The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-14

In years to come when people Of the
present day shall have become the oldest
inhabitants" ths will tell generations yet
unborn of the cold wave OF 1899. All pre-
vious weather records for the state have
been smashed into kindling wood by the
present sold spsll which swooped down on
the district Saturday night, reaching it's
everest point early yesterday morning
when Weathermaker Jacobs onaeial ther-
mometer registered 9.8 degrees below zero.
Sunday morning the city Rwoke to find
the ground covered with several inches Of
snow which had fallen during the. night,
and the thermometer fast declining to-
wards the zero mark.
Stlff North wind
A stiff northerly wind was blowing, add
ing to the discomfort of those who ven
tured out, which kept up all day.
Street car traffic was greatly interfered
with 1t was o'clock before East Lake,
Ensey and Bessemer cars We're running,
and after II o'clock before the city lines
were gotten In operation, although cars
were kept running Saturday night in order
to keep the tracks open.
After sundown the cold became more in-t
tense, and by u D. m. the zero point had
been reached. The mercury continued to
drop and in some places in the city, espec-
tally ON the Highlands, 13 degrees below
zero was reported, although the official
thermometer of the local weather bureau
recorded only 9.8 degrees. The lowest ther-
mometer of which any record has been
kept was recorded on January 9, 1886, when
the mercury stood at degrees above
Such unprecedented weather naturally
caused much suffering, which was not con-
fined to the poorer classes. Houses in the
south are not built to Withstand such Sc
we're cold, and CRATES and stoves were kept
going at full force with but little satisfac-
ton to those who huddled around In an
effort to get warm. In some instances coal
houses were depleted, and, Notwithstanding
the fact that it was Sunday, coal wagons
were kept busy filing orders which were
marked urgent. In some of the suburbs
where the coal supply was Short boxes
and fences were used to keep fires going.
sieighIng and Skating
Early in the day the merry jingle of the
sleigh bells was heard, and soon the streets
were alive with improvised sleighs filled
with happy men, women and children, in
tent upon having good time as they sped
along behind fast horses, who seemed to
catch the spirit of the occasion.
Snow balling became suddenly popular,
and many dgnihed maid was rolled in
the snow to the satisfaction of some 'hor-
rid man. who inveigled her out The small
boy was in his glory, and woe be unto
those who CHANGED to pass the corner where
he was barrcaded with pile of snow balls
sufficient to fight a miniature battle with
the boy across the way.
Yesterday morning the weather had mod
Grated a few degrees, and although the sun
came out in full force his rays were too
feeble to have much effect
Bursted water pipes in all portions OF the
city kept the plumber busy, and when that
happy individual thinks of the time when
the thaw sets in he dreams of fabulous
riches, or, more pertinently, a Klondike
mine.
East lake, Lalseview and all other bodies
of water in the district froze over, and yes
terday and last night hundreds of skaters
were abroad At East Lake fully one hum
dred and fifty people were on the Ice, and
skates were in demand.
Cold All Over the State
Reports from all portions of the state in
dicate the coldest weather ever experienced.
At Admission IA degrees below zero was re-
corded, while Selma, Montgomery, Good
water, Opelika and many other points re-
port from to 10 degrees below The cold
est weather ever experienced in the state
was recorded several years ago at Valley
Head, in the extreme northern portion,
when degrees below was reached. For