Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-21

Acaf N1t10ut Summer.
The year Isle. 50 far as meterorc,
'oglcai conditions wereeoncerned. was
the Annns Mirabilis OF the nineteenth
century, and was known throuebout
the Tn ted States and Europe as the
coolest ever experienced. 1t is beyond
the recollection OF any person no,A
living. The following is a brief all.
straet OF the weather during each
month ofthat year:
anuary was mild, so much so as to
rencler fires needless in parlors.
February was not cold; with the en-.
eeption OF lew days il was much like
It's predecessor.
March was cola and boisterous dur.
ing the early part OF the month: tie
remainder was mild. A great fresbe,t
occurred on tie Ohio and Kentucky
rivers, which caused a great loss az
property. 80. - -
April began warm, but grew colder
as the month advanced, and ended
with snow and a Temperature more
IKE winter than spring.
May was more favorable Tor frowrls
than smiles. Buds and fruits were
frozen; he formed an inch thick; corn
killed and fields again aud again re-
planted, until deemed too late
June was the coolest ever known in
TINS Latitude frost ice and snow were
common. Almost every green thing
was killed fruit nearly all DESTROYED
snow he'll to the depth of ten inches in
Vermont; seven ~ Maine: three In the
interior OF New York, and also in Mas,
saehusetts.. CONSIDERABLE damage was
done IN New Orleans, in CONSEQUENCE of
the RAPID rise OF the Mississippi river:
the suburbs were covered with
water, and the roads were pas.
sable only in boots. "a ffw
warm days" How eagerly did all
classes look for them in that memora-
pie cold time seventy summers ago,
IL was called dry season. But lstile
ram feil. The wind blew steadily from
the north cold and fierce. Mothers
knit extra socks and mittens for their
eflHdren m the spring, and wood piles
that usually disappeared during the
warm spell, m front of the houses,
were speedily built up again. Plant
ing and shivering rese done together,
and the farmers who worked out thsir
taAss on the country roads wore
overcoats ond mittens. In a town in
Vermont, a flock of sheep belonging
70 farmer had been sent, as usual.
70 their pasture. On the 18th OF
June a heavy snow fell, the cold Was
intense, and the owner started away
TO look for his sheep. Better start
the neighbors alter me soon. WIFE be
said ~ pest before leaving; being the
middle of June | might get lost
IN the snow. Night came, the storm
Increased, and he did not return. 1'hs
next morning the family sent out for
help, and started in search. One
after another of the neighbors
turned out to look for the missing
man. The snow had covered MP al
tracks, and not until the third day
did they find him. He was on thesids
OF bali, with both feet frozen, unable
to move. A farmer who had large
field OF corn in Tewkesbury near Low
ell, built fires around it at night tc
ward of the frost. MANI an evening
he and bis men took turns in watch
ing them. He was rewarded with the
only crop of eorn in the neighborhood.
Fears that the sun was cooling of
abounded. and all pienics were strictly
prohibited.
July was accompanied with frost
and ice, On the fifth, ice was formed OF
the thickness ofcommon windowgIass
throughout New England, New York
and some parts of Pennsylvania.
Indian corn was nearly destroyed;
somefayorably situated fields escaped.
This was true of some OF thehill farms
in Massachusetts,.
August was more cherries, If that
were possible, than the summer months
already passed. Ice was formed bali
an inch III thickness. Indian corn was
so frozen that the greater part was
cut down and dried for fodder; almost
erygreen thing was destroyed in
this country and in Europe. On the
30th SNOW iell at Barnet, forty miles
from London. Papers received from
England state ''that il would be re-
membered by the present generation
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 corn produced
m 1915 for seed IN the spring OF 1917.
II sold at from four to five dollars per
bushel
September furnished about two
weeks OF the miidest weather oil tina
season. Soon after the middle, il be,
came cold and frosty; ice formed a
quarter OF an inch in thickness.
October produced more than its
share of cold weather: frost and its
we're common. The summer and au,
tumn OF 1916. cold, rainy and unsen-
iai throughout Europe, was peculiar,
ly so IN France. Constant rain fell
during the months of July, August
and September. Butfor anabundant
crop Of potatoes, famine in ali its hor-
rors would have been thelot OF France.
The minister of the interior esieb-
lished granaries throughout the king
dom, where corn was sold 10 the des-
titute at a reduced price. Prices rose,
however, TO more than double, and
hundreds persisted OF actual want.
November was cold and clustering;
snow fell go as to make good sleighing.
On the 2Gth SNOW fell to the depth OF
four inches in the city Of Mexico.
December was mild and comfort
able.
The above is a brief summary ofthe
cold summer of 1916, as it was called,
in order to distinguish it from the win
ter. The winter was mild. Frost and
ice were conmoni every month OF
the year. Very little vegetation was
matured in the eastern and middle
states. The suns rays seemed to be
destitute of heat during the summer;
all nature seemed clad in sable hue,
and men exhibited no little anxiety
concerning the future of this life.
The average price OF -four during
the year in the New York market was
SI3 per barrel. The average price OF
wheat IN England was 95s. per quar-
ter. Bread riots occurred throughout
Great Britain in 1917, in consequence
of The high price of the staff OF liie.-
Boston Saturday Gazette.
A Story of Faith.
PhiIadelphia Call.