The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-08
SIX DEGREES BELOW FREEZING
AND MERCURY WAS STILL GOING
DOWN AT MIDNIGHT.

Vegetables and Flowers Suffered,
hut the Extent of Damage VIII Not
He known for "A Day or TwO-The
Loss VIII BE COnsid cradle, How
ever-HOusehOlders PrOfited by
Their February Experience and
Guarded Against Broken Pipes.
savannahians Have Never Known
Such Season.
Savannah had taste yesterday of the
cold that occasionally swoops down on
this section in March. At midnight last
night mercury was 26 degrees above zero
morning was % degrees at 6 O'Clock. The
mean temperature for the day was 30 de-
grees a deficiency from the normal of %
degrees. A brisk and sometimes strong
wind that almost reached a gale made il
uncomfortable for those who were COM
service in lessening or preventing some of
the ill effects the cold would otherwise
have had on vegetation.
Had the plumbers got through with their
rush of work from the blizzard they
might have been gIeeful, as it was they
sighed with other and luckless people, who
have water pipes yet unmended and others
to burst. There was a pretty general
hustling of householders, though, to guard
against the further freezing up of water
pipes. Faucets were opened wide and
early in the night there were few houses
In he oil IL,
above the first floor.
The exact extent of the damage to the
crops cannot be estimated until revealed
by two or three days of warm weather,
though where young and tender plants
have been exposed much injury has been
wrought. The wind has prevented the
formation of any considerable amount of
frost and one evil agency has been thus
removed. The weather continues cold and
tahe wind is abating so that it is possible
that greater damage will be done this
morning.
The crops had just begun to recover from
the effects of the extreme cold of Febru-
airy and 90 regain some of their old-time
strength and vigor when they were again
attacked Some of the smaller crops
chiefly those raised for home consumption.
and sale in the local market, were Just
about showing above the ground These
IL is probable, will be much injured Some
or the crops that survived the blizzard
among them some peas and an occasional
heId of cabbage, will be set back or possi-
bly, worse injured by the cold. The gar
dens also are among the sufferers. roses
and other shrubs being nipped of their
leaves and retarded in the new CROWN
that has recently come TO them.
This has been a remarkable wear In the
extent of the cold and damage and dis
hgurement it has wrought. Some of the
noble old oaks, that have withstood the
blasts of many winters without the loss
OF their foliage, are as bare of leaves
as If the sap had ceased to flow through
trunk and branches, and something which
not even the Oldest inhabitants remember
10 have seen. This loss of foliage is not
rare among the trees in the city. but Is
almost universal.
The storm that was reported yesterday
as central off Hatteras is moving north
east and is now off the coast of New Eng
land. High winds are reported from MANY
points along the Atlantic seaboard. The
area of freezing temperature extends
south as far as the southern portions Of
Georgia and Alabama. The predictions
for to-day are for fair weather and slowly
rising temperature. 1t is probable that
the cold spell is spasmodic only and in
the course of a day or two will have van
ished.