Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-10
rHs AWFUL HEAT.
How Wilmington stood the Hottest
bay of abe Year.


The delightful weather which pre-
vailed on Sunday was broken Tuesday,
when the mercury gradually climbed up
until ii reached a maximCm or 81 about
2 O'Clock. There was little breeze and
after sunset it nearly sll died away. The
evening WAS warm aud every ono who
did not have q porch to sit on, went out
on the sidewalks or be9ide open windows.
During the night the Thermometer
ranged through the eighties and reached
a minimum Of 75' or 73o in the coolest
parts OF the city. The night was clear
aud beautiful, but with no air stirring
resiful sloep was difficult to obtain, and
this morning dawned hot and still, with
every indication Of the warmest day of
the HeeBon.
This had been predicted by the weather
bureau and warning also given OF the
gradual approach Of the torrid wave
which for the past few weeks has been
central over Dakota, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin and Illinois, aud which Frustrated
hundreds of people in Chicago. 1t was
the arrival OF the edge Of this wave which
sent the temperature crawling up Mon
dny.
Up to 10 O'Clock ON Tuesday morning
there was scarcely breath of air stirring
and "Old Sol" seemed prepared to ful-
fill all the predictions. At 0 o'clock
the GAzErTEs Thermometer Bregistered
95o; al 10 O'Clock 96o /; and then despite
the little bretzs which sprung mp from
the southwerd, climbed to 97' at IL
o'clock. The breeze freBhened as the day
wore on, and the heat increased. At IL
O'Clock the GAzETIE's Thermometer had
reached 95' and at ] O'Clock ii was go.
Many thermometers in the city registered
q still higher temperature, but none were
lover.
The intense heat caused stagnation in
all lines of business, except that OF sup
plying ice 10 the sweiterirg people OF
the city. Men kept TO the snady sids Of
the street and many showed their good
sense by carrying sun umbrellas. erks
and aRlesmsn lounged around the doors
OF the stores and waited langu ally on an
occaBional customer. OF the city offices
the tax ofi,e had tine most 10 do. Bnsl-
nees was rather stsgpRnt in tue others,
Particularly at the Water Department,
where as early as 3 80 all the clerks had
adjourned to the open sir at the back
door, where with coats ard vests of they
sleepily read the newspapers.
Chief Engineer Robinson of the fire
department was overcome by the heat at
his stable at IL O'Clock Tuesday morning
and would have fallen had not help been
at hand. He had just strength to ask a
man near by to look nftor his horse and
the next moment WAS Frustrated. Gold
lotions to his head coon brought him
around and he was able to walk home.
Mrs. Thomas Robinson, OF No. 1926
Madison street was overcome with the
heat at noon white ironing and is In q
critical condition.
The heat in tine various shops and fno-
tories is almost intoIerable. Many work
men did not return TO work after going
home Of noon, fearful of the results OF
working in the sitting atmosphere of the
works.
At2 o'clock, the GAzETTE's standard
thermometer, which ia so located as to
record as nearly possible the normal tenn
perature, uninfuenoed by refraction OF
the direct rays of the sun. reached the
rarely attained altitude OF 1902