The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-08-07
A Year without "a summer.

Almost every one has heard of the
terrible dark year in the earlier part Of
the present century, which old New
England farmers refer to as eighteen
hundred and starve to death" A con-
tributor gives the following informa'
ton:
While every one Is speaking of the
present season as being remarkable in
its characteristics, | 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 il was the coolest
ever known throughout Europe and
America. The following is brief alb
stract of the weather during the year.
January was mild, so much so to
render fires almost needless in parlors.
December previous was very cold.
February was net very cold; with
the exception of a few days it was
mild, like its predecessor
March was cold and boisterous dur
ing the first part of it; the remainder
was mild. A great freshet on the Ohio
and Kentucky rivers caused great loss
of property.
April began warm, hut grew colder
as the month advanced, and ended in
snow and ice, with a temperature more
like winter than spring.
May was more remarkable for frOwns
than smiles. Buds and flowers were
frozen, ice formed half 40 inch thick,
corn was killed. and the fields were
again and again planted until deemed
too late. II. q
june was the coolest ever known ia
this latitude. Frost, ice and snow were
common. Almost every green thing
was killed. Fruit was nearly AL de-
stroyed. Snow fell to the depth of ten
inches in Vermont, seven in Maine and
three in central New York, and also in
Massachusetts,. Considerable damage
was done at New Orleans in consc-
quence of the rapid rise in the river ;
the suburbs we're covered with water,
and the roads we're only passabie IN
boats
July was accom- panied by frost and
ice. On the 9th ice was formed Of the
thickness of common window glass
throughout New England, New York,
and some parts Of Pennsylvania. In
dian corn was nearly ali destroyed /;
some favorably situated fields escaped.
This Was true of some of the hill farms
of Massachusetts,, q. --- -
August was more cheerless if posi-
bic, than the snmmer months already
passed. Ice was formed half an inch
hicks Indian corn was so frozen that
the6 gSsater 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 is would be re-
membered 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 Mid
die States. Farmers supplied them
selves from the corn produced in 1915
for the seed of the spring of 1917. 1t
sold ct from SO to IS per bushel, =
September furnished about two weeks
Of the mildest weather of the season.
Soon after the middle it became very
cold and frosty, aud fee formed aqnar
ter of an inch thick.
October produced more than its
share of cold weather-frost and ice
particularly.
November was cold and clustering.
Enough snow fell to make good sleigh
ing. ...fl 1000,
Portable.
The above is a brief summary Of the
''cold summer of 1916" as it was called
IN order to distinguish il from the cold
season. The winter was mild. Frost
and ice was common in every month
of the year. Very little vegetation ma
tured in the Eastern and Middle States.
+ The suns rays seemed 10 be destitute
Of heat through the summer all ma
ture seemed to be 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 thirteen dollars per barrel.
The average price Of wheat in England
was ninety-sevens hillings per quarter.