Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-27
TWAS A scoRcHEa.
A Record Breaker Of a Day for Heat Furnished
Saturday.

Never since the outbreak of the war.
have Augusta people had so much SYM.
pathy for the American soldiers. as
Saturday, when they thought of the.
terrible heat which the boys in blue
must be enduring. 1t was hot enough
Friday night. and when the people
went to bed they wondered if they
would again be obliged to endure what
they had passed through
Not satisfied at what he had done.
Friday night, and being displeased be-
cause the people had been complaining
at the article he had served up for the
past two or three months, the weather
clerk pulled the throttle wide open and
summer heat arrived in this city,
Saturday morning, over a month ahead
of the schedule time
The thermometers began to get in
their work early in the day, and while
the majority of people were wondering
if they would ever again need bed
clothes. the thermometer was well up
to the so mark, with promise of Civ
ing the laundry men chance to place
a few dollars on the right side of their
bank books before many days HAD
elapsed
AT noon the weather had every one
on the move, trying To find a cool place
as in places the thermometer had pass
ed the 90 mark. All along Water street
the thermometer registered as close to
90 as possible. while on the northern
side of the state House, 4 place ordi-
narIy considered very cool, the Their
mometer showed that the 50 mark had
been passed.
Down town people ultimately moppcd
Their brpWs and swung in a vigorous
manner the huge palm leaf fans now
ana then a person was bold enough 10
brave the scorching bricks on the side
walks. while h. strolled toward soda
fountain.
The ice men ana soda fountain clerks
alone were happy. The former rubbed
their hands together and smiled in a
plascd manner every time the office
door opened to admit the telegraph
messenger boy bringing a dispatch to
rush the orders received few days be
fore. With the icemen every one was
a good fellow ana men to whom some
Of the ice kings have not spoken to fo,,
years i'll concealed their amazement
when slapped on the shoulder ana
greeted with. Mite day. Perfect
weather. Have a cigar, my boy"
The soda fountain clerks were busy
all day making fresh syrups while the
propri"tors hung out the sign, "Ic-
cream soda, today. by tn" clerks
We're wondering if the people would
ever 50 home and if they would cver
be given a chance % rest. Then tho
thoughts that the morrow had in store
for them a fresh period of syrup max
ing. nearly all the cans having been
exhausted, brought 10 them the same
TT Of sadness which ether people had
The young ladies Who all the season
have been wondering what they would
do with their shirt waists and white
duck skirts, sailed forth in the after
noon in all their purity and for an hour
dazzled the clerks on the streets with
their splcndor. looking at the umbrella
department clerks who sat IN their
shirt sleeves. in a plying manner.
Later in the afternoon, tn" clerks had
their revenge, for the clouds in the |
west grew heavier and heavier, until
few sprinklcs Of rain dropped to the
parchcd earth as a forctastc of what
ing. the punches of fluffy white con-
tinued to parade the streets until in |
less than half an hour General Humid |
ity, who had filled the air with his
presence, took a tumble, and for few
minutes the air was full of flying white |
skirts, lodging the damp atmosphere |
nat came upN ii i'll SutttS anu Ill drops |
of the size of a mans thumb.
For half an hour it poured, and dur |
ing this time Water street had a more
than Sunday quie'tness, not q person |
being in sight as far as the eye could |
src. The rain stopped as quickly as
it commenced and while the cutters |
were proving their incapac.ty to take
care of the miniature floods. the be- !
drabbled costumes of the ladies again |
appeared on the street. In few mo- |
mcnts the clouds We're forced aside by
the broad smile of the sun who was
laughing al what he saw and the heat
aga.n commenced. This time it WAS
with much greater disagreeableness on
account of the moisture in the atmo-
sphere.
The street was filled with people,