Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-07-11
A YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER.

Remarkable Weather Experienced in the
United States During 1S1G.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Almost every one has heard of the
terrible dark year in the early part OF
the present century While every one
is speaking of the present season as be-
ing remarkable in its characteristics, !
have gathered for your readers some
reliable facts of the year 1916, known as
the Year Without a Summer" Few
persons now living can recollect it; but
it was the coolest ever known through
out Europe and America. The follow
ing is a brief abstract of the weather
during the year:
January was mild-so much so AS to
render fires almost needless is parOrs
Dece Il Der previous was very cold.
February was not very cold; with the
exception of few days it was mild like
its predecessor.
March was cold and boisterous dur
ing the first part of it; the remainde +
was mild. A great freshet on the Ohio
and Kentucky rivers caused great loss
of property.
April began warm, but grew colder
as the month advanced, aud ended in
snow and ice, with a temperature more
like winter than spring.
Nav was more remarkable for frOw
than her smiles. Buds and flowers
were frozen: ice formed half an inch
thick: corn was killed, and the fields
were again and again planted until
deemed too late.
June was the coolest ever known in
this latitude. Frost, ice, and snow
were common. Almost every green
l.; 4
DESTROYED. Snow fell to the depth of
ten inches in Maine, and three inches
in New York, and also in Massachusetts.
Considerable damage was done at New
Orleans, in consequence of the rapid
rise of the river; the suburbs were GOV
cred with water, and the roads were
only passable in boats. |
July was accompanied with-frOst and
ice. On the 9Th ice was formed OF the
thickness of common window glass
throughout New Englan nd, New York
and some parts of Pennsylvania In
dian corn was nearly all destroyed.
Some favorably situated fields escaped.
This was true of some of the hill farms
in Massachusetts,.
August was more cheerless, if posi-
BILE, than the summer month already
passed. Ice was formed half an inch
thick. Indian corn was so frozen that
the greater part of it was cut down and
cured for fodder. Almost every green
thing was destroyed, both in this coun-
try and Europe. Pa Oeis receive from
Europe stated that it would be remem-
bered by the present generation that
the year 1916 was year in which there
was no summer. Very little corn ripen-
ed in New England and the Middle
States. Farmers supplied themselves
from the corn produced in 1915 for the
seed of the spring of 1917. 1t sold at
from 81 to So per bushel.
September furnished about two weeks
of the mildest weather of the season.
Soon after the middle it became very
cold and frosty, and ice formed a quar-
ter of an inch thick.
October produced more than it's share
of cold weather-frost and ice abund-
antly.
November was cold and blustery
Enough snow fell to make good sleigh
ing.
December was qnite mild and com
Portable.
The above is a brief summary of the
cold summer of 1916, as it was called to
distinguish it from the cold seasons.
The winter was mild. Frost and ice
were common in every month of the
year. Very little vegetation matured
in the Eastern and Middle States The
SUMS rays seemed to be destitute of
heat through the summer; ali nature
seemed to be clad in sable hue. and
men were anxious concerning future
life. The average price of the flour in
the Philadelphia market during that
year was $13 per barrel The average
price of wheat in England was 81 shil-
lings per quarter. Prices now and then
are wide apart, but the GOODNESS of the
seasons run close together. May 1894
though cold to date, be not a year
without a summer J. X. r.