Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-09-20
A Year without a Summer.

Almost every one has heard tell of
the terrible dark year in the earlier
part of the present century, which
old New England farmers refer to as
eighteen hundred and starved to
death" A contributor gives the fol-
lowing information:
While every one is speaking of the
present season as being remarkable IN
its characteristics, I have gathered
for your readers some reliable facts
of the year 1916, known as the ''year
without a summer" Few persons
now living can recollect it; but it was
the coolest ever known throughout
Europe and America. The following
is a brief abstract of the weather
during the year:
January was mild-so much so as
to render fires almost needless in
parlors. December previous was very
cold.
February was not very cold; with
the exception of a few days it was
mild, like its predecessor.
March was cold and boisterous dur
ing the fiIst part of it; the remainder
was mild. A great freshet on the
Ohio and Kentucky rivers caused great
loss of property.
April began warm, but grew colder
as the month advanced, and ended IN
snow and ice, with a temperature
more like winter than spring.
May was mere remarkable fol
frowns than smiles. Buds and flowers
were frozen, ice formed half an inch
thick, corn was killed, and the fields
were again and again planted until
deemed too late.
June was the coolest ever known in
this latitude. Frost, ice and snow
were common. Almost every green
thing was killed. Fruit was nearly
all destroyed. Snow fell to the depth
of ten inches in Vermont, several in
Maine and three in Central New York,
and also in Massachusetts,. Consid-
eral damage was done at New Orleans
in consequence of the rapid rise in
the river; the suburbs were covered
with water, and the roads were only
passable in boats.
July was accompanied by frost and
ice. On the fifth ice was formed, OF
the thickness of common window
glass, throughout New England, New
York and some parts PENNSYLVANIA
Indian corn was nearly all DESTROYED;
some fayorably situated fields escap-
ed. This was true of some of the
hill farms of Massachusetts.
August was more cheerless if pos
slble than the summer months already
passed. Ice was formed half an inch
thick. Indian corn was SO frozen
that the greater part was cut down
and dried for fodder. Almost every
green thing was destroyed both in this
country and Europe. Papers received
from England stated that it would
be remembered by represent genera
ton that the year 1916 was a year in
which there was no summer. Very
little corn ripened in New England
and middle States. Farmers sup
piled themselves from the corn pro
duced IN 1915 for the seed of the
spring of 1917. 1t sold at from four
to five dollars per bushel.
September furnished about two
weeks of the mildest weather of the
| season. Soon after the middle it be-
came very cold and frosty, and ice
formed quarter of an inch thick.
October produced more than It's
] SIdIe Vi CO4u NGubHSIs 1IOSI anu ICE
particularly.
November was cold and clustering
Enough snow fell to make good
sleighing.
December was quite mild and com
Portable.
The above is a brief summary o
"the cold summer of 1876" as if wa
called in order to distinguish it from
| the cold season. The winter wa
mild. Frost and ice were common II
every month of the year Very httl,
vegetation matured IN the eastern an5
middle States The suns rays seem
ed to be destitute of heat through tia
summer; all nature seemed to be claC
in a sable hue, and men exhibited NJ
little anxiety concerning the future o
this life. The average wholesale
| price of -four during that year in tn
Philadelphia market was thirteen do
lars per barrel. The average price o
wheat in England was ninety-sevel
shiIlings per quarter.