New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-13
WELCOME CHANGE IN VIEW
PROMISED RELIEF FROM HEAT
A RECORD OF 1873 DEATHS YESTERDAY
IN THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT.
GREAT NUMBER OF PRosTRATIoNs-THE HOT
TEST AUGUST l2-THE BUREAU OF VITAL
STATISTICS AND THE CORONERs

GREAT NUMBER OF PROsTRATTONs-THE HOT
TEST AUGUST l2-THE BUREAU OF VITAL
STATISTICS AND THE coRoNERs
OFFICE ovERwORKED.
The period of extreme neat which for the last
eight days has caused not only intense suffer
ING among the residents Of ;he metropolitan dis
trict. but deaths and prostrations by the scores
and hundreds. appears to be at an end. The
Weather Bureau promises cooler weather for the
next two or three days. and late last night the
mercury dropped several degrees. bringing
welcome indication of the fufment of the
prophecy. The heat was intense nearly all day.
however, as the long list of deaths and prostra-
tons resulting from it too plainly tells. In this
city there were 9S deaths and ;'22 proSiratons;
in Brooklyn. - deaths and 81 rrostrations; in
nearby New-Icrsey towns 5S deaths and 40
prostratioLs; in Long Island City. > deaths and
> prostrations. and in Westchcster County.
deaths and prostration-. Total for metropcii-
tan district Deaths 1SS. prostrations. 52S
The period Of extreme heat that during the
death has apparently come to end. II the
weather oflcals arr not mistaken. It's passing
was foreshadowed in The Tribune yesterday
morning and last night, at II O'Clock. the fol-
lowing dispatch was sent out from Washington:
vail all along the Atlantic coast from Virginia to
Southern New England for ~ next two or three
days WILLIS u. MOORE,
Chief of the Weather Bureau.
Almost before the prediction received it
had begun to BE- verified. The Thermometer at :
O'Clock last evening stood IT SS degrees. but at
II o'clock 1t had fallen to 80 degrees and was
still OF the downward course. At about sunset
too fresh breeze began to blow from the north
west which up OF the weather tower quickly
made itself felt. Away down in the streets
which had been baking for week. and where
the pavements were still throwing off accumu-
lated fervor. the change was slower in coming
but by midnight it had become noticeable. The
air had lost some of that sitting deadness which
has made sleep mockery for eight long days
and nights. ar: occasionally gust of the cool
breeze found it's way down between the high
buildings and famed the checks of the perspir-
ing pedestrians on the roofs Of the swelterng
tenemen. houses the sleepers. if there any
who slept awcke. and it is not too much to say
that they thanked God for the breaking of the
hot wave meant life to them and to many of
those for whom they cared.
All over the West the ali grew cooler in the
evening AZ Pttsburg, St Louis and Buffalo
there were thunderstorms that sent the ther
mometer down from twelve TO twenty-five de-
grees In all these cities and in Cleveland the
mercury fell to the seventies and the citizens
rejoced
HEAT RECORD AGAIN BROKEN.
Yesterday showed little sign OF the cool wave
that the weather prophets predicted on Tuesday
night was slowly approaching from the West
Ir fact Yesterday the hottest August II
ever recorded in this city and the thermometer
rost to an altitude that has been exceeded only
once in the period of the hot wave. Early in
the morning, before the sun rose bit OF
breeze sprung up but its sweet life was short
and lorc before noon it was apparent that the
cool wave would not come before evening. If 1t
came then. But this according to the pre-
dctons At | p. m. the mercury stood at -
degrees From this point its rise was rapid
until 3 o'clock when II reached the record fig
ures Of 81 degrees.
HUNDREDS OF DEATH CERTIFICATES
The eighth day of this terrible period broke
the record Of deaths for this city In the
tventy-four hours ending at noon yesterday
81, death certificates were filed with the Regis
due directly to the effects of the heat. Never
before in this city have so many death certif-
Gates been filed in twenty-four consecutive
hours and never before have so many deaths
from heat been recorded in the time.
In one day Of the week beginning July "a.
1892 there were 302 death certificates filed,
and 1O6 Of these showed death from heat.
THE filing Of certificates said the Register.
DR. Tracy Yesterday "is somewhat matter of
physical capacity Most of the time have
two clerks busy writing burial permits. They
can write so many permits and take in so many
certificates in twenty-four hours and no more.
Their full capacity is taxed now, and many
persons are waiting in line for permits most of
the time"
In the last four days there have been 2Oi GER
tifcates showing death from heat
DOUBLE WORK FOp CORONER CLERKS
The Coroners are buster than before. The
clerks are doing double work, and even Coroner
Fitzpatrick has been doing considerable clericdl
work lately Coroner HOeber is on his vacation.
His secretary. Joseph Cassner. was on duty for
thirty hours UP to noon yesterday. The four
Coroners' physicians are unable to keep up with
their work and many funerals are necessarily
delayed.
The hospitals sadly overworked all
through the long hos hours yesterday and last
night and several Of the nurses. worn out by
extra work and the heat, were obliged TO give
way to fresh attendants The ambulance ser
vice was so overtaxed tha- 1t had to be reinforced
BY patrol wagons from the various police sta
tons
DEATHS FROM THE HEAT