The Yale expositor., 1901-07-26
THE HOTTEST WAVE OF ALL
All Former Records Are BrOEcn
at Chicago.
WHOLE WEST is SUFFERING,
Dubuque, Davenport st. Louis and
Spring field Report 1O6 Degrees--Kan-
mas City and Omaha lo4 Each-Little
Hope of Belief from Torrid Weather.

Chicago. July 23.-One hundred and
three degrees on the Auditorium tower
yesterday and 106 on the street below.
Chicago never before in its history felt
such day and weather records for
thirty years went by the board. Gasp
ing, baking, perspiring, wondering
citizens stood aghast at the altitude
attained by the silvery indicators in
the toiling thermometers, and took OF
their hats to every stray puff Of breeze,
only to find their discomfort increased.
For the wind that blew at intervals
was like the wind from the portals Of
a desert-dry, heated to an unbearable
degree by the scorching plains over
which it had passed and bringing with
it no vestige of relief. Metal articles
picked up in the hand burned as If
taken from lava bed and even wood
and paper were distinctively warm to
the touch, though beyond the reach OF
the sun. Twice did the official mercury
in the eyrie on the Auditorium touch
103-once at o'clock in the afternoon
and again three hours later So much
for Chicago. In the west, the heat
swept, parching west, or that section
between here and the Rockies, which
for nearly two weeks has had no re-
spite from the rays of the sun, and
where the corn crop is almost entirely
ruined, 106 was registered in four
places, and less than 100 was rarity
The localities which were recipients
of more heat than Chicago are St
Louis, Springfield, H., Dubuque and
Davenport, Iowa, where it was 106,
and Kansas City and Omaha, which ex-
perienced 104 each. No hope is held
out by the weather forecasters. They
can see no signs of rain clouds gath
ering anywhere above the stricken
section They cannot account for the
long continued drouth. the blistering
winds and the record-breaking tenn
peratures. No seer is venturesome
enough to risk his reputation by say
ing when the fiery wave will be broken.
Heat Warps Car Rails.
Before the heat was at its worst
the Lake Street Elevated Railroad
company, Chicago, was in trouble. The
rails on the surface section of the line
between Oak Park and SiXty-first ave-
nues were warped by the burning rays,
and in some places the rails spread as
much as eighteen inches. 1T was a
most unusual thing" said Superintend-
ent Frank Hedley, "but we must ex-
pect unusual things in an unusual
day. The damage was quickly re-
paired, and at no time extended to
the elevated portion of our line. The
intense heat expanded the rails to
point that was not calculated on when
the track was laid"
West Il Burning Up.
"The west is literally burning up"
said a Chicago business man who re-
turned last night from ten-day trip
through Illinois, Missouri, Iowa. Neb-
raska, Kansas and Colorado. There is
a water famine in many cities and
towns as well as the country. 1t is one
of the most severe droughts ever
known in many Of those states. I'm
less there is relief in the next forty
eight hours conditions will be deplor-
able The mayors of Kansas City and
Denver have appealed to the residents
of those places to be careful of the
supply of water and predicted a water
famine unless great care is exercised.
1t is feared that the supply would be
exhausted should big fire break out.
The corn is about knee high, and is
dried up. Little of it can be saved.
Farmers are cutting it for fodder for
their horses and cattle. Much of the
work is being done at night by the
light of lanterns, it being too warm