg. BY thermometers, ! iew
niles abose Marietta, ID tie vaily of The
auskingnin. The following mornings
tas 12Sabcve. On the 2zfh It was again