Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-09-10
In Fredericksburg, yesterday, the thermon
eter indicated 930 in the shade.

A YEAR WITHOUT A SUMNER. While
every one is speaking of the present season as
being remarkable in its characteristics, a cor.
respondent OF the Boston Globe has gathered
for the readers of that paper some reliable
facts of the year lSlG. known as the year
without summer" Few persons now living
can rccollect it, but it was the coolest ever
known through Europe and America. The
following is brief abstract of the weather dur
Ing each month of the year
January was mid-So much so as to render
fires almost needless in parlorS. December
previous was very cold.
February was not very cold. With the eX-
caption OF few days it was mild, like It's pre-
deceSsCr.
March was cold and boiSterous during the
first part Of it the remainder was mild.
great treshct on the Ohio and Kentucky rivers
caused great loss of property.
April began warm, but grew colder as the
month advanced, and ended with snow aud
ice and Temperature more like winter than
spring.
May was more remarkable for frownS than
smiles. Buds and fruits were frozen, ice form
ed half an inch thick, corn killed, and the fields
again and again repIauted until deemed too
late.
June was the coolest ever known in this
latitude. Frost, ice, and snow were common.
Almost every green thing killed. Fruit nearly all
DESTROYED, Snow fell to the depth OF ten inches
in Vermont, several in Maine, three in the in-
terror of New York, and also in Massachusetts.
Considerable damage was done at New Or
leans in consequence of the rapid rise OF the
river The suburbs were covered With water,
and the roads were only passibe with boats.
July was accompanied By frost and ice. On
the 9TH ice was formed Of the thickness OF a
common window glass throughout New Eng
land, New York and some parts of Pennsylvania.
Indian corn was nearly all destroyed some
fayorably situated fields escaped. This was true
of some of the hill farms of Massachusetts.
August was more cherries, if possible, than
the summer months already passed. Ice was
formed half an in inch thick. Indian corn was
50 frozen that the great part was cut down and
dried for fodder Almost every green thing was
DESTROYED both in this country and IN Europe.
Papers received from England state THAT /,
would be remembered by the present generation
that the year 1916 was year III which there was
no summer" Very little corn ripencd i'll the
New England and Middle States. Farmers
supplied themseles from the corn produced in
1915 for the seed of the spring of ISL 1t sold
at from 81 to s. per bushel.
September furnished about two weeks of the
mildcst weather of the season. Soon after the
middle it became very cold and frosty; zee
formed quarter of an inch thick.
October produced more than Its share Of cold
weather; frost aud ice in common.
November was cold and clustering Snow
fell so as to make good sleighing.
December was mild aud comfortable.
The above is a brief summary of the. cold
summer of 1876 as it was called 10 order to
distinguish it from the cold season. The win
ter was mild Frost and ice were common in
every month ofthe year. Very little vegetation
maturcd in the Eastern and Middle States : The
suns rays seemed to be destitute of heat
througout the summer; all nature was clad in a
sable hue, and men exhibited no little anxiety
concerning the future of this life.
The average wholesale price Of -four during
that year in the Philadelphia market was sl3
per barrel The average price Of wheat in Eng
land was ninety three shilliugs per quarter.
THE RAILROAD OBSTRUCTION SToRY.-Bul
lard, Rogers and Gordon, we're all honorably