The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1879-02-01
.THE FROZEN TRUTH. ,,

Lately quite cola snap mas Deen eX-
perienced in Nevada. The Carson Tri-
bunv OF tue iGGth ;edde off with this not
altogether veracious narrative:
As many of our people. old settlers,
claim this to be the coolest Winter known
in the State, we have collected dates of
the early days of Nevada-1859-an
from reliable authority make the follow
ing statement: On or about November
18th, 1853, snow fell foot deep and be-
came frozen: A few days after heavy
storm set in, and for ninety days there
was three feet OF snow on level, frozen
as hard as ice. From the first of January
to the 9th the thermometer in DR.. Munc-
toms drug store, stood nineteen degrees
below zero. The snow between Carson
and Virginia City was so deep that for
three weeks no wagon or other vehicle
could travel. James Gatewood who,
with his teams, was near the Sink of the
Carson, cut several feet down into the
ice to secure water for his animals, and
found the river frozen clear down to the
bottom. One of our intormants, noted
for his vsracity, says that the cold was
80 intense. that no one could speak the
truth, and that few OF those Nevada
pioneers have gotten over the affiiction
yet.
"And ever SINCE" says the Virginia
Chronicle, when one of those old pio-
neers tells a real whopper, it has been
customary to speak of it as the frozen
truth"
That was pretty cold spell mentioned
by the Carson Tribune, but the personal
"reminiscences given by the Virginia
Chronicle Of the 18th, il true show that
it was hot weather compared to what
some of the nArrators once experienced:
This morning in Justice Knox Court
room, half dozen men were seated
around the stove disputing about the
cold. As a matter of course each and
every one OF them held that this present
Winter WAS tho ooldest ever known on
the Comstock. Ali agreed on that point
exactly as they had agreed upon it last
year, and each preceding year for the
last decade. There's no cold like the
present. The recollections of cold and
the actual experience Of it ore two differ
ent things.
Colonel Bob, however, thought that
the present weather wasn't very cold.
up in Wisconsin, said he, with due
gravity. "you get genuine cold Weather
Icebergs bigger than the International
Hotel often float down Lake Michigan
I've seen 'em myself. The sap in the
trees freezes and the trunks burst with
loud reports"
Weather reports!' suggested some
one. He was fred out.
"That amt anything" said an old
Judge. In Maine they have cold cur
rents OF air-regular well.defined streaks
and when you walk along the road and
strike one its like going from under q
broiling midsummer sun into an ice
house. I've seen birds strike these cur
rents and drop dead" Here the Judge
opened his mouth and rammed home a
heavy wad of fine.cut, and there was a
dead silence for several minutes. 1t was
observed that Judge Blank was buried
in thought. In candor," finally re-
marked Judge Blank, "I've seen some
awful weather. On my word and honor,
gentlemen, l saw one night a blazing fire
go out when door was opened and a
current of cold air struck it, It just took
the heat out of the blazing Goals and the
fire was actually smothered in three
minutes
At this point the Constable drew his
chair up to the group and cleared his
throat. All looked anxiously at the mar
to see if he would beat Judge Blank
After hesitating moment he began
You are all aware. of course. that it ii
a well-known principle of science thai
cold contracts every thing. Well, sir
one night in Aiaska-when was up ther,
hunting fer seal-skin sacques--I left
handful of money on my table, and il
the morning the cold had contracted it 81
that twenty-dollar piece was just tn
size of u ten; the tens were reduced t,
hves. and the tives half-dollars and ten
cent pieces had srunk out of sight
vas out over 1866 on the shrinkage o
that cold snap
That must have been where yo,
shrank down from man into an ordin
cry sized boy" retorted the Judge
furious because the Constable had told
bigger story than his.
The Nevada City Transcript, thoug
ONnOaad tO tho Nh;poso olco:..