The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-18
Cost of the Hot Wave.

Radical departures from normal condi-
tions are pretty sure to be accompanied
by more or less disastrous results. Thus
it was in the case of the recent hot
wave. The heat was much above the nor
NAL over large area of country, parcn-
ing vegetation and necessitating in some
instances a cessation of business. and
hence necessarily involving direct or in
direct losses. of property as we'll as OF
life. The numerous fatalities from the
heat have already been commented upon.
and viii not be considered in this article.
the purpose Of which is to touch upon the
pecuniary losses caused by the hot wave.
In May and June certain cotton experts
estimated that the cotton crop of this year
would approximate 100000 bales. and
sales of futures were made upon that
basis. In our dispatches of yesterday a
cotton expert of Denison, Tex, expressed
the opinion that the crop will be under
/ 100000 bales. This estimate may be a
/ little out OF the way, but it is conceded
/ that the crop will be much short of early
/ estimates. Suppose the shortage should be
/ 800 bales, at even cents pound, or $50
a bale, that would mean a loss of nearly
! $io,OOOOoO to the south. And the extreme
~ hot weather is the chief factor in the
deterioration Of the condition of the grow
ing cotton. 1t cannot be estimated with
any degree of accuracy what the losses
on other crops injured by the hot weather
amount to. but 1t is safe to say that are
somewhere in tho millions.
The New York Herald makes a careful
calculation Of the losses sustained in the
city of New York, and places the fig
uros at nearly 100000. divided at fol-
lows: Retail dry goods stores $3.50, 500;
wholesale and retail butchers $685.. 500;
! green grocers $4,000; milk companies $50
600; hotels and restaurants 1880; candy
manufacturers $685. 900; bicycle trade $l2s.-
900; estimate on general trade and varl-
Gus industries 100000. These losses are
all accounted for reasonably and logical
". The only businesses that were not ad-
| versely affected were those of the ice
dealers and the dispensers of cooling
drinks. They had exceptional runs of
trade, and coined money. 1t is calculat-
| ed that $4,000 tons of ice were used in
New York in six days. That quantity of
ice in a solid mass would make a
block measuring 100 feet on each side. or
soft drinks" it is estimated that zoo, 900
gallons were served and drank in week.
Philadelphia's loss was very heavy, an
estimate placing it at not less than 81. 800
600. St Louis suffered worse than the
City of Brotherly Love, the loss there be-
ing considered much greater than the loss
by the great tornado of a short while ago.
For seventeen days the city sweltered
and stores and mills were closed. practi-
cally. Chicago's loss is estimated at $500
900 to $lO,OOOOOO. AS in ST. Louis, mercan-
tile and manufacturing establishments
were closed. and everybody who could pos
sibly do so left town for the seaside or the
mountains.
In all of the cities named, and others.
! there We're heavy losses through the death
Of horses and mules, and in Chicago and
Kansas City of many head of cattle. In
the western country there were many
deaths of cattle and live stock. even in
/ the country districts through the failure
of water supplies. All told. the hot wave
was a scourge, the like of which. han
PLY. is seldom experienced in this coun-
try.
! Ii Hung Chang has written some noe