Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-18
SICKNESS FROM HEAT.
Pittsburgers Suffered Intensely From
Another Fiery Day.
RAIN BRINGS COOLER PROSPECTS.
A Traveller Recommends Heavy Hats to
Keep Off the Suns Rays.
DRINK WATER DILUTED WITH COFFEE

lhO, OhnO piOfOu1cu u IOr6ClOSuT6 ny his
Highness Fahrenheit yesterday, were the
gentle breezes that continued blowing all
day and the sudden shower about noon. Al
though the thermometer registered a few de-
grees lower than on Monday and Tuesday,
the heat and humid atmosphere were nearly
suffocating. The suffering of man and beast
previous to the slight fall of rain was ex-
tremely intense.
Mounting to the cave of Eolus at the top
of the Schmidt building, Sergeant Stewart
was found silently sweltering amid streams
of slowing escaping perspiration. The tenn
perature during the day ranged from 72o at
o'clock in the morning to S915o about 8
o'clock. The effect of the shower at noon
was most marked. The temperature at IL
M was $50, but at 1890 the sensitive substance
had hied itself downwards to 7so, a fall of
ten degrees. With this slight change it
slowly mounted in the maximum and at 8
yesterday evening the murcury regis
tered $50.
But the figures furnished by the signal
service department. by no means indicated
the heat which men and beasts had to en-
dure. The observations are taken from one
of the highest elevations in the city, and the
mean average temperature at that height
is usually from two to five degrees lower
than that on the pavement. Breezes may be
making life endurable at the tops of the
signal station, but down on the crowded
thoroughfares little or no air pene-
trates. The reflected heat from
the pavements and glass fronts held
in by the narrow streets, and the full rays of
the sun beating down on the heads of the
jostling crowds make life simply burden.
Said Mr.. Stewart: eve speak of 900 in the
shade when we ought to speak of 1000 in the
sun, when men and women have to work
and toll"
1t Showed Only in One Spot.
The representations of the signal service
and the prayers of perspiring humanity were
in part answered by the sudden squirt which
was made at a rain yesterday noon. Black,
angry looking clouds had been seen hover
ing over the city for several
before summer e storm, torn, the heat was ex,
tremely oppressive. This condition of
things was the very opposite of what had
been predicted by Sergeant Stewart at II
weather prophets, he still proclaimed cooler
weather and occasional showers to be the
schedule for the day.
Without any warning the clouds suddenly
gathered for a grand center rush, and his
predictions were verified by cooling
shower and most agreeable come-down in
the temperature. The strange part of it,
however, was that the rain only fell down
town in Pittsburg, and Allegheny and the
East End were left dry as ever.
But hopes are ever blasted and the life of
The shower was but short lived and the sun
was soon shining down with its accustomed
brilliancy and terrific intensity. From till
$3.50 P. M. things waxed hotter and still hotter.
Ought to Wear Heavy Hats.
As the all-absorbing question at present is
the heat, how to keep cool and avoid sun
stroke, an intelligent Frenchman who has
lad Ia
remarks yesterday that may prove profit
able
"In Africa" he said, "the natives reverse
and the feet warm. Instead of wearing
light hats, their covering for the
head weighs eight pounds. The heavy
material keeps the sharp rays of the
this country, the rage Is to buy straw hats,
and you might as well have no protection
on the Uranium at all: The straw fails to
comes like a bakeoven. The best hat for
summer is black, ordinary derby, and 1
would advise people to continue the use of
their winter hats They may be little
deadly rays of the sun.
'Of course, everybody has been taught
that 1t is not good plan to drink ice water
to reason when suffering bodily discomfort
The water should be warmer than the sur
temperature. In Arabia on the hot
quantity of boiled coffee in mug and fill it
up with hot water. The drink makes you
perspire freely for short time, but it soon
passes away, and cool refreshing effect fol-
lows. The coffee takes away the insipid
taste of the water, makes the decoction
slightly bitter, and it acts as an excellent
tonic"
List of Yesterdays Sufferers.
George Connolly, of Carnegie works, on |
Thirty third street, is in dangerous condi- !
ton as the result of a sunstroke.
John Gleason was overcome while at |
work. He is a baggage master at the South |
side Panhandle depot.
William Harris, an employe of Oliver |
Bros. 8 Phillips South Fifteenth street |
mill, was overcome by the heat yesterday |
home at Thirteenth and Muriel streets by |
patrol wagon No. Z. His condition is not Sc |
rious.
Work in the mills progressed about as on
Monday and Tuesday, the men working ON |
half time and with an average of two to
three heats among the puddlers. A con-
number of cases of sick
ness and death were reported yesterday.
They were partly the result of the previous
lays heat. Cramps, cholera morbus, 'dizzi-
ness, summer complaints among children
md men were numerous, and several sun
strokes are reported.
The Allegheny City Health Department
lad 81 deaths reported since Monday morn
ng. They were mostly of children under
i've years.
Harry Hooper, five months old child, liv-
ng at 80 Eighteenth street, died of cholera
and Mary Hurley, aged four
months, Carson and South Third streets, died
If convulsions.
Henry Moffit, teamster of the Solar Iron
" orks, who was prostrated Tuesday, died
in West Penn Hospital. He leaves
wife and two children.
Patrolman Brobeck, of Wagon No. Z, lost
lis one-year-old child from heat.
Hiram Rosenbloom, on Tunnel street, died
rom heat prostration.