New-York tribune., 1878-07-19
PRICE FOUR CENTS.


capacity. The excursion trains on ali the routes TO
Coney Island were filed TO overhowng. Many people
spent the whole day at these cool resorts and many only
remained long enough to take plunge in the SURF The
comparatively small relief offered by the erryboats was
largely sought by those whose did not permit OF
more extended trips Many with small children
in particular avaed themselves OF these means OF COM
fort and beah apparently accepting the suggestions OF
physicians recently published In the newspapers.
But the thousands people whose duties such
must be fulfilled suffered intensely To them there re-
NAMED Of relief beyond cewater. perhaps
something stronger but equally cool fans, and general
and very marked axity In dress. Coats were thrown
aside. watcoats and collars unbuttoned, strong
language INDUCED In very freely, and
the most dignifed and stately citizens found
1t impossible to MAINTAIN their usual calm self
possession. There was gentle breeze all
day. which doubtless saved many lives; although as
1t pued along the hot pavement and against the
garng housefronts in and out Of the opened windows
and doors Of dwellings and places OF business It lost
much Of its freshness. At elevated points, however,
such the editorial OF THE TRIBUNE building,
the breeze tempered the heat and made IL easily
endured As the hours advanced toward noon, the dis
comfort increased. The avenues and Broadway were
glare Of fierce sunshine The unfortunate pedestrian
who forced to tread those heated pavements anx
iousy aYaied himself OF every shadow and crep along
close to the shop doors and windows TO get the benefit
of the swnings Nearly everybody carried an umbrella
and famed himself with his bat. No walked far
without sc piping to rest and his forehead around
a shady corner. II lemonade-vender or soda-wafer
man had established himself close by much the bet
ter The pedestrian and the dispenser Of cooling beyer
ages were mutually benefited.
1t is safe to say that no one went about the streets
unless it necessary therefore the shops suffered
They had few customers. The salesmen did not cares
but crowded possible to the entrances, with
their coat-slceves pulled up tanning their wrists En-
terprising firms advertised their by distributing
printed fans 20 the few customers who did call. At
some shops cecOoers stood nyitingly just within the
entrances Letter-carriers were excused from their
midday rounds. workmen engaged out Of doors suffered
the The suns beat down upon them hereely,
except where consderate employer had caused an
awning to be stretched above them. Omnibus and hack
drivers also had much sympathy. Wherever a ther-
mometer exposed to view there crowd collected.
People seemed anxious to know just what degree OF
misery they were suffering
In Wallst and its Vicinity the heat was oppressive,
and the common salutaton Well, thsis hot day"
On the Exchange bulletins and at other prominent
points the latest dispatches from the West posted
showing the range tho thermomete tO be a ocOck
St. Louis $780, Cincinnati. $50; Buffalo, $50; Chicago,
7So; Saratoga, 92o; Long Branch 96o The low range
at Chicago caused much comment and some persons In
tmated that Chicago wished to show her superb
/ ority to swetering st. Louis. her chief COM
mercial rival. The tall buildings in aud near
Walst. shut out every breath Of air, and az
the same time reflected back the bot rays Of scorch.
ing sum- The large windows Of the Metropolis and other
banks were filed frequent intervals by Oyerheated
clerks who compelled to abandon their desks be-
meath the gas-ght IN search Of cool Business was
at times entirely suspended and leading bankers
left their offices early in the day for the seashore In
search OF q friendly breeze. The Thermometer In the
smetng-room OF the Assay Office ran up 70
1876 degrees, q moderate Turkish bath temperature,
and the workmen, OF whom are nearly fifty years
old pursued their usual resOrtng to ice water
fha ralurV of ON
Soon after O'Clock the streets were deserted and only
those whose OF the most pressing nature
| fingered down town.
The heat was felt the courts with the severity
as elsewhere Lawyers, dressed thinly possible,
stole into other OF the Court House aud took OF
their coats awaiting the summons Of friendly mes
senger The judges sat patiently moppng their faces,
but only glad TO adjourn cases. and the attendants
stole into the corridors, where there was breath OF
air. every time that prolx lawyer assured them that
their presence would not be quickly needed. Even
Judge Daniels seemed reoIced when the termination Of
the last motion him at liberty to leave the bench
All day long the baths OF the city were full The free
baths attracted crowds OF men, women and boys from
the tenement-house districts. policeman standing al
the door would let In hundred or at time In twenty
minutes bell rung, and then the keepers lad much
trouble to drive the bathers from the to maks
room for others The little fellows would hide under the
beams the lighthouses until they had two or three
good swlms.
THE STORM AND ITS EFFECTS.
During the early hours Of the day. when occasional
cloud got between the and the earth, and for mo-
ment or two cast thin shadow, people looked upward
and thought Of possible thunderstorm. The sky at
length grew coppercolored, there flashes Of light
ming and faint mutterngs OF thunder About halFpas
amid q cloud of dust, which strong wind was whrl
ing into peoples eyes, the first drops rebounded from
the pavemeuts they had been burned; at length
they came down abundantly, bringing, however, only
Rutt thah HAY gfi
was promise OF another shower. Before II came tho
pavements were dry ana hot again. people still painted
and swetered; the atmosphere WAS close and
heavy The second storm short. There was much
thunder and lightning, which promised relief that was
far from realized 1t showed during this shower for
a moment or two. The fakes were much like
sofened hailstones but they both seen and felt
Gradually the clouds passed over and the sky cleared
The relief was sensible but not as great every one had
hoped. IL cooled the pavements, however and made
doorsteps and balconies comparatively pleasant The
breeze too seemed gather strength and at o'clock
there seemed promise that the night would be endurabe
The various Coney Island trains on the Manhattan
Beach Brighton aud other railroads going down about
O'clock caught the full force Of the storm Most Of the
cars on these roads open the sides beng protected
only by canvas curtains, which in case OF need
can be fastened 70 about four buttons for each
curtain The storm came so suddenly that
many OF the curtains did not get fastened at ALL The
gusts Of wind tore loose some OF those that were
fastened and altogether the immense crowds throngng
these trains had rather moist time OF it, The trains
ran slowly on account OF the binding rain aud the
terrific thunder and lightning and the passengers leay
ing for Manhattan Beach on the and 425 p M boats,
and for Brighton on the corresponding trains thus
exposed during the whole storm. The lightning struck
a good many telegraph poles near the tracks, and In
some seemed to the passengers actually u sike
the rails OF the roads,
During the evening the sky became overcast and
humid atmosphere prevailed Flashes OF heatghtning