The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16
4 hot WAVE
Fatal Effect of the TOrrid Sun
in the West.
A Score Of People Killed in Chi
cago---Many Prostrations.

DlSpaCcneS IrOIu Ine w eSG give Cne 1OllOW'
ing particulars in regard to the terrible effect
Of the recent torrid spell: Chicago. Ill.
For nearly a week Chicago has been the
centre of an immense oven, which extended
from the Missouri River to the Ohio and
from British Columbia to Pensacola. Moist.
ure has filled the air to an abnormal degree,
and made life almost unbearable.
One hundred and sixty-nine persons were
sunstruck in the city in one day. Although
1t was Sunday, over fifty persons fell. Many
Of the victims cannot live A man named
Phinehaldt was sitting on a fence when he
;yas Frustrated The fall broke his neck.
There are over 300 cases of sunstroke in
the hospitals and all the morgues of the city
have the dead bodies Of unknown victims OF
the heat. Thousands Of people rushed to
the lake and the parks but the heat there
was almost as intense as in the downtown
districts. The thermometer at ten o'clock al
night registered eighty degrees.
There was no breeze The leaves of the
trees drooped listlessly, and owing to the
heavy moisture in the air noises were unusu
ally distinct.
It was sticky, sitting night, with tht
Thermometer at eighty-four degrees at mid
night. There was no solid rest for anybody,
In the densely populated districts of the city
the suffering was intense. Thousands did
not 20 to bed at all. The others rolled and
tossed and grumbled upon their beds unit
daylight came.
When the sun came up next morning
there was but little breeze and what there
was came from the south and was like puffi
from blast furnace. Thousands Of people
who thought they had reached the limit oi
endurance were compelled to suffer even
more. The sun hung like copper ball and
b1o,o3 nth f,1ru that hos Yot haan aYOn
rienced since the Sunday three years ago
when over 100 persons were killed by ths
heat. The mercury climbed steadily until
big Thermometers in the street registered 10z
degrees.
Streams Of coatless and hatless men
hugged the shady side Of the dry and dusty
buildings while horses wearing straw hats
upon their heads toiled through the streets
The heat In the streets was intolerable: In
sweep pedestrians staggered, toppled over or
clung to anything for support. A ther
moneter which faced the sun on the Wells
street viaduct at 3 o'clock marked 118 de-
grecs. Two horses attached to a Mason
street car fell over at Fifth avenue about
coon. In all parts of the city horses were
killed by the heat.
Policemen, with their faces burned to the
brims of their helmets, were forced to leave
their corners and seek shelter. Now and
then patrol wagon or ambulance, carrying
q white-sheeted victim Of the heat, rolled
past.
At Clark and Madison streets horse fell
dead upon the crossing. On Randolph street,
near Dearborn, and unknown man fell in a
stream of pedestrians and was carried away.
Every foot of shade in the city was occupied
by sweltering men and women. Hundreds
lay upon the grass about the Government
buildings and under the trees in Washington
Park.
Twelve hours Of such heat was enough te
embarrass the well-hlled hospitals and
moreues. Frank Kronlick fell dead al
Seventh street about 10 o'clock in the morn.
Ing. A few moments later Engineer Ed.
ward Griffin, Of tae Pan Handle Railroad,
toppled out of his cab at the round house,
and before doctor could reach him he was
dead.
n. Wentford was struck down by the
sun just as he was leaving his boarding
house. Men who ran to raise him found
him dead He had been out Of doors less
than minute. Patrick Shea's dead body
was dragged from one Of the cattle shutes
at Fowler's packing house, where he had
died after being prostrated by the heat.
William Moore was picked up unconscious
at Randolph and Clark streets. Two little
children named Anfeld and Debary were
Killed by the sun. Assistant Fire Inspector
Gillian, Of the fire patrol, was struck dead at
Clark and Madison streets at o'clock at
night, Just as the streets were filed with
people returning from their work.
In all there were eighteen deaths and
eighty-flve prostrations from the heat In
Chicago, and over 300 dead horses were
dragged away by the health officers.
A dispatch from st. Louis, Mo-, says: The
warm weather which has prevailed in this
city for a week past was checked somewhat
during the afternoon by a shower, which
cooled OFF the atmosphere to a con-
siderable extent; but there is
still great deal Of suffering,
as Immediately after the rain the clouds dis
persed and the sun sent the thermometer up
to the 100 degree mark again. The list of
prostrations numbered thirty-one, eight re-
sulting fatally. Up to II o'clock at night
eleven prostrations were reported, two OF
them fatal.
The heated term still continues at Cincin-
natl. There have been from three to six
prostrations from heat each day. about
one-sourth of them fatal. The most
marked effect is in the increased
death rate of children. Of thirty
eight deaths reported, twenty-six were Of
children under two years OF age. Their
deaths are from various causes, not sun
suroke, but evidently their ailments vera
affected by the extreme heat.
At II o'clock in the morning the mercury
stood at ninety-four degrees at Louisville,
XIV. but an hour later it had fallen two
points. A cool breeze at the rate OF nine
miles an hour is blowing. Thirteen persons
were Frustrated by the heat. but only one
case has proved fatal. Since the heated