Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-11-09
WHEN 1T WAS REALLY COLD.
.oL Prose 60 Pens and Boys 70 WV
Iap.topes In These Days.

The ancient art OF keeping warm IN
b,ustering winter weather was crude
a. rracticed by the forefathers or
Judre Sewel would not have com
nlained that he was slow In recording
events in his diary because his INK
g.. unon his pen. Nor would the
colonial shoemakers have many times
decided that IL was too cold to make
shoes. but Just right to go hunting.
The test OF temperature was made by
allowing an apprentice to sit on wei
Iapstone. II he was frozen TO Il the
weather was considered too cold 10
work.
Indeed. Just how the people OF the
cold parts OF this country got any com
fort during the severe winter days Is
not apparent TO the eyes OF today that
have looked upon the simple and curl
Gus heat producers OF early times. A
rare collection OF these ancient IRE
places. andirons. stoves and other pro
motors OF mercurial rises Is preserved
today in the Essex institute In Salem,
Mass. together with much interesting
Information thereon.
one OF these curios is "A fircback from
the ancestral home of Colonel Timothy
Pickering. Washington's friend and
secretary OF war IL is OF slate and
looks like gravestone. II was carved
with the Pickering family crest. IL
was placed In the back OF the fireplace,
so that the burning logs would not set
fire to the house.
These old fashioned nreplaces were
huge affairs. Children could sit In
their corners and watch the sparks
chase each other toward the stars. The
freplaces and chimneys were first lined
with mud. so that they would not burn,
hut later they were made Of brick.
II is a common remark that In trying
20 get warm at such the faces Of PEG.
pie were roasted from the heat. while
their backs froze In the drafts from the
cracks In the windows and doors.
But the early forefathers were a
hardy race and endured the cold won
derfully. The Puritans OF Salem re
fused TO heat their meeting houses, de
claring that warmth therein was .
snake OF We willy and wicked Satan.
The sturdy Puritan slres and theiI
sons kicked their heels together wher
the cold stopped the circulation OF theil
blood, and the preachers often patient
" paused In their two hours dis
courses 20 wait for everybody 20 be
come warm and stop Kicking
Women carried little foot stoves q
church. These were perforated III
boxes about foot square, into whicl
| hot embers from the family heartl
were placed and the hot stove wa
then taken 90 meeting along with tn
Bible.
Coal was known as early as 1897 Il
this country. and II was called ''iro
stone" But wood was far cheape
and more convenient and was mos
used. Peat was also utilized. as
could be obtained from many boys.
Stoves were introduced as early a
1852. and In that year the genert
court OF Massachusetts granted 60 job
Clark 10 shilllngs for every famil
using his valuable invention. a stow
for n period OF three years. and tn
grant was subsequently, extended 10
a period OF Clark's lifetime. the generi
court being deeply grateful for the con
fort derived from his invention.
The first open front coal stoves WEI
designed by Benjamin Franklin an
were cast by James Byres n Co
Springfield. Mass. In 1857. Frankll
probably got his idea from the Germa
stoves used in Pennsylvania. The,
had a hot air drum, which extended I
the second story and warmed that pa
OF the house. but the doors OF many
them were outside the house. so that
was necessary TO 20 outdoors 10 fee
them with fuel. Franklin's inventio
marked the beginning OF stoves Il
burning coal and wood which are
general use today.
These early stoves were as gre'
blessings TO the forefathers as al
steam heaters today. Even the poe
sung OF their virtues, referring TO the
as stoves which autumn OF whit,
could make"
But today the practical man wan
summer d winter made. and the val
Gus simple devices OF the forefathers
the firebacks. andirons, open freplac,
and crude stoves-have been thrown 4
TO the junk heap OF into the museu
to make way for the modern hot a
and steam heaters RoSton Globe