The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-26
WEATHER TYPICAL OF WINTER.
THE COLDEST SNAP OF THE SEA-
SON NOW ON IN THE NORTH.

in bodies and as individual citizens, were
aroused to-day to- take prompt and gener-
Gus action for the relief Of the two score
thousand destitute inhabitants, whose suf-
fering for want of fuel. food and clothing
has reached an extreme stage as result
of the terrible cold wave which came up
on the city Saturday, increasing in intens-
ity until to-day it reachedsthe lowest point
officially recorded in quarter of a GEN.
tury.
Between and o'clock this morning,
the weather bureau in the auditorium tow
er, where it is warmer than on the street,
recorded 90 degrees below zero. Only once
in the history of the bureau-Dec. a, 1872,
% below-has the temperature fallen low
er. From a. m. to 2 p. m. there was a
gradual rise, the range being Is to o de-
grees, but the relief was hardly felt when
accompanied with 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 no hope of material relief held out
for tomorrow.
Mayor Swift issued proclamation this
afternoon according to his expressed in
,
language to all citizens who have the
means to spare, to contribute at once
money and supplies to prevent the starva-
ton and freezing of unfortunate thou
sands He urged the subscription of $780,
COO as being none too much to afford the
help needed The funds of the charity
organizations have become depleted, ow-
ing to the extra demands made upon them
even during thea mild winter weather
which has prevailed here until a few
days ago.
The Chicago Relief and Aid Society was
compelled to make a special appeal for
money last week to carry on it's work
because of the unusually large number of
heads and supporters of families who are
unemployed
Before the mayors proclamation was is
sued contributions to the special fund
came pouring into his Office in currency
and checks, while various offers of pro-
visions. clothing, coal and wood were re-
ceived on a liberal scale. The board of
trade and other organizations started to
raise relief funds, and the churches and
Salvation Armies began making syste-
matte and extensive arrangements to help
in the charitable work along their special
| lines. SOLID. houses and shelters will be
established and maintained as long as
necessary. a plan which the mayor and
Chief of Police Badenoch agreed upon at
a conference to-day was immediately put
into effect. The city will buy with the
special fund food and fuel, and istri-
butte them on demand through the agency
of the police department. This relief is
to be afforded without the usual investi-
cation, until the regular charitable or
ganizations are able to take up the work
All the police stations have been thrown
open to the homeless, and tonight every
one was crowded with refugees from the
freezing air. The mayors proclamation
Z L. .r.ea -.
twenty-five years.
The worst and most numerous cases Of
suffering were reported from South Chi
eago and Kensngton, where thousands of
men have been laid off at the steel mills
and other establishments.
Much damage was done in the suburbs
to telegraph and telephone wires by the
cold Traffic with Cicero was suspended
until late to-day by the collapse of cable
I poles. The work of affording instant
temporary relief during the inclement
weather was pushed by the police agents
using patrol wagons ands ambulances in
such a systematic manner that no case of
destitution reported remained unattended
to tonight.
St Louis, Mo, Jan. 25.-The cold wave
which gathered in British Columbia on
Friday. swept down upon this section yes
terday, and stin continues here, though
slightly abated tonight. At 7 o'clock this
morning, the temperature here was exact
ly zero. AT noon, three degrees above
was Indicated, and at ) q. m, four degrees
| above was. the reading,
| This extreme low temperature, followed
sharply upon a long season of mild wealth
! err found thousands of poor families
unprepared. The demand upon the asso-
ciated charities for food and fuel was new
/ er greater When the ticket window of
! the provident Association opened at a.
M, three hundred men and women were in
/ line waiting for assistance The police de-
| partment is doing everything possible to
/ relieve the distress.
Twenty-Five frost-bitten victims were
treated at the city dispensary to-day, and
! three amputations were necessary. Hun
/ dreds of homeless people are sheltered to-
| night at the police stations. The river has
| not vet closed here, though IL Is full of
! noating ice which endangers shipping
Trains were generally on time this morn
! ing. but this evening all those due from
points west and south were late, in one IN
stance two hours and ten minutes. All
! were delayed by snow blockades.
/ Special dispatches show that no section
/ west or south of this city has escaped the
| sudden fury Of the blizzard. For the first
! time I'm mans memory, ice formed for
\ short time over the lower White river in
4 Arkansas to-day. snow is reported IN west
/ Tennessee and Southern Illinois.
The great fruit section of Southwest
| Missouri and Northern Arkansas has es-
/ pecially suffered and nothing can save the
! crop. A fall OF snow that would have saw
/ ed the wheat fields OF Missouri Iowa, and
Nebraska, did not come with the cold
| wave and predictions OF disaster to the
cereals were frequent on Change.
Omaha Neb.. Jan. 25-Ptiful stories OF
want and desttution are coming TO the
attention Of the authorities. aggravated
bv the intense cold which stll holds it's
grin ON the city and state. The city au-
thorities to-day had over 1000 families 20
provide coal for in addition to food and
clothing The charitable institutions Of
the city are able to assist only a small
nronortion OF those in actual need Of pro-
! lection
,rbere Is a report tonight that a wo-
man and baby have been frozen to death
a. oak Uill. a suburb OF the city. Several
nersons were seriously injured by BURST
INC water-backs Of cooking ranges, and
one child may not recover from the in
! iuries received.
Tine Missouri river Is entirely frozen