New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-08
hotter THAN IN TEN YEARS.
THE MERCURY REACHES 100 DEGREES.

on THE STREETS AND IN THE PARKs--A COLD
= WAVE SAID TO BE APPRoACIuNG-A NUMBER OF
. sUNsTRoKEs REPORTED
The officials in the Weather Bureau in this city
were jubant yesterday ITS the hottest day
we've had for ten years." exclaimed the master
magician at the station upon the Equitable Build
;ne shaping his thigh; lit hasn't been so hot at
any rate since 1874, and back of that have no
records here. We're counting popularity to-day,
oon he added referring TO a former article in THE
TRIBUNE "Our thermometer registered 100.2o this
afternoon and Hudnut's went no higher
II was fact. Yesterday the hottest day for
q good many years. 1t was not pleasant, after
night Of restless tossing to and fro to find the Their
mometer in the early morning mounting rapidly
toward the nineties with every promise of an ex-
ceedingy oppressive day. AT z o'clock the temper
ature was 75o, which increased to 92o at o'clock
and soon the extraordinary heat of the afternoon
began. The sky was overcast with medium that
might have suggested to the champions of the neb-
Mar hypothesis their notion of an original fiery
mist Certainly it did nothing to rob the sunbeams
of their burning heat. 1t is conceivable that human
ingenuity might have invented a hotter place thana
Broadway pavement under Yesterdays sun; but it
is probable that human ingenuity never did. At
half-past 2, when the thermometer stood at 1909,
there were only two things that could produce the
faintest semblance of q crowd: was the morning
bulletin, which everybody stopped to read and the
Othef was an exposed thermometer, which here and
there collected circle of peering faces "Gracious
it's hundred degrees" some would say, with
big eyes, and the crowd seemed at to
grow several degrees more uncomfortable
Such an opportunity was not to be missed
and everyone seemed firmly resolved to suffer to the
utmost the discomfort that was due to the hottest
day of the decade. They found no difficulty how
ever, in achieving that result Business could not
be neglected, as the morrow was be day of rest
he oil al
and the pavements with people. Many passengers
were hatless, fewer were coatess but scarcely any
were fanless.
The Battery Park was breathed over by a westerly
breeze, but there GOODNESS in it. The paving
stones were fairly burning. crowd was OBJ
served collecting only once, allured by man
who gesticulated great deal and Numbered
out volley of bad German. The charitable
mob judged him to be suffering from the
effects OF the heat, but policeman said he sub
ject to fits of appepleXy." "Appejack would
probably come nearer the mark. Little common
sense was displayed by the immigrants i'll some re-
speets. A woman in purple wooden gown might
have pleaded that she had other dress but why
she should walk the pavements enveoped IN a red
and black checked hlan ket shawl would have puz-
zed even wise man. In Castle Garden the chill
dren, who were in every stage of denudatIon seemed
best content, being for the most part asleep Castle
harden was cooler than the walks outside, but few
persons unused to seerage would care to seek the
shade of the ancient fortress for shelter.
The swimming baths were consecrated to the ser
vice OF the women-tok yesterday, and The merry
shouts from within bespoke an extensive enjoyment
of the privilege. The travel to Concy Island and
other seaside resorts large and the STEAMBOATS,
were back with passengers. They probably OBJ
tanned little rehei, however, if the temperature of
staten Island which ranged as high $50 could be
taken Tor "a criterion.
Very few people visited Central Park. except in
the morning and evening. Those that were there
between 10 III the morning and . in the afternoon
tor the most part sought the Smallest spots and sat
there yey quietly, vaInly trying to keep cool. The
few who were moving about ON the walks and
nrSes were III every, case seeking
than was obtainable where thev last w weTe
The trees either entirely leafess or with shrvelIei
foliage furnished little protection from the burning
rays OF the SUI, and the favOre resting places were
under the arches over roads and paths, especially
the marble archway. Here many weary pedestrians
might be seem without coat or walscOat, slit ng On
the stone seats, desperately tanning themselves With
their hats and at frequent intervals hopping their
faces with drenched handkerchets. Little breeze
was stlrrng most oI the DAY, aud what little there
was blew the dry caves rom the trees and across
the roads ana scared lawns Ill way that some
what DewlIderng, and the day, with its yellow haze
thus seemed mixture OF July and late October
From the belvidere the whole Landscape seemed
simmering III the scOTchng blaze. and over fine
roofs and spires Of the city huge smoky-look-
ing CLOUDS went Stealning up, through which he
sun shown with uncaLnv glare Jhe
animals III the menagerie suffered good
deal. The only ones that seemed c0nte1teG
in the least were the caUel, the seals and the bear
To Jhe camel II evidently seemed like home and the
seal kept under water most of The time now and
then coming up 10 get fresh supply Oh lot air
while the bear trudged contentedIy about his cau,
and took his shower bath Ine Igbt secnsf 80 80
strong even for the eagles eyes, Tor they Sal and
dozed on their perches with dropping wings and
halt-cloSed eyes; while the staid owls forgot all
about looking WISE and either lay in the corner aud
painted desperately, OF stood and hung tleir
wings and head in the most abject manneT
AT "a. ia. tie mercury III the Thermometer at the
obserV atOTy iii the Park marked S6o and AT 2 H. mn
IL had mounted w TO 1919 where it remained anIii
after p. In the sun the mercury stood al l530
For the corresponding day last year the thsrmomc-
ter registered the highest at nOOn marking ITO and
lowest at midnight, 90, the mean being GO6o The
average velocity of the wind from a. III till 4:3O
r. was IL miles an hour, its force at two o'coc
when there was gust, being zig pounds to the
mOsphcre .6S. AT q. H. the
barometer marked 80 1922 and at D. NJ 30 OGIo
Toward evening the breeze, which had seemed
during the day TO be blowing from the mouth of a
furnace. became perceptbly cooler and stronger i'm
the park Nurses wheeling beaylly -loaded baby
carriages began TO increase Ill number rapidly and
the usual variety OF tuTnOuts, from cab to yellow
dog-cart, ugly, but thoroughly English YOU
know" began rolling in at the fifth-ave entrance
. Hudnuts Thermometer could not get above 1000
though efficiently aided by surrounding crOWds
Between u aud O'Clock, when the working people
were gong TO their homes, Ire thermometer sill
marked 30. anu at o'clock il stood at $40 Tie
parks and sidewalks were sprlnk ed until late
hour win poor people whose meagTe homes gave mo
relief from the sitting heat.
Some people ia the city attributed the high tenn
pefature 10 the hTeS burning in the Hackensack
meadows. 1t is hard, however, To charge the heat
IA Pennsyl and other parts of the country In
The HacAensack meadows. The thermouet er marked
at Philadelphia, 1902; PlttsbuTg, $50: Balti,nore
1902; Cincinnati, $50; LOUISVILLE "a; St I,ouis
91S; Toledo. o., 92O: Nicksburg, Miss 92O; ALBANY
S60, and Boston, 96O cold wave is said To be ap-
pIoaehng from lie northwest. the influence of
lakes. AT 3 o'clock in the afternoon the
neat aoat az ChlcagQ was 71"; Alpena, Mich,
20; Cheyenne, Wyoming, 54o La Crosse,
NJ Newly ork here was westerly or southwesterly
~ind OlOwmg through the day, and the barometer