, 1872-12-23

~
syrup for his buckwheats, it was not the
fault Of the Signal Service reporta- The faith
ful messengers on the icy ramparts OF the far
northwest have been giving daily warning Of
the insidious and rapid march Of the frosty
winds from the North Pole. The batta1ions Of
winter we're preceded by a furious snow-storm,
which swept from the great lakes to the Ohio
River, covered all the Eastern and Middle States
with it's white mantle, and spent its force On the
Atlantic beaboard, carrying down many a tall
shores with the debris of vessels, and cargoes,
and white upturned faces Of dead seamen.
At Pembina, On the far northern from
tier, on Wednesday last, the thermom-
eter marked 20 degrees below zero,
and st Breckinridge, 200 miles southeastward
from that point, it was % degrees below zero,
while the gradient Of tho thermometer from
the Southern States to the extreme northwest
showed descent Of over 80 degrees, or nearly
one degree for every fifteen miles. Since that
time, the wave of cold from the Arctic regions
has rolled steadily on, becoming more dry aud
intensely cold Is it passed over Dakota and
Minnesota, yielding somewhat, however, to the
climatic int1uences Of the lakes as it reached us,
and undoubtedly growing colder again asst passed
beyond their influence into New York and the
New England states, The weather reports
in our last issue are exclusively
from the West. Manitoba, in the
extreme northwest, reported AZ below zero; St.
Paul and Minneapolis, 80 below; and h1ilwau-
kee, in the direct line OF these polar winds, 20
below; Des Moines, Iowa, % below; and Madi
son, Wis, rs below. Illinois is somewhat out OF
Ottawa reports Is below, Lasalle u below, and
the lowest point reached during the day in Ohica-
gowas Is below. What point was reached during
the night in Chicago may never be known. The
scientific observer who might have had courage
enough to stay out Of bed would undoubtedly
have either frozen to death or died in despair at
the discovery that his thermometer was incapa-
bic OF registering the degree Of temperature.
Whatever may have been the degree Of tenn
perature it was sufficiently cold for practical
purposes, and itsvigor could not have been nit
igated by any mercurial knowledge. After mer-
curry gets to certain point, it resembles de-
praved human being. It gets 80 low that 1t isn't
OF much account how low it descends after that.
When man is pierced through and through
NTH the cold, even to the marrow, it is Of very
Little consequence to him whether the thermom-
eter is 20 below or 10 below. He can't get much
colder, and the addition Of few moro degrees
is matter Of supreme Indifference to him. It
is a mere abstract scientific fact in which he
takea no more interest than ordinary
human beings do in the discovery Of new
asteroid, having more Of those useless shining
points already than they can mako use Of.
There is nothing particularly oonsolatory in tho
announcement Of the fearful cold in the Arctic
| regions to q man with a frozen ear or FROST
bitten nose. He has already attained the maxi
mum Of frosty delight, and for all practical pur-
poses he is as cold iceberg, and is suffering
| mau1 in the Arctic Zone.
| The efficacy and value Of the Signal Service
have been signally tested in this sudden cold
snap, although its announcements have not pre-
pared us to accept the cold with any greater
degree Of Christian philosophy, simply
because ne knewit was coming. But there are
t other points than the scientific to be regarded II
studying the Lessons Of tho cold. There is {
| patriotic element in it which the philosopher
may contemplate over his CRATE today. The
| ~ ~ ;1ra ~
last winter, comes in direct line from Alaska
and they are, generally, signalled first at For
Benton, on the Upper Missouri. Since Mr. Sew
ard effected the purchase Of that delightful
country from Russia, TIC have been at q loss tt
know what it was good for, and hare more thai
once suspected that the Gar made very goot
bargain when he got rid Of it, and pocketet
seven and half millions Of gold. Aa real eB
tate operation, it was credtable to the Gar, AMI
when he called homo his two-headed eagle, ,whic1
fort screaming among its icy crags t.
the AleutB, he must have laughed i,
his sleeve at the cheerful prospec
an eagle with but one head would have trying t
pitch itB voice to patriotic key among seal
and white bears, icebergs and borea1 auroras
At the time Of the purchase there Was an il
definite report that its seal fur business Wa
both immense and lucrative but SO it vas sui
aequently developed that ring Of speculator
has the monopoly Of clubbing and t1aying seal
for several years to come, the business ha
ceased to ba interesting to the people Of til
United States, except in the matter Of pricet
which are so per cent higher this winter tina
they we're last Being an integral part Of th
Union, and invested with colonial dignity, an
never having contributed anything to that Unio
| in return for the privilege Of living under th
Stars and Stripes, enjoying the protection Of hall
frozen American soldiers, and the attentions {
frigid Revenue Assessors and Collectors, an
other officials who are essential to preserve th
dignity and responsibility Of this new Common
wealth (or common poverty, Alaska has dete
mined to do something for the Union and Tel