Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-07-25

sS N 81 s
5fEIsa TRIqHTFltIi SyvIsATi1EKs,
l'fogtess Of tie Heat Tpape at The North-,v---ll
Hoio II Soept Oper tho, No,th,ocss lbs Ar,
Tisal and Effects at Ne,o FORK.
1t has been many years since our exchanges
from the North have brought us 80 terrible
and 80 universal report Of frighttIlly hot
weather as that which the whole country ex.
porienoed last week.
The heat wave. as it is called In some
quarters, was folt In its greatest intensity at
st. Lonison Sunday, though tho weather had
been very warq1 there for q weok previously.
at carly morning OF the next day the ther~
mometer showed 90 degrees, and the mercury
Continued to rise until nightfall. Tho people
called it the hottest weather St. Louis had
ever experienced, but that city, lying on
plateaus above the Misslssiippiland stretching
out over an extensive plain, is peculiarly
exposed to the rays uf the summer sun md
often lacks refreshing breezos. as it did on
Monday when forty sunstrokes took place.
st. Louis has mover been an agreeable place
to live in during July and August, and
probably the hoat was not unexamp Piled, though
undoubtedly its effects were moro fatal than
on any previous day in the city's history.
Both men and animals were Frustrated by it,
and tho cases of sunstroke exceeding hun
dred, and business in tho town and its neigh.
1orhood was Mt o standstill. At tho snmo'
time tho weather was also remarkably on
pressivc in Chicago and other cities Of Iii.
nois, in Iowa, in Arkansas, in Tennessee in
Wisconsin, in Nebraska, and in Kansas, and
the number of sunstrokes was largo, the
thermometer ranging throughout Monday
from W degrees to 100 degrees. In New
York. although the mercury rose to 81 dee
greos ut O'Clock in the afternoon Monday
was by no means IN exceptionally trying
sdey, tie average being only 70A degrees. On
Tuesday, in st. Louis, the thermometer at its
highest showed LOO degrees; but the people,
frightened by the experience of tho day before
TOOK unusual precautions against tho heat
moderated their consumption of alcoholic
beverages, and avoided unnecessary excrtion
and oxposure-and the number Of sunstrokos
Iice the weather philosopher, had predicted
the hottest day Of tho century for ST. Louis,
and it certainly was very warm, if not quite
so bad rs that. In Chicago alsn Tuesday was
exceedingly uncomfortable, but q southwest
breeze famed tho inhabitants and prevented
much suffering from the weather. Through
out tho region which had experienced the
great heat of Monday tho thermometer con-
tinued in tho ninoties, with tho exception of
and became cooler.
In Now York City the heat wavo was seri.
ously folt on Wednesday,, and on Thursday
attained its full intensity. The Tribune.
otter noticing that hundreds Of thousands
had hurriedly left the city to escape tho heat,
says:
But the thousands of people whose duties
were such as must be fulfilled suffered in
tensoly. 10 them there remained no sources
n m pofa
thing stronger but equally cool, fans, and
general and very marked laxity in dress.
Coats were thrown aside, waistcoats and COL
lars were unbuttoned, strong Language was
indulged in very freely, and the most diyni-
fed and stately citizens found it impossible
to maintain their usual calm self.possossion.
There was gontle breeze oil day, which
doubtless saved many lives, although as
it ,putfed along over the hot pavements
in and out of tho opened windows and
doors OF dwellings and places Of bust"
ness, it lost much Of its freshness As the
hours advanced toward noon, the discomfort
increased. The avenues and Broadway we're
glare of fierce sunshine. Tho unfortunate
pedestrians. who was forced to tread those
hented pavements. anxiously availsd them.
selves Of every shadow, and orept along close
to the shop doors and windows, to got tho
carried on umbrella. and famed himself with
his hat. No one walked far without stopping
to rest and mop his forehead around shady
corner. If lem0nado>ven vender or soda-water
man had established himself close by, 80
much tho better. Tho pedestrian and dis
penser Of cooling beverages were mutually
benefited. It is safe to say that no one went
about tho streots unless it was necessary;
therefore tho shops suffered. They had few
customers. Tho salesmen did not caro-, bu.
crowded as near as possible to the entrances,
with their cont sleeves pulled up, tanning
their wrists. Enterprising firms advertised
hcir wares by distributing printed fans to
the few customers who did call. At somo
shops ioe-ooolers stood insting!y just within
tho entrances Lettor carriers were excused
from their midaday rounds. Workmen en-
gagged out Of doors suffered the most. The
SUMS rays beat down upon thcm fiercely,
except where somo codsiderate employer had
caused on awning to be stretched above them.
Omnibus and hack drivers also had much
sympathy Wherovor Thermometer was ex-
posed to view, there crowd collected Pco-
Pile seemed anxious to know just what degree
of misery they were suffering. In Wall
street and its vicinity the heat was oppressive,
and the common salutation was, "Weli, this
IS q hot day" On tho Exchange bulletins
and other prominont points tho latest dis
patches from the West were posted showing
tho range of tho thermometer to be at
o'clock; st. Louis, 9G degrees, Cincinnati. 05;
Buffalo, 05; Chicago, 49, Saratoga 90; Long
Branch, 0G. The low range at Chicago caused
much comment, and some persons intimatcd
that Chicago wished to show her superiority
to sweltering St. Louis, her chief commercial
rival. The tall buildings in and near
Wall street shut out every breath of air, and
at tho Same tmo reflected back the hot rays of
soorohing sun. The largo windows Of tho
Metropolis aud other banks were filled at
frequent intervals by overhcatcd clerks, who
were compelled TO abandon their desks beneatl,
the gasl light. in search of cool air. Business