The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-29
The Hottest Duy.

ONE HUNDRED AND NiNETT-FOCR DEATHS
PROM THE HEkT-NISETY-NINE IN THE
SHADY.
The hottest day Of the year was yester-
day. The thermometer in several sections
Of the city reached ninety-nine degrees,
although Hudnut's report gives ninety
seven as the highest, and the Signal
Service people, who are so fortunate as to
he away up in the air on top of the Equi-
table building, put ii degree lower.
There can be no question, however. that
the terrible heat was more severely felt
Yesterday than ever before this season.
The mercury may not have recorded II
much greater temperature, but the long
continuance OF the hot spell, act
ing upon exhausted and weakened hui
manity, showed its dreadful power
in a more appalling list OF deaths
than has ever been known except in
the time OF some great epidemic. There
were no less than 1874 deaths reported yes
terday at the Bureau OF Vital Statistics for
the twenty-iour hours ending with the
close Of the official day. This number is
believed 10 be unprecedented under SINH
lar circumstances, the records Of the Board
Of Health for ten years past showing no
thing to equal II. OF this great number,
sad 10 find that fully 100 were children
under five wears, whose death, in the ma
joritv Of cases, was caused indirectly or
directly by the excessive heat. During the
hot spell the mortality in this city has been
steadily increasing, there having been 1889
deaths during the past eight days, making
the alarming total Of 3,475 since the lst Of
July.
Prophet " NennOr was probably the
most generally abused man in New York
Yesterday. In making his so-calied prog
nOstications Of cold and wet summer the
Canadian seer particularly specified that
the 26th and 27th OF July would be the
coolest davs OF the season. The cloud
readers mistake was a very tritiing one.
II he had substituted "hottest " for "cool-
est" he would probably have hit it, mas
much rs "Wednesday was within two de-
grees as hot as yesterday. Perspiring
crowds who thronged about soda-foun-
taius. lenonade-stands. bar-rOoms, and
shady corners discussed this matter yester-
day, condemned the prophet, sometimes
with profanity, and took another drink.
II might not have been safe for him TO nave
made his appearance at certain refreshment
| resorts when the mercury was at us hlgn-
est. At a well-knOwn downtown drink
ing-saloon the proprietor had the follow.
| ing dispatch written In large letters anu
| displayed conspicuously:
| :. Thermometer on Mt. Washington thls
morning fOrty-eight degrees
His patrons did not seem TO derive much
comfort from this placard, however. IL
/ seemed rather to eXasperate them.
Broadway at noon time was like raging
furnace. There was no shade on either
side OF the way, except very narrow strll
close to the building line. Pedestrians
carefully tried TO keep within this meagrt
limit. and sauutered listlessly along IN SIN
ole file. carving their hats In their hands
/ For the first time this year gentlemen wert
seen between Fulton and Wall streets car
rving their coats over their arms. M
/ l. Il sight one seldom sees on BroauWa!
Your New York businessman Is rathel
particular about his appearance, ana L
must be the hottest OF the hot TO lnduc'
him to sacrifice dignity and decorum pS
walking in public hatless and cOatless. BE
tvreen Q in the morning and hali-past the
rise i'm the thermometer was IL, ana aitel
tbat hour the advance was still more rapid
II xvos nositively dangerous TO Walk III th'
sun without an umbrella, and there Wer'
comparatively few who cared to attempt II
NOT A BREATH OF AIR.
According to the Signal-Service officer
there was westerly breeze blowing al IN
rate Of about three miles an hour, but l
,vas difficult TO realize il on broadway o
anv downtown thoroughfare. Not breat
~ air seemed TO be stirring. Horses an,
trucks dragged along at walk IN the III
glare OF the pitiless sun, ana every leN
minutes the warning gong Of the ambuianc
was heard on its way to succor anothe
victim Of the heat, and as the vehicle
moyed aside TO give it the right OF way
vas observable that even the hospital stee
did moi gallop with his accustomed vlgol
p On the river fronts the heat during tu
dov was killing in it, intensity. At seV'
raj Of the piers work seemed to be aiLlo'
a susDended, while at Others the hardy me me
accustomed TO do the rough toll OF loadlh
and unloading heavy bales OF goods WEI
y exhausted and weak. Working IN the mol
Of a ship in such heat was almost llnpo
sibie. and dozen stevedores were anon
., tboss ti stricken down with sunstroke.-Ne
: Yord Herald.