New-York tribune., 1903-07-11
THIRTY-FOUR DIE FROM HEAT.
Continued from first page.

Commissioner to give the people the greatest
benefit OF the park system, and have made
strong fight for small parks and have succeeded
10 an extent and hope to have more. The Park
Department is anxious that the people who are
unable to get away during this excessive heat
have full benefit of the parks, and, after con-
sultation with the Acting Police Commissioner.
I have decided to throw the large lawns open
to mothers and their children under proper
strictions. 1 have every confidence that the
people of New-Yorl will appreciate this service
and will act properly
Acting Police Commissioner Ebstein issued or
ders, which were read to the outgoing platoons
at o'clock, informing the police that people
might sleep in / parks until further notice
Commissioner Wilcox believes that the public
will respect the shrubbery nd refrain from in
juring it, This order makes it possible for the
poor to enjoy the breezes which sweep across
the Hudson in equa. measure with the wealthy
who have thei- homes the heighth of River
side Drive.
The parks yesterday resembled picnic grounds
The scene at Battery Park was typical of all
AT o'clock one could have seen mothers with
their babes lying the grass under the trees
over the infants. who sleeping. were
spread umbrellas. Many of the mothers had
luncheons in boxes with them There were also
many men lying prone on the ground, enjoying
the breeze that played the lawns
There was jam of people in all the parks of
the city at night A number of people who
sought refuge from their own homes and the
hot night went to the public grounds to remain
for the night, the order of Park Commissioner
Wilcox throwing open the park lawns to the
public having come to their notice through the
afternoon newspapers. They were greatly dis
appointed on being informed by the police that
they could not the lawns as beds, but that
they might sleep the benches.
Those who wanted to remain all night on
the grass in parks on Wednesday evening We're
allowed to do so, and no one was molested any
where by the police But for some reason the
police did not allow this freedom last night 1t
was said at of the police stations that
there is no law relating to persons sleeping on
public lawns. The Acting Commissioner of Po-
lice had sent out an order to the police not to
forbid people sleeping the public benches if
they wanted to do it, but nothing was said
about the grass. 1t was, however, understood to
be the intention of the Park Commissioner that
people should be allowed to sleep on the grass.
as he said during the day. and declared he
was glad the police had allowed it the night
before.
The benches were all taken up in every park
last night. and in some instances the grass was
used. In Battery Park some few persons could
be seen stretched out on the grass. Those parks
in which some band played during the night
were very crowded. Battery Park was one of
these. and the crowd there to hear the music,
out chiefly to get the breeze, was one of the
largest the park has held for long time
In Mulberry Bend, Seward and other down.
town parks all the benches were taken up and
many many SLEPT. 1t was great deal cooler in these
open spaces than in the streets on roofs.
Women carrying babies were in great number.
East River Park, on the East Side, was a
haven to warm and uncomfortable people all
ed all
night
The sparrow has a reputation for his invinci
bllity so far as weather is concerned It is said
that until yesterday the only time that New
York weather has killed a sparrow was in
March, 1888. After the blizzard the bodies of
many dead sparroWs We're picked up. spar
row yesterday fell from the roof of the Criminal
Courts Building to the ground ana was killed
Apparently 1t had been overcome by the heat.
Several other sparrows were affected also. They
futtered to the street. weak that they had
not the power to get out Of the way of pass
ersby
Many people have theories of ways to keep
cool. A great many of these theories involve an
expenditure of money. 1t is surprising how
many people think extreme heat and cold call
for expenditures of cash. Then, in search for
relief, the>stringS of the purses pulled wide
open for hot cold drinks, which, in most
cases. of little avail. The reason for this
tendency would be interesting subject for in
vestigation Hot weather is the harvest season
of the saloonkeeper and the soda water man.
From morning till night the counters of these
are crowded with those who desire to quench
thirst with some kind of liquid. Generally this
liquid is not well chosen, and only adds to the
thirst instead of allaying it 1t would be inter-
esting to know whether the man who entered a
downtown drug store yesterday found relief in
the use of the lime drops he purchased.
The public baths were freely patronized yester-
day, as one might imagine.
The deaths and prostrations of the day fol-
low:
DEATHS.
BREWER, Michael ffty-ive years old. Of No. West
-ninth-st.; died at home
CALLAHAN Peter. FIVE months old, of No. East
-hundred-and- srventE-st.; died
while she waiting for doctor Lebanon
Hospital.
KELLY Mary sixty years old of No. 2sO Tenth ave;
/ home.
LANCER Mrs fifty old, OF No. 1856 Second
/ a
LEACH Lucinda R.. hfty-hve years old died at No.
236 Thrteth-st.
MAcHLAsKI Michael thirtyaye years old. Of Jamaica,