Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-08-14
BRATTLEBORO.
G. W. PIERCE,
j. L. KHowLToE,
II. i. MEATHERHEAD.

1t is expected that Charles Emory Smith,
editor of the Philadelphia Press and ex-
minister to Russia, will speak at Repub-
lican rally in Brattleboro about Aug. 25.
The excessive heat of last Sunday caused
the fire alarm wire on Elm street to expand
and sag until it crossed another wire caus-
ing a stroke of the bell and repeated blasts
from the Estey gong. Electrician Niles
climbed the pole to tighten the wire and
at every step the movement of the pole
caused another blast to be sounded.
Brattleboro, in common with all the
central and eastern parts of the country,
has suffered from a week of almost UMPIRE
cedentedly hot weather. The thermome-
ter ran high for two weeks previous to last
Friday, but since that time there has been
a record breaking squirt, with no sign of
relaxation until last night, when there was
a slight drop in the temperature, which
was followed by a rainfall this morning
The daily mean average of the tempera-
ture for the week ending last night was ex-
actly 80 degrees, while for five consecutive
days the mercury was above the 90 mark in
the shade. These figures alone give little
idea of the situation, as the mean relative
humidity for the several days was SO to 81,
and there was little movement of air, the
highest velocity of the wind being u miles
an hour. There have been no cases of
complete prostration in town so far as re-
ported, but in all the cities of the country
there has been great suffering. In New
York city for the six days ending Wednes-
day night there were AGO deaths which
were attributed to the intense heat, the
number Monday being 146, Tuesday 121,
Wednesday lis. In Boston, Providence
and other places many people were over
come by the heat, and the death record
from this cause was remarkably large. In
New Yotk city there has been no heat
record comparable with this since July,
1872.
The first serious runaway accident this
season occurred Tuesday forenoon, in
which one man had a leg broken and
two wagons were demolished. Luke Fer
riter's express team was hitched by an
iron weight in front of Galvin's store. The
horse was annoyed by the flies and the
heat and in stepping about got one foot
over the tie line and began backing down
the hill. Eli Taft stood near and at
tempted to straighten out matters when
the horse made sudden plunge forward,
knocked Taft down, stepped upon and
broke his left leg above the knee. Mr..
1aIL WAS also lnJuT6u ABOUT IHe CHEST ana
head. The tie line broke and the horse
ran up Main street, lodging teams until it
got as far as Harris place, where it ran
into Clarence Whitman's milk wagon.
Both wagons were overturned. The UNI
brella and seat of Ferriter's wagon were
broken off and as the horse turned in at
Williston street the wagon came in con-
tact with a tree and the thills were smashed.
The horses pace was not slackened, how
ever, until it reached the barn. Whit
mans wagon had a canopy top, which was
broken off and the wagon was otherwise
smashed so as TO be of little further ser
vice. Two dozen or more milk cans were
strung along the road as far as George
S. Dowley's house, where the horse turned
in and was caught Mr.. Taft was taken
to George Z. Greene's drug store, where
Drs. Miller and Gregg bound up the
wounded limb, and he was carried to his
home at the extreme end of South Main
street, and the broken bone set. Mr..
Taft is nearly 10 years old and is without
means of support. Much sympathy is ex-
pressed for him in his misfortune.