The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1870-08-17
The Great Heats Of 1870.

to be crowded with both political
and physical phenomena. There
establishment of the second Napo
leonic empire by popular vote: |
the proclamation of mfallibility in
a mortal man. the most sudden,
and possibly most terrifically de,
structive war of modern times;
The burning of Constantinople;
the savage slaughter of struggling
patriots in Cuba, have been and
are accompanied by an almost uni
versal drought in Europe, the
failure of crops, the most awful
tornadoes and electric storms, and
the most general range of earth
qnakes experienced within the
memory of man. But not the
least remarkable of all these Incl.
dents to a remarkable epoch has
been the surprising succession Of
hot spells that have made both
bemispheres pant and swelter be.
meath the rays of a sun that seems
to be seven times heated. For
one month, with only an odd inter
val to give us breath, the denizens
of New York and a. wide region
OF territory north and west of it
have groaned in the torrid temper.
ature of Calcutta. On successive
days in June the mercury rose
above ono hundred degrees Fab.
renheit, and on Thursday last it
was ten degrees higher here than
at Havana aud New Orleans.
In Europe, while the same in
tensityr has not been attained, the
heat has been 60 phenomenal as to
bring continued drought and threa.
ten actual famine. The statisti.
clans are recalling former years of
similar infiiction. In 1914 the
Thames river conld be crossed
near London by wading, after the
excessive heat had lasted for four
months. France was once terri.
bly, tried in this way for a series
Of six years, viz: From 1928 to
1888, inclusive. The crops were
nearly burned up, the rivers dried
away, and while the whole land
suffered from famine, epidemics
broke out at Paris, M Marscilles, Ly.
ons, Lille and other large Cities
In 1862 not q drop of rain fell in
some places for thee and half
months, and the sky glowed like a
coal. Allihe rivers were exhaust.
ed, and such was the consequent
d" run" upon the mills to get grain
ground to -four, that people fought
furionsly for the first chance, and
many persons were Killed. In
some districts the inhabitants had
to make q circuit OF several leagues
in search of drinking water. In
1GSl, 1105, 1716 and 1519, SINH.
lar heats occurred with like results.
The cattle perished wholesale, and
thousands of human lives were
stifled out by the hot air. In 17SS
all Europe was scourged with heat
and drought, which we're renewed
in 1903. Normandy is the great
rain region Of France, yet, in the
year mentioned, not a shower de.
scended during tho lapse of ninety
five days. The river Seine almost
literally disappeared near Paris,
and the face Of the country pre-.
sented, with the glowing firma-
ment overhead, a picture that re-
allied the land Of iron beneath
skies of brass " in the awful Scrip
tural denunciation Of Judea. :.
And now, while a heat worse
than the ordinary fnry of the dog.
star rages, and half the civilized
world trcmbles in the presence of
a judgment that all its skill and
science cannot stay, the madness Of
political passion rushes TO quench
its savage thirst and bespatter the
parched earth with gonts of hu.
man bloody. Y. Herdld. ''.