The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-01-18
70 DEGREES ABOVE.
The Oldest Inhabitsnt has Retired to
Private life.

Saturday morning, January IL,
1890, will go down In history on the
weather docket as an extreme
exception in this particular lati-
tIde. Here, where in former
times during the month of January
the mercury ranged from 10 to 20 de-
grees below zero, people growing
about chilblains, frozen ears, coal
bills and coughs, We found on this
particular day, January II, 1890, the
mercury standing at % degrees above
zero! 1t seems almost incredible, yet
facts are stubborn things"
Alshuler, the clothing merchant, all
the afternoon yesterday had hanging
on IA wire frame at the front OF his
store-not heavy fur overcoat, lined
with lambs wool, but simply two
linen busters, with Il straw hat on
top of each. Farmers stopped and
locked at them, and in several in
stances went into Hapeman n
Graham's and bought calendar TO
see what month it was.
w. l.. Rigden went down to the
river, took hand-sein and caught a
lot of minnows, and, with all the as
surancc of 7-year-old boy in June,
placed one at time on a hook, and
caught seven tine pike,
A reporter met Warren Riale and
asked him for a local. Mr.. Riale said
he had no objections to advertising on
any other day, but he was going home
to spade his gardeu-he wanted 10
get an early crop of potatoes and
green corn" He was in his shirt
sleeves, and wore June hat and a
pair of Isle thread gloves.
George Haight sat in his Office with
the windows up, and was tanning
himself with dust-pan. The re-
porter asked him how he was getting
along since his attack of the grip.
Grip" said George. 81 never had
the grip-I vi home spading up a
lettuce bed
Joe Megatiin, when the reporter
went in, was overhauling a lot of satin
slippers. Il tell YOU" said Joe, III
this weather keeps on in this way, I'll
have to get rid of these slippers. they
are just what you want for a lawn
party"
When the reporter went into Louie
Hess bakery he found Louie down
cellar arranging his ice-cream freezerS.
He was decidedly in favor, he said, of
planting an early crop of ice cream,
and he also stated that he had had a
dozed calls for it during the day. Be-
ing questioned as to the demand for
cream at this season, he said he had
made arrangements with Col. Evans
for an electric freeZer-one that would
freeze the cream in chunks, so that a
family could pack it away and use 1t
at their leisure, and he could sell 1T
by the bushel or in blocks a yard
square.
Hall, the restaurant man, has sent
back his winter oysters and ordered
two tons of summer bivalves.
The ice men are the happieSt set OF
fellows living-thOse who have a stock
on hand, and the Others, who are
waiting for the river or canal to
freeze, are wild.
w. X. Stewart worked all day on
screen doors, and Lutz & Briggs ask
every customer who came in if they
would have a glass of soda-water.
J. NJ. French, the hat man, with
his clerks, was overhauling sun UNI
brellaS, and A. Frank, at Oak Hall,
sold two mosquito-bars.
At Il. Y. Griggs' Dode Yentzer was
busy all day making their celebrated
fly paper.
One farmer reported on the streets
that his hOney-beeS had worked out
doors every day this winter bare
footed.
The reporter called on Gus Kneussl
and asked him for local. Said Gus
"I'm going over to the mineral spring
to take cold bath. Come in when 1t
gets a little cooler"
r. j. Jordan bought one OF
Alshuler's linen busters, and sold
three gasoline stoves for summer
kitchen use.
II. J. Gillen put out heavy, fine
winter cloak and marked it $3. They
wanted something thinner.
The minstrel troupe paraded the
streets in spring OvercOats, and Perry
at Fiske & Beem'S, build hat-rack
to display straw hats on.
j. Il. Scott & Co. were selling palm
leaf fans at half price.
Taking everything into considera
ton, yesterday was day seldom II
ever duplicated in this latitude
mercury 70 degrees above--simply a
comfortable summer day. If we are
not living on borrowed time, and the
winter is yet to come, the poor man
can stand it., at least. The wealthy
are abundantly able to.