Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-11
A VERY HOT SABBATH
MERCURY RUNS HIGH AND THE
HEAT MOST OPPRESSIVE.
PEOPLE HAVE TO LEAVE HOUSES
Many Take TO Their Yards or House-
Tops 10 Slcep-TwO Deaths from
sons Overcome.


meter registered higher thar it
has done recently, the Oldest citizens here
fail to recall a more oppressive period
since 1876 than the past two weeks have
constituted.
| This sweltering season has by no means
confined itself to Richmond. but has
swept over the entire scope Of country
| east Of the Mississippi. In New York
| Philadelphia, Plttsburg, Baltimore, Wash
ington, and the other big cities Of the
| East, and in Chicago, Detroit. Indiana
polls. Cincinnati. and the Middle West
ern cities, there have been many deaths
! from sunstrokc-dozens having been re-
| ported in New York on Sunday. Rich
mond has been more fortunate than these
places in this respect, although the Their
mometer here has registered just as high
| as it has i'm most of the cities mentioned.
| Only q few deaths from sunstroke have
been reported here. OF course, some per-
| sons have been overcome by the heat,
| and in one or two cases their prOstra-
! tons were Of a serious nature. a great
many aged people have passed away
since the hot spell set in, and the effects
Of the weather have been demOralizing
10 business generally, save at the ice
cream saloons and saltwater stores.
There was a slight Improvement in the
weather yesterday. While the thermome-
ter stood at So degrees at 8 o'clock and
30 degrees at 9, at Il. NJ. IT registered
lO1 degrees in front of the Dispatch
building. About two hours later little
wind-storm passed over the city and IL
| looked as II there would be some rain.
The winds cooled off the narched city
considerably, and I'm less than az hour
there was a fall Of 10 degrees in the
temperature.
SUNDAY A SCORCHER.
Sunday was a frightfully hot day all
over the country. 1T Is doubtful II the
American people east Of the Mississippi
ever felt more oppressive and exhaust
ing day. 1t was a matter Of impossihility
to get comfortable unless one had an
electric fan over his head all the time.
Many hundreds of people went TO the
seaside on the excursions. but even these
did not spend a comfortable day by any
means AT $3.50 o'clock In the afternoon
the thotmometer in front of the Dispatch
building. with a little shade falling on II,
registered 100 degrees, while the Their
mometer in the sun at that hour stood
at 1T The churches were almost de-
serted and several Of them did no. hold
any evening services. Sunday night was
positively unbearable. Not only was
suffering humanity afflicted With the
most penetrating and sweltering heat,
but the mosquitoes did their worst. They
swarmed in great drOyes, ana the wonder
to Richmond people was where on earth
SO many Of the juvenile Jersians came
from.
Late Sunday afternoon found the popu-
| lace turning out for tie street-cars IN
an effort 10 get to the suburban parks.
II was hoped that there might ~ least
be found "a little lower temperature II no
breeZes. The car lines did Tremendous
business. Every car almost was packed
10 its utmost capacity. At Chimborazo
Park thousands congregated during the
evening, and Forest Hill was thrOnged,
while large numbers filled the other re-
sorts in and around the city. After their
return home from the parks lots Of people
found il impossible to sleep in their bed
chambers. and made impromptu beds on
their roofs or in their yards. aud there
famed the mosquitoes and waited for he
coming OF day.
MANY CASUALTIES REPORTED.
There were a number Of casualties Sun
day. Rev. DR.. w. j. Willingham, who
was filling the pulpit Of the Grace-Street
Presbyterian church, for Dr. Fair on
Sunday morning, was Frustrated by the
terrible heat, and fell across the pulpit
steps. The congregation was greatly eX-
cited by the incident. Several Of the
officers of tho church and those nearest
the pulpit, fastened to his assistance TO
find that he was quite unconscious. For
tunately, in his fall his head was slightly
projecting over the steps. otherwise his
Injuries might have been quite serious.
He was hurriediy carried from the
church to the pastors study, where re-
storatives were applied, and he soon re-
covered sufficiently to be removed TO his
home No. 10 south Fifth street. The con-
gregation was in the mean time dismissed,
and the greater portion went across the
street to Centenary Methodist church.
Many, however, fingered, fearing that the
consequences were more serious than were
given out at first.
DR.. Willngham was much better yester-
DEATHS FROM HEAT.
Cornelius Clayton, a colored man en-
ployed by Mr. H. II. CARRIER as a driver,
was found dead at the latter's stables, IN
Fulton. Sunday evening about o'clock
Coroner Taylor was notified, and after
viewing the remains decided that the I'M
fortunate man came 10 his death from
The effects of liquor and the excessive
heat An inquest was deemed unneces-
sary, and the remains were turned over
10 relatives.
Another fatality occurred at Tree-Hm
farm. on the River road, in Henrico
county. between y and 1 o'clock Sun
day a colored woman named Robinson,
between % and 30 years Of age, while
visiting her sister. who Is employed by
Mr. Nelson, the superintendent OF the
farm, suffered sunstroke. and died. She
is from the West End Of the city. and Is
supposed to have been overcome by the
walk in the sun.
A.. In oh If uf
berg, was called yesterday morning at
about 1880 o'clock to Mayos tobacco
factory. on Seventh street TO attend a
colored woman who had been overcome
by the heat She was treated and lett
Mrs. Margaret Cloud an aged lady.
was overcome by the oppressive heat
while walking on Main street near Mon
roe Park Sunday afternoon. She was
seen to fall to the sidewalk suddenly.
Several gentlemen who witnessed her
misfortune went TO the old lady's assist
ance. and had her removed TO her home,
at Cherry and Cary streets, where her
family physician attended her.
SUNDAY A RECORD BREAKER.
Local Forecast Officer Edward A.
Evans. of the W.T. Bureau here. says
he regarded Sunday night as record
breaker for the sth Of August The
records Of his Office for that day for the
past six years give the following as the
maximum free-air temperature here: 1891
q degrees; 1892, 81 degrees; 1898, 50 de-
grees: 1894 81 degrees; 1895, 50 degrees;
1896, 100 degrees.
AT various points throughout the city
registers considerably In excess OF this
were made by reliable thermometers. At
the Peoples Drugstore, in Fulton. the
highest point reached was lO4 degrees, IN
L. .hnAn Al RnNihrnss,a Aruosinro. on