Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-05-17
The Year without a Summer

we have any record, was that Of tn
year 1916. There are but few person
now living who recolIpct it, but Euro
pean and American data represent
as having been phenomenal IN Amos
every particular. In New England
that year went by the name Of "eight
cen hundred and starye to death.
The winter winter was very cold il
Europe, and comparatively mild il
this country, but the following sum
mer was the coolest ever known il
the United States.
January was mild, so much so as tc
render fires almost needless in parors
December previous was very cold.
February was not very cold {: Will
the exception of few dayS it wa.
mid like its predecessor.
March was cold and hoisterous dur
ing the first part of it; the remainder
was mild, A great frcshct on the
Ohio and Kentucky rivers caused
great loss ofpropelty.
April began warm. but grew colder
as it advanced, and ended in snow or
ice, with temperature more like win
tar than spring.
May was nore remarkable for
frowns than smiles. Buds and flow
ers were Frozen Ice formed half an
inch thick, corn was killed, and the
fields were again and again planted
until deemed too late.
June vas the coolest ever known in
this latitude. Frost, ice and snow
we're common. Almost every green
thing was killed. Fruit was nearly
all destroyed. Snow fell to the depth
Of ten inches in Vermont, seven in
Maine. end three in Central New
York and Massachusetts, Considera-
bic 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 aud
ice. On the 9TH ice was formed to
the thickness of common window
glass throughout New England, New
York, and some parts Of Pennsylva-
mia. Indian corn gas nearly all Dc
c'royed; some tavorably situated
feds escaped. This was true of some
Of the bill farms of Massachusetts,
August was more cherries if pos
sible, that 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 coun
try and Europe. Papers received
from England stated that it would be
remembered by the present generation
that the year 1916 was year in
which there was no summer. Very
little corn ripened in New England
and the Middle States. Farmers sup
piled themselves from the corn pro-
duced in 1915 for the seed of tbs
spring of 1917. 1t sold at from 81 to
IS per bushel
September furnished about two
weeks Of mildest weather of the sea-
son. Soon after the middle it became
very cold and frosty, and ice formed
quarter Of an inch thick.
October produced more than It's
share of cold weather, frost and ice
particularly.
November was very cold and blus-
tering. Enough snow fell to make
good sleighiug.
December was quite mild and COM
Portable.
The above is brief summary of
''the cold summer Of 1885, as it was
called in order to distinguish it from
,he cold season. The winter was ,
mild. Frost and ice we've common
in every month in the year. Very
title vegetation matured in the East. ;
srn and Middle States. The suns ;
lays seemed to be destitute of heat |
through the summer; all nature seem (;
I'd to be clad in a sable hue, and man t
exhibited no little anxiety concerning
he future of his life. c
The average wholesale prices of flour {
Turing that year was s13 per barrel.
The average price Of wheat in Eng.
and was 81 shillings per quarter.
PYLE's DIETErIC SALERATus-Uni- =
,ersally acknowledged the best in use. n