The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-22
Compared with Former Years the
Present Month Has Not Been
a Record Breaker.
SHOWERS PROBABLE TODAY
But NO PERMANENT RELIEF FROM
THE HEATED ATMOSPHERE.
Extent of the Hot wave-Highest
Temperature Known mt Several
Points-SeveraI Deaths.

More people complained of the heat yes
terday than any day this summer, and yet
the temperature was not as high as it had
been. What troubled humanity yesterday
was the humidity of the atmosphere,
Weather Bureau Chief Wappenhans says.
This is an element of the atmosphere no one
knows anything about. Mr.. Wappenhans
says, and it increases in intensity and re-
lakes at times when the weather observers
least expect ii. These forces are governed
by electrical conditions, he thinks, and were
it possible to gain knowledge of this mystic
rious science, he says he might tell every
body what made them so hot yesterday.
Even with the cool thermometer on top of
the observatory, which always runs from
three TO seven or eight degrees behind
street mercury, he himself admitted that
there was enough humidity in the air to
make it uncomfortable in the Weather Blu
reau Department. This is regarded by the
public as quite a concession.
The maximum temperature yesterday was
80 degrees at l p. m. This is one degree
less than the temperature last Saturday,
when the thermometer stood at 81 for more
than an hour. Compared with former Au-
gusts, this has really been a cool month.
records in the office at the Weather Bureau
showing that there have been times when
the present height of the mercury was con-
sidered low gauge and to attract notice it
was necessary to play about the one hun
dredth degree of summer heat.
But the thermometer at the Weather Blu
reau is not the only accurate indicator of
heat, an economical genius has discovered.
While the street thermometer exaggerates
the temperatures many degrees there is
another way TO tell how hot it really is.
That is by observing the asphalt pavement.
A degree of heat considerably affects the
pavement and by making a careful study of
horse tracks in the street, one may judge
almost to a degree the exact temperature,
providing he has been minute enough in
former observations. Last Saturday, the
hottest day, the print of seven nails could
be seen in a horses track. Yesterday it was
observed that there were only the marks of
six nails, or one degree cooler than Satur-
day.
Yesterday morning at 6 o'clock peo-
pie got up under a pressure OF,
u degrees, breakfasted at 76 at
z o'clock and at s the mercury stood at IS.
AT the 9 O'Clock office hour business started
off at 81 and was fourishing at 10 o'clock
with the thermometer at 80. Then ii adj
vanced until 1 o'clock, when SO, the maxi
num-, was reached. AT 2 the temperature
had fallen to 80. at 3 to 80 and at 4 was back
to 81. BY 5 O'Clock the mercury dropped to
SO, at 6 o'clock IS, at Z o'clock "a and at s
o'clock IS.
A storm crowded up in the northeast was
responsible for the cool breeze yesterday,
but Mr.. Wappenhans says there is nothing
more than temporary relief in sight for to-
DAY. He says there are no indications of a
general betterment of conditions that will
warrant a statement of encouragement.
This cool proposition was given in the most
straightforward manner.