The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1879-08-15
Year without A Summer.

|
Northern Exchange.
In contrast with this most re-
markable season, we present some
memoranda of one of an opposite
character years ago. 1t was the
year 1916.
There are but few people living
who recollect it, but European and
American data represent it as hav-
ing been phenomenal in almost
every particular. In New England
that year went by the name "eigh-
teen hundred and starve to death"
The winter was very cold in Europe,
and comparatively mild in this
country, but the following summer
was the coolest ever known in the
United States.
January was mild, so much so as
to render fires almost needles in
parlors. December previous was
very cold.
February was not very cold; with
the exec ptlon OF a feW days, III was
mild like its predecessor.
March was cold and boisterous
during the first part of it; the re-
mainder was mild. A great freshet
on the Ohio and Kentucky rivers
caused great loss of property.
April began warm, but grew COL
der as it 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 flow
ers were frozen, ice formed half an
inch thick, corn was killed, and
helds were again and again plant
ed until deemed too late.
June was the coldest 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 and three in Cen
tral New York and Massachusetts.
Considerable damage was done at
New Orleans in consequence of the
rapid rise of 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 form
ed to the thickness of common win
dow glass throughout New England
New York and some parts of Penn
sylvapia. Indian corn was nearly
all destroyed; some favorable sit
uated fields escaped. This WAS
true Of some of the hill farms OF
Massachusetts.
August was more cheerless, if
possible, than the summer months
already passed. Ice was formed
half ar inch thick. Indian corn
was so frozen that the greater part
was cut down and dried for fodder.
Almost every green thing was de-
stroyed, both in this country and in
Europe. Papers received from En-
gland stated that it would be re-
membered by :the present genera
tion that the year 1916 was a year
in which there was no summer.
Very little corn ripened in New
England and the Middle States.
Farmers supplied themselves from
the corn produced in 1916 for the
seed OF the spring of 1917. 1t sold
at from 81 to So per bushel.
September furnished about two
weeks of the mildest weather of
the season. Soon after the middle
it became very cold and frosty, and
ice formed quarter of an inch
thick.
October produced more than Its
share of cold weather, frost and ice
particularly.
November was very cold and
blusterning. Enough snow fell to
make good sleighlng.
December was quite mild and
comfortable.
The above is a brief summary of
"the cold summer of 1867 as it
was called to distinguish it from
the cold season. The winter was
mild. Frost and ice we're common
in every month in the year. Very
little vegetation mstured in the
Eastern and Middle States. The
suns rays seemed to be destitute
of heat through the summer; all
nature seemed to be clad in
sable hue, and man exhibited no
little anxiety concerning the future
OF his life.