The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-10
zero WEATHER PREVAILED
YESTERDAY WAS THE COOLEST
DECEMBER o IN 20 TEARS.

Merely Fringe of Ice Along the Har-
Dor but sttII There Was Good Skating
at Lake whitney and the Ponds
"Berber' in the Water-The F. II. &
w. II. IL. Solicitors of Its Employee
Yale Hockey Teams First Practice.
The coolest snap in twenty-six years
that struck this section on December 9
made the inhabitants of this town shiv-
er yesterday. The frigidity was intense
ly penetrating. The minimum tempera-
ture as recorded at the weather bureau
in the Insurance building was degrees
below zero. This was at o'clock yes
terday morning. After sunrise the
thermometer commenced rising slowly
until o'clock when it registered 8
above. That was the maximum temper
azure yesterday. After 8 o'clock the
temperature commenced to recede until
at 1880 o'clock last evening the Their
mometer at Weather Observer Tarr's
office registered degrees above zero.
1t remained approximately at that fig
ure for few hours. Warmer weather
is predicted for to-day.
From the weather bureaus office at
the Lighthouse zero was reported at 8
o'clock last evening with a still and al
most imnovable atmosphere along the
water. Nothing Of moment was report
ed anent the shipping on the sound. At
the same hour the thermometer in East
Haven stood at above, the same as in
this city. In Centerville it was de-
grees above. At o'clock it was zero
in Branford.
At Savin Rock it was 10 degrees be-
low zero at o'clock yesterday morn
ing, and at the same hour in the even
ing in was zero.
There was but very little ice formed
on the harbor and on the sound What
there was was mere fringe along the
shores, the temperature of the water
being several degrees above that of the
atmosphere.
What the mariner calls a 'berber''
held the harbor, sound and rivers in it's
grasp in the morning. Rising from the
surface of the water on every side
clouds of vapor rolled upward and filled
the air, until the entire water surface
in the early sunlight looked like a huge
caldron of water which had just come
to the boiling point.
The scientific explanation of the
phenomenon is that the water was SO
much warmer than the air that as the
icy breeze from land struck the surface
it caused these steam clouds to form
1t is seldom that the first severe drop
in temperature here comes before ice
sent in by the tide from sea has lower
ed the temperature Of the water to the
same degree. Consequently an attack
of "berber'' Is novelty in these wa
tiers.
However, the meadows of Mill, Quin-
nipiac and West rivers were thoroughly
frozen over and there was skating al
Lake Whitney There were about 500
there in the afternoon, and despite the
piercing GOODNESS the sport seemed to be
enjoyed.
On the Fair Haven and Westville
railroad the motorrnen and conductors
were relieved every twentyfour min
utes on some runs and every thirty
six on others. Besides their tasks were
1ightened and made as bearable as pos
sible by the company providing no
coffee and other refreshments for them
At the corner Of Church and Chapel
State and Chapel and Grannis' corner
the employees were given all the hot cot
fee and sandwiches they wanted.
This thougthfulness on the part o
the officials was much appreciated. Las
evening the same provisions were made
for the crews Of all cars.
The cold weather enabled the candi
dates for the Yale hockey team to ge
their first real practice Of the season
yesterday afternoon. Ice was found
plenty thick enough on the pond oppo'
site Yale field on Derby avenue and tht
candidates. were ordered by Captain
Hitchcock to report there at O'Clock
when team work was attempted for the
first time this winter Captain Hitch
cock hopes to be able to continue daily
practice on real ice for weeks. 1t ha(
been feared that the candidates would
have to go to the ST. Nicholas rink
New York city, for their practice on ice
They have been taking light practice OF
the gymnasium floor for two weeks.
Many sleighs were out yesterday ar(
most Of the travel from the adjoining
towns was with the use of sleighs.