Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-19
AN AWFUL INCREASE.
The Very Hot Weather Causes an
Unusually Large Death Rate.
INFANTS SUFFERING THE MOST.
Superintendent Baker Takes Steps to
Cleanse the City.
RELIEF TO BE GAINED FROM RECORDS

Eighty-six degrees was the highest point
reached yesterday. A good wind was blow
ing, yet it was one of those days which
would drive men to try their chances in an
other world, were it not for the faint hope
that, somewhere within the weary waste Of
years to come, some method may be found
by which the powers of the sun can be
curbed at will. A glance over the signal
service records for the past 20 years also
serves to soften the present condition. On
July 9, 1876, the thermometer indicated a
temperature of l0l degrees, and it has done
the same since, on July 49, 1878, and on July
II, 1857. The hottest day on record
was July TO- 1881, when the mer
curry, in its ardent worship of
the sun god lovingly kissed the marks at 1892
With such record mere matter of $50 is
not regarded as anything. The only fear is
that history will repeat itself later on.
Yesterday morning there was a rainfall of
"a of an inch. Between o'clock and it
showered continually and again between II
and 12 o'clock another slight shower blessed
the earth but disappeared almost as rapidly
as II fell. At o'clock yesterday morning
the records showed 72o. Ats this was in
creased to 75o, and four hours later it was TO.
At O'Clock the maximum was reached, and
an hour later it had dropped one degree.
Spiced With Dash of Rain.
From that on the drop was continual At
7:30 one of the hardest rains of the year
poured down until the streets ran like rivers
and pedestrians ran like mad. 1t did not last
over three-quarters of an hour, but the
ground was thoroughly drenched and like
wise everyone exposed to the rains fury.
Owing to the suddenness of the storm but
few people were prepared, and men and
women could be seen scurrying in all direc-
tions. People on the street cars rode away
past their homes rather than get out and
breast the storm. One plucky woman on
Pleasant Valley car, however, tried 1T at
Lacock and Anderson streets. She started
to run, but the rain blinded her and she fell
in the middle of the street, while between
the dashes of rain was presented a scene of
of f1uttering white and struggling arms. In
the parks the avenues were filled with water,
and crouching under one tree could be seen
solitary man clutching an umbrella in one
hand and his lady companion with the other.
Another storm followed in the half hour
which preceded II o'clock. During this one
similar scenes were presented, but no one
minded them because the air had assumed
quality of GOODNESS that was positively re-
freshing.
At the same hour that the first storm swept
over the downtown portion OF the city and
Allegheny, the East End was visited by
very peculiar storm. The rain area seemed
to cover the East End leaving Soho and
Hazelwood dry. In the East End the rain
fell in torrents, flooding cellars and sewers,
while in Soho and Hazelwood there was not
a drop to moisten the earth.
Notwithstanding the fact that only $50
was registered at the Signal Service Bureau,
down on the streets the mercury was max
ing calls among the nineties with disastrous
effect to the public health. Deaths are being
reported at the Bureau of Health almost as
rapidly as during the grip siege There is
remarkable death rate among the infants
and aged people, and most of it is traceable
to the heat. So far this month there have
been $50 deaths reported, while for the en-
tire month of June last year there were
sos deaths recorded.
An Awful Increase in Mortality.
For the week ending last Sunday night
the number of deaths recorded in Pittsburg
was lO7. Of these IS died in the old city,
while in the East End 43 were recorded.
Twenty-four died on the Southside and IL in
the various institutions. There were II
single people among the number and 26 mar
ried people. OF the entire number 80 were
under year of age, q under 10 years of age,
10 each between the ages of 80 and 40 and go
and 20. Four of the number were so years
of age.
Eight deaths were the result of convulsions
caused by heat, from meningitis, 19 from
diseases of the digestive. organs, from
whooping cough, from dlphtherla, from
spinal fever, l from Group, 8 from bronchitis,
from pneumonia and from various heart
troubles.
So far this week 90 deaths have been re-
ported. Seven were caused by cholera in
fantum; pneumonia, Z; commissions, g; heat,
3; cholera morbus, i, and cerebrospinal
meningitis, g.
In order to prevent any inroads against
the health of the city, Superintendent Baker
is making every effort to have the city in
perfect order. He believes much harm is
iaiiy 9 those IL e which drop portions Of their
loads along the streets. Yesterday he had
four violators of the health laws arrested.
They were Stephen Travis. Sol Ellis,
colored drivers of garbage wagons for
an East End refuse company. They
have been driving wagons loaded with gar
bage through the streets, and the wagons
being in bad condition their contents leaked
out and ran over the pavements, creating
stencil that was not only unhealthful but
unbearable. The defendants will have
hearing before Alderman Richards.
In the mills yesterday the heat was still SO
great that many of the Lawrenceville and
Southside factories had to close down. Over
in Allegheny Mayor Mclaughlin, of the
Health Bureau, is taking every precaution
to prevent disease. Yesterday he fined six
people for maintaining nuisances; He has
also ordered the residents of Butchers Run
to clean up their premises.
Victims of Too Much Sun.
Millet Weston, a laborer, who lives in Mill
vale, was overcome by. heat yesterday after
He was removed into a house nearby and re-
ceived medical attention. Last evening he
was taken to his home. His condition is not
serious.
David Davis, the well-known Southside
citizen, is slowly recovering from an attack
of nervous prostration caused by the exces-
sive heat.
William Thomas, a Southside contractor,
was overcome by heat early yesterday after
noon while driving along Sarah street, near
South Twenty-second street. He was taken
to q house nearby and physician called,
who pronounced his condition serious.
Later in the day he recovered sufficiently to
be taken to his home on Spring street,
Twenty-seventh ward.
During yesterday afternoon Henry Bleech-
ler, of East street, visited the Allegheny De-
hnquent Tax Collectors office. One named
Greer, who presides there, was wiping the
streams OF sweat that sprung from that
portion of his head where the hair had per-
sistently refused to grow. At the same time
he was anXiously watching the tide of mer-
curry as it flowed higher and higher in the
tube.
That's where you make your mistake"
exclaimed Mr.. B1eechler. 81 have always
made it a rule never to look at a theremom-
eter either in hot or cold weather, and in
that way maintain about an even temper
ature. If a man knows that the tempera-
ture is below zero he suffers more than if he
did not know it. In the same way the man
who holds a fan in one hand and thermom-
eter in the other adds at least five degrees
to the temperature through worry. If you
would throw that pesky instrument out the
window it would do you more good than to
take dip in a barrel of ice water"