New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-26

THE TERRIBLE COLD SWEEPS OVER A
WIDE AREA
ENERGETIC RELIEF MEASURES IN CTIIcAGo-low
PRESSURE OF NATURAL GAS INCREASES
THY, DiSCxpMEOpT

Chicago. Jan 25.-The people Of Chicago In bodies
and individual citizens were aroused to-day TO
take prompt and generous action for the relief OF
! the two-score thousand destitute inhabitants.
! whose suffering for want Of fuel food and clothing
has reached an extreme stage result OF the ter
rible cold which upon the city Satur-
day. increasing In intensity until to-day 1t reached
the lowest point officially recorded In quarter OF d
century. Between and o'clock this morning the
Weather Bureau In the Auditorium tower. where
Is warmer than the street recorded ~ degrees
below Only once In the history OF the bureau
December e. 1872. when 1t % belo~-has the
temperature fallen lower. From a. m TO D. m
there gradual rise. the range being - 10 -
degrees. but the relief was hardly feit wheh ac-
companied with a cutting wind from the northwest
/ The highest temperature for the day was 10 below
zero and tonight the mercury is moving slowly
down again. with hope Of material relief held
for
Mayor Swift issued proclama tion this afternoon
according his expressed intention yesterday. APP
pealing In urgent language to all citizens who have
the means 10 spare 10 contribute at once money
and supplies to prevent the starvation and freez-
Ing Of unfortunate thousands. He urged the sub
scription Of 100000 being none too much to ar
ford the help needed. The funds OF the charitv
organizations have become depleted. owing TO the
demands made upon them even during the
mild weather which has prevailed here until
few days ago
The Chicago Relief and Aid Society was COM
PEELED to make a special appeal for money last
week carry its work because Of the unusually
large number Of heads Of families who were unem-
ployed Before the Mayors proclama ton was Is
sued contributions TO the special fund came pour
ing into his ONCE In currency and checks. Will"
various offers Of provisions. clothing coal and
wood were received a liberal scale. The Board
OF Trade and other organizations started TO raise
relief funds. and the churches and Salvation Army
began making systematic and extensive arrange
ments help in the charitable work along their
special lines Soup houses and shelters VIII be es-
tablished and maintained as long as necessary.
plan which the Mayor and Chief OF Police Badencch
agreed upon at conference to-day was imme-
diately put into effect. The city will buy with the
special fund food and fuel and distribute them on
demand through the agency OF the Police Depart
ment This relief is 10 he afforded without the
usual investigation until the regular charitable
organizations able to take up the work. All
police stations have been thrown open to the home
less and tonight every crowded with
refugees from the freezing air. The Mayors proc
lamaton is the first OF the kind TO be issued for
twenty-five years.
The worst and most numerous OF suffering
reported from South Chicago and Kensington.
where thousands OF men have been laid off at the
steel mills and other establishments.
Much damage was done in the suburbs TO telegraph
Ma lppened mn iae TO-DAY by the Collapse Of
cable poles The work of affordng instant temporary
the police agents using patrol wagons and ambu-
lances in such systematic manner that no case
of dcstitution reported remained unattended 10
tonight. Seventy-six cases were treated al the
St Louis. Jan. 25-The cold wave which reached
here Saturday night continues today and the mer
ma sose 70 oore h eass wn OF
IS Intense ine and sh four hundred "noTu
Reports received to-day show the cold wave ex-
tends south to smd Tef e TO s KoeE yopSeS e.
degrees in twenty-fonr hours. and dispatches re.
much OF the early budding fruit has been killed
Throughout Oklahoma. Arkansas and in North.
ern Texas the temperature has fallen from 30 10
20 degrees in the past thirty-six hours and In the
latter section light snow has fallen IN western
Texas the storm reached the proportions or a
f Slinzsr' anu severe '''s y" '''' ''. '''>
nessee the weather Is the codest Of the season The
mercury in many places is below zero and light
At Kansas City this morning the temperature is
zero and reports from kansas are TO me emeet
that the storm and cold wave Is the most severe
Notwithstanding the intense, cold the railroad
traffic is but slightly delayed on Western and
Southern roads
indianapolis Jan 25-At O'clock this morning
the temperature In this city was IA below zero.
the lowest since January. 1854 There is much suf-
fering throughout the city by reason Of the weak
natural gas pressure and there has been rush for
other kinds Of fuel A cutting wind is blowing
from the west.
Cincinnati. JAN 25-The cold wave struck Gin
mometer fell steadily until It reached degrees be
low zero at o'clock this morning There Is mucn
suffering among the poor in the suburbs At 10 A.
m the thermometer registered 10 degrees below zero
Fremont Ohio, Jan. 25.-The thermometer regis
tered "A degrees below zero this morning. To add
TO the discomfort. the natural gas supply gave our
temporarily and people Obliged TO go 10 bed 10
keep warm. Stores using gas for fuel had TO close.
the schools were dismissed and court was sus-
pended
Fort Wayne Ind Jan. 25.-At o'clock this morn
Ing the thermometer registered 20 degrees below
zero Factories and foundries have been cut on
from the use of natural gas. the pressure having
becn reduced The public schools were dismissed
early this morning. At 10 o'clock the mercury reg
istered 10 degrees below zero.
Minneapolis Jan. &.-The cold wave shows no
signs Of abatement. The mercury registered 81 be-
low here this morning. and the indications are for
continued coid.
Omaha Neb. Jan. 25.-Thc temperature is de-
gree colder here than 1t yesterday. being l3 be-
Low, which is the coolest at this point in two
y..rs The ice Is ten inches thick. and the ice
conuanies are working shifts night and day. APP
pcations for relief are being made IN great mum
The cold snap is especially gratifying TO ne Iarm-
and wet weather was threatening to spoil. Rail
way trains all late because OF the dmcui'y III
making steam.
Toledo Ohio Jan 25-The coolest weather ex
perienced in several years prevailed here last night
and continued to-day. AT 10 o'clock last evening
the temperature was l2 below zero and al O'CLOCK
this morning IT 10 below. There Is srea, SUI SUI
fering in the city. where is used FOR fuei me
pressure having been reduced TO minimum Al!
the schools were dismissed ut IN early hour II
being impossible keep the buildings warm Inc
cold snap is expected 10 continue for several days
Detroit Mich. Jan. Z'-Detroit experienced the
coolest weather In twenty-five years last night
and this morning and the coolest January weather
on record At s o'clock this morning the mercury
stood at 10 2-lO degrees below rezo. and at noon II
had not raised much. Reports from the state sho"
ports Il degrees below: Apena g. Worthwhile. IS;
ST. Ignace. u: Escanaba q: IshpeminH =; Dav-
son. IL: Buchanan, 20; Portland TO- Utica. ls. Port
Huron. II: Decatur. 10: Grand Rapids. 4.
Denver. Col. Jar. 1.-The weather to-day II the
coolest Colorado has experienced In several years
The thermometer registers 10 below. and there H.
considerable suffering owing to the sudden change
AT Deadwood. s. D.. the temperature Il 20 degrees |
below; a; Sheridan. Wyo.. ~ below. and AT Billings
helo