Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-04-03
From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
K. M. ON HIS TRAVELS.
Cold Weather and Earthquakes--a Night on the
White eMountains--Sub-Zero FelicitIes.


White Mountnlns-Sub-Zero FelicitIes.
The gentleman who attends to the weather on
Brooklyn Heights has lately neglected his business
and gone 10 the North for the sake of fresh air. The
following letter from him to the New York CONNER
clal gives an account of part of his progress:
ALBANY, Sunrise, Friday, March l3.-Ths morn
ing is, here bright and frosty, the air is Clear the
hoar frost abundant and with my room window open
wide, am looking out the ice covering of the
Hudson river, which has been sheeted by an earth
quake, and while penning this letter | am breathing
both sunshine and cold, both highly conducive to
good health.
My room is in the fourth story of the Delevan
House, on the Hudson river side and within FIVE
hundred feet of the river. The temperature within
1t Is ten degrees above zero, and in this cold atmCs
phere write freely. ] have slept with my room
window open it has not been closed during the
night, and slept sweey and with but slight COW
erlng on my bed. have been at this house more or
less for several winters and never during any of the
time had fire in my | write in this cold
room, and few people write more than do, yet do
not feel the sensation of cold. This morning, before
sunrise, took walk, holding piece of sheet cop
hanging down by the side-neilher hand had any
covering the hand holding the copper soon became
very cold and was benumbed ; changed the copper
into the other hand, and the relieved hand soon be-
came warm and the other acquired coldness.
We say to the invalid, breathe cold air. drink cold
breathe the mountain air, exercise in that air by
walking, wear light loose cothing that is the reme-
dy, and sleep in the open air in fair weather. that s
sleep Nth your windotv ride open
/ | am we'll satisfied both from experience and obser-
walton, that my records of observations will be the
means of benefttlng mankind in reference TO health
as connected with atmospheric changes | shall,
therefore, spare labor in making them as useful
may be in my power Yours truly
f. merriam.
All this is very valuable and interesting iaforma-
tion, but the Commercials letter is not half so i'm.
poItant or so striking with which we have
been especially favored by E. NJ, writing from Fran
conia the coldesl place this side of the Arctic Re-
gions 1t is as follows:
LETTER FROM E. NJ
Especially communicated to the PHILADELPHIA Evening
Bulletn.l
tRANcoNIA, N. H., March l6th.-The intolerable
and unwholesome heats of the month of March il
the State of New YoIk have compelled me to come
to this place. for the sake of procuring few breath
OF fresh air | am spending the day on the top o
my friend Johnson's house, with no other carmen
upon me than my shirt. The mercury it, my ther
mometer, which always carry about me, marks fv
degrees below zero. This would be too warm TO
comfort but by sitting upo! pill filled with ice ant
coarse SALT and by placing my feet in another pal
containing an ETHEREAL freezing mixture, while at tn
same time ply fan vigorously with my right hand
i | contrive to avoid suffocation.
! Last night the thermometer was down as low al
thirty five degrees below zero, and by erecting co
bed on the side OF the mountain, removing my las
garment and dong without bed clothes, not bein
even sheeted by an earhquake,'' as the Hudson rv
er was managed to gel very agreeable sleep.
earnestly recommend this method of passing lh
night to all who may be troubled with bad dreams
or who like to enjoy the beauties of nature in thei
u6'imest and most fgid aspect. Especially will the,
| hnd 1t delightful on these fine March nights whel
the radiance of Luna and the mountain zephyrs lul
them to repose.
rose at four O'Clock and Immediately sought for
place 10 take bath. found lovely spot, overhuns
by leaf1ess trees and surrounded by huge rocks al
covered with ice and snow natural basin wal
Nil with water, and this frozen to the thick
ness OF about two feet. Having procured the ser
vices OF some hardy mountaineers | had hole Gu
| through the Ice, into which inserted my body and
enjoyed the unspeakaOle luxury of bl h. The
water, however, soon became too warm, and emerg
ed and by letting ii freeze upon the surface of nv
oody' was restored to hne healthy state of frigdty
[ am thinking OF establishing winter watering
place here, and constructing PATHS in the glen have
descrbed as we'll as co.'s by the mountain like thai
slept IN, for the acconIno odation OF the guests
doubt not that when the advantages of nv system
are thoroughly understood, it will be very much re
sorted to- not only by invaids but by newly married
people, and others who are travelling for pleasure
and recreation
Alter breakfast to-day, which consisted of cold
meat, iced water and dry bread, took walk hold
ing a piece Of silver "a Spanish quarter) in one hand
with tight grasp, the other hanging down by my
side The hand holding The silver oec4me very cold
and benumbed, but by stopping al grocery and get
ting the quarter changed INTO two dimes and hall
dime, | was relieved. 1t appears that the news o
The new coinage act has not yet reached Franconia
and this is another advantage of this isolated place
intend to remove further North, as the season
advances, for the benef, of my health If should
find any traces of Sir John Franklin and his party
who doubt not are enjoying life in its most luxu
coming South or going home to England, you may
depend upon hearing from
Your frend E. M.
The Political Preachers.