The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1884-10-03
A Year Without a Summer.

The year 1916 was known throughout
the United States and Europe Ms the
coolest ever experienced by any person
then living. Very few persons now liv-
ing can recollect it. The following is a
brief summary of the weather during
each month Of that year: January
was mild, so as TO render fires almost
useless In parlors. February was not
cold; with the exception Of few days,
Il was like its predecessor. March was
cold and boisterous during the early
part Of the month the remainder was
mild. A great freshet occurred on the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, which
caused much loss OF property. April
began warm, but grew colder as the
month advanced, and ended with snow
and Ice, and temperature more like
winter than spring. May was more re.
markable for frowns than smiles. Buds
and fruits were frozen; Ice formed
half an inch thick, corn was killed,
corn fields were again and again re-
planted until deemed too late.
June was the coolest ever known in
this latitude; frost and Ice were COM
mon. Almost every green thing was
killed fruit nearly all destroyed. Snow
fell to the depth of ten inches in Yer
mont, seven in Maine, three in the in
terror of New York and also Massachu-
sets. There were a few warm days.
All classes looked for them that me-
morable cold summer sixty-eight years
ago. 1t was called dry season. But
little rain fefl. The wind blew steadily
from the north, cold and fierce. Moth
ers knit extra socks and mittens for
their children in the spring, and wood
piles that usually disappeared during
the warm spell In front Of the houses.
were speedily built up again. Plant
ing and shivering were done together,
and the farmers who worked out their
taxes on the country roads wore over
coats and mittens. In town in Yer
mont Il flock of sheep belonging to a
farmer had been sent, MS usual, to their
pasture. On the 9th Of June heavy
snow fell; and the cold was intense.
and the owner started away at noon to
look for his sheep. Better start the
neighbors. soon. wife," he said. just be-
fore leaving. "beIng in the middle of
June may get lost in the snow" Night
came, the storm increased and he did
not return. The next morning the
family sent out for help and started in
search. One after another of the
neghbors turned out to look for the
missing man. The snow had covered
up all the tracks, and not until the end
of the third day did they find HIM on
: the side of "a hill. with both feet frozen,
unable to move. A farmer who had "a
large field of corn in Tweeksbury built
fires around it TO ward off the frost
many an evening did he and his men
take turns watching them. He was re-
warded with the only crop of corn In
the neighborhood. Considerable dam
age was done In New Orleans In conse-
quence of the rapid rise OF the Mis-.
sissippi river, the suburbs were
covered with water and the roads were
; passable only in boats. Fears that the
sun was cooling of abounded, and
throughout and New England all pic
mics were strictly prohibited.
July was accompanied with frost and
ice. On the 9TH ice was formed of the
. thickness of common window glass
7 throughout New England, New York
; and some parts of Pennsylvania. In
!. dian corn was 50 frozen that the great
D er part was cut down and dried fol-
1 fodder. Almost every green thing was
e destroyed. in this country and IN Eu
e rope: on the 30th,s snow fell in Barnet
8 forty miles from London. Papers re
: ceived from England stated "that Il
Q would be remembered by the present
{ generation that the year 1916 was
a year in which there was no summer
Very little corn ripened in New Eng