The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-10

Deeil SO not az IHe SIX tll1I ended tL-n:gEl-
Starting off last Saturday with u maximum
temperature of 96 degrees, the mercury has
on each succeeding day marked 81 or above.
AT O'Clock this afternoon the top-notch
figure of the year was passed when the
mercury reached so degrees
Following is the record of six days.
Date: ,;,,,;:.. ,... casy. Deaths. fsas2 t,@as'
:|:$ $:::::: $::::: 5::$:: ::.:" !: | ed
THURSDAY. August ...:.S, L
While the record Of deaths due to heat
able that scores. il not hundreds, OF pros
trations have not been reported.
During the hrst four days of this week
there We're in Chicago Ss5 deaths from all
causes. If this rate continues until :satur-
day night the citys mortality will reacn
total OF $50. Last week there were only
been this week since Sunday morning. The
corresponding period in 1888 showed 40
deaths.
Heats Death Record.
The heat is responsible for this alarming
record. Forty-one persons have died this
week from corhsumptlon and 126 from acute
intestinal diseases. One hundred and ninety
six children under years Old have died.
On Monday alone seventy-seven little tots
gave UP their lives after feebly battling
against terrific odds.
The prospects are that the intense heat
will continue three days longer. There is
not sign Of relief SO far as the weather
forecaster can see. Six days OF 90-degree
temperature in Il neighborhood swept by
lake breezes has smashed all figures IN
the meteorological bureau archives. Nine
days of it seems to be beyond belief.
Back in July, 1892, there were hve sic-
CeSSive days when the mercury reached
the ~ mark without going much below. This
time. however. the average is above ~.
So fierce has been the heat of the last six
days and SO great the strain upon sensitive
brains that men and women have been driT-
en- insane. and several have attempted 10
end their lives.
So busy have the officials of the Health
Department been in the last few days that
the exact figures or census of deaths Eslve
not yet been compiled for the heated spell.
All day and all night the Offices of city au
thorities have been busy. Physicians have
been sent out IN continuous procession to
eli parts of the city, and the rumble Of
ambulanceS Is constant
Probably 3,nt horses have died from heat
during the six days. Officers of the HUI
name Society estimate that ICgo perished
yesterday alone. fostering carcasseS or
dogs. cats, cattle and horses assail the
nostrils all over the city, except In the CEN
trail portions. and are accommodating faster
than the animal contractors can remove
them.
Cnrcases In Drainage Canal.
So many bodies have been thrown Into
the river and drainage canal that Chief
kipiey has received complaints from the
. drainage trustees.
In the crowded districts the conditions are
pathetic. Mothers with babies almost
gasping for breath have only the choice
between foul-smelling rooms. a filthy roof
or narrow streets and sidewalks. where
its limit
TT is from the overcrowded tenement
districts that the greatest number of deaths
among the children and old people are
reported" said Doctor Drake Of the Health
Department. "It is impossible to imagine
the conditions of these places"
sending focks of little folks to the country
to get q breath Of fresh air, the Chicago
bureau during the last few weeks having
sent an average OF 400 children a week on
Its fresh-air excursions. The Salvation
Army IS doing wonderful work with its
penny blocks OF Ice. Great supplies OF
these blocks are sent to the different divt-
sion headquarters and dispensed to the poor
who call and are in need.
DAY AT DUBUQUE.
Dubuque, Ia. Aug. s-Edward Quinn, ov-
ercone by heat tonight. will die. Several
prostrations were reported during to-day.
THREE DEATHS IN PHILADELPHIA.
Philadelphia, Aug. 9.-Three deaths and
twenty prostrations occurred in this city to-
day from heat. The dead:
Harry Bayer, aged 10 years
John O'Brien. 80 years.
An infant name unknown.
The maximum temperature was reached
at o'clock this afternoon when 94.2 degrees
were registered on the Government Their
mometer on top Of the post office building.
In the strAats, however it was much hotter
and thermometers placed In the sun regis
tered as high as 1a0 degrees. At noon the
temperature was 80 degrees and at o'clock
tonight 50.
Reports from many parts of the State tell
e numerous prostrations. At Euston Sam
Ue Nevin, a prominent merchant, died
from the effects of the heat. At Chester
nine men were overcome and there was
mills of the city. There were six prostra
tons at Easton, and It is believed some OF
the cases will prove fatal.
SUFFERING GREAT IN NEW YORK.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New York, aug. 9.-Not only in New York.
but throughout the country east of the
Missouri River this has been the hottest day
of the summer. Here the. official tempera-
ture was 90 degrees. measured some 2oD feet
above the street level. These figures give
no indication of the intensity of the heat.
Thermometers on the street ranged from
102 to 1G5 degrees the latter being the record
of the New York Herald instrument.
Strangely enough, few deaths were re-
ported 1t may be that New Workers are
learning how to combat the heat. but the
more likely theory Is that the death record
is merely delayed. Tomorrow, perhaps, We
shall receive from the Board of Health e.
terrible record of casualties in the CongeSted
districts of the city.
All day long the sun shone from a cloudess
sky. whiting the linen of persons who were
the shade Of buildings or to the refuge OF
surface cars. Asphalt pavements became
like soft rubber. in which horses left their
footprints and heavtly-laden trucks cut fur
rows.
There was breeze all day in the city,
but it was like blast from a furnace. HUI
midity. ranging in degree up to the seven
ties, added to the sufferinss of the peo-
pie.
Business men who could get away from
their Offices quit work early in the cay,
and the streets presented deserted appear
ance. Men removed their coats in the street
cars. and women used fans in a vain effort
to keep. cool. Nowhere in New York was
the ''shirt-waiSt man tabooed to-day. He
was encouraged to remove his coat and
also to loosen his belt If he wanted to.
There was little use for the heat-worn
city dwellers to fly to the seaside for relief.
At the nearby resorts-Long Branch, Nom
mouth Beach Manhattan Beach and Sea-
hright-the ocean was fiat and leadlike. and
the atmosphere oppressive. There was no
refreshing breeze, nothing but the signs CT
those who vainly hoped for relief.
To those of the sweltering millions who
fancy contrasts there is consolation In the
thought that way UP in the northwest cor
ner of the Continent snow is flying and the
trappers are cutting holes in the ice In order
to get at the food fish. AT Edmonton in
the Northwest Territory of Canada. the
mercury dropped to 40 degrees to-day under
! the impulse of a cold wave from the North.
! accompanied by rain. The local weather
prophet, by careful computation, reached
| the conclusion that it must have been snow
| ing some 800 miles to the north and that ice
! had formed in the rivers. However that
| may be, the cold wave reached Edmonton.
| 1t Is due In the LAKE regions tomorrow and
! should reach the Atlantic seaboard by Sa T.
| conditions is expected.
| Although only three deaths from the heat