The San Francisco call., 1896-08-10
Prostrations So Numerous That
They Attract but Slight
Attention.
NOTHING LIKE IT ON RECORD.
Horses Drop Dead in the Streets, and
Foundries and Factories
Shut Down.

CHICAGO, ILL, Aug. 9.-In Chicago to-
day the heat, while not as intense as
yesterday, was almost unbearable. There
was respite in the morning, but it was
only temporary. A dull copperish sun
early sent thousands to the parks and on
excursions on Lake Michigan and to re-
sorts across the lake. About o'clock q
good breeze sprang up from the east. and
the temperature fell rapidly. This con.
dition obtained until II o'clock, wheE the
minimum temperature of the day rs, was
reached. The cooling zephyrs suddenly
died out about this hour, and the sun, un-
obscured by any clouds, soon increased
the torridity, until at O clock thermome-
ters registered 96. The fall from this time
was about one degree per hour, and at 10
o'clock the mercury was stationary at 80.
But one fatality was reported to-day
John Suits, day laborer, who was found
dead in his room on Fulton street. He is
supposed to have succumbed to the in
tense heat of last night. The fact that to-
day was Sunday was no doubt responsible
for the small number of prostratlons re-
ported. The weather man promises no
relief for at least twenty-tour hours.
Dispatches received from various points
throughout the country show that no
point is exempt from the torrid weather.
AT Elgin, ILL.,, yesterday son of Mrs.
Loretta Mott died of prostration. Gerald
McChesney died from sunstroke, and Mrs.
J. ]. Hartman was stricken down and will
die.
For three days the mercury has scared
above 100 at Evansville, Ind, and two
deaths have resulted. at Kansas City 102
was reached, the highest point since the
bureau was opened, eight years ago. The
place of observation is the breeziest point
in the city. On the streets it was many
degrees warmer. Despite the intense heat
few prostrations were reported. At An
derson, Ind, there was intense suffering
among the men in the nail factories.
There we're three prostrations in the city.
Dispatches from Alton, Hillsboro,
Springfield and Belvedere, H., indicate
the hottest weather on record. Outdoor
work has been suspended at all these
points.
Vegetation is being burned by the heat
and in many localities water famine is
threatened. The Wabash Railway officials
tenn pending the heated term. At Alton
the mercury ranged from 105 to liz in the
shade. Milan, Mo-, reported LOG in the
shade and much mortality among ami
mails. Horses dropped dead in the streets,
and only absolutely necessary work was
done. ALI records were broken at Jeffer-
son, Iowa, when the thermometer indi-
Gated 106 in the shade at o'clock. At Tif-
fin. Ohio, Henry Downey, an aged
and wealthy farmer, was overcome
by the heat. AT Peoria, Illi-
nois, Charles Sockman. fisherman, and
Forest Hoffman, laborer, were pr os-
trated. At Valparaiso, Ind, there were
half dozen persons stricken down. At
Des Moines, Iowa, record of 90 in the
shade was reached and two fatalities were
reported. At Milwaukee, Rudolph Salo-
mon, treasurer of the Ernest Solomon
Commission Company, was struck by q
bolt OF lightning and instantly killed.
The thunder-shower in which Salomon
lost his life came in the middle of one OF
the hottest days of the year. At Spring
field, ILL.,, the day was the hottest of the
year, the maximum temperature being 9s
deg, while street thermometers regis
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