The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1905-10-20
WHEN IT WAS REALLY COLD.
Ink Frore 20 Pms and Boys 90 Wet
LApstones In Those Days.

j
clustering winter weather was crude
a. practiced by the forefathers or
Judge Sewell would not have com.
plalncd tina, be was slow In recording
events In his diary because his Ink
froze upon his pen. Nor would the
colonial shOemakers have many times
decided that Il was to- cold 10 make
shoes, but Just right u 90 hunting
The test u temperature was made by
allowing an apprentice 10 sit on wet
lapstOuc II be- was frozen ~ IL the
weather was considered too cold 10
work.
Indeed, just how the people Of the
cold part Of this country got any com
fort during the severe winter days Is
not apparent 10 the eyes Of today that
have looked upon the simple and curl
Gus heat producers Of early times. A
rare collection Of these ancient fire
places. andirons. stoves and other pro
moters Of mercurial rises is preserved
today Ia the Essex institute IN salem,
Mass, together with much interesting
Information thereon.
one Of these curios Ii freback from
the ancestral home Of Colonel Timothy
Pickering. Washingtou's friend and
secretary u war II Is ~ slate and
looks Ike grage-tone II was carved
with the Pickering family crest IL
was placed In the back Of the fireplace.
20 that the burning logs would not sst
fire. 20 the house
These old fashioned fireplaces were
huge Affairs Children could sit In
their corners and watch the sparks
chase each other toward the stars The
fireplaces and chimneys we're first lined
with mud. so that they would not burn,
but later they were made Of brick
II II a common remark that In trying
90 get warm at such the faces Of PEG
pie were roasted from the heat. while
their backs frUze 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 ~
fused 10 beat their meeting houses. de-
claring that warmth therein "was a
snake ~ ye willy and wicked SATAN
The sturdy Puritan sir- and their
sons klcke-i their heels together when
the cold stopped the circulation Of their
blood. and the preachers often patient.
ly paused IN their two hours dis
courses 20 wait Tor everybody 10 be
come warm and stop kicking
Women carried little foot stoves 90
church These were perforated tin
boxes ABOUT a foot square. into which
hot efnbsrs from the family hearth
were placed. and the hot stove was
then taken 10 meeting along with the
Bible.
Coal was known NJ early ne 1871 in
this country. and II was called iron
stone" But wood was FAR cheaper
and more convenient and was most
used. Peat was also utilized. M Il
could H. obtained from many hogs.
Stoves were introduced "A early ~
1852. and In that year the general
court Of Massachusetts granted Ia John
Clark 10 shillings Tor every family
using his valuable invention. a stove.
for period Of thr,c years. and TIT.
grant was subsequently, extended for
a period Of Clnrk's lifetime. the general
court being deeply grateful Tor the cum.
fort derived from his invention.
The first open front coal stoves wrc
designed by Benjamin Frunklln aud
were cast by James Byres a co. In
Springfield, Mass. IN iTSI. Franklin
probably got his idea from the German
stoves used In Pennsylvania. These
had hot air drum. which extended 20
the second story and warmed that par,
OF the house. but the doors o. many u
them were outside the house. ~ that Il
was necessary 10 10 outdoors to feed
them with fuel Franklln's invention
marked the beginning OF stoves f1r
burning coal aud wool which arc In
general Use today.
These early stoves were ~ grra,
blessings 20 the forcfathers NJ arr
steam heaters today. Even the pct.
sung Of their virtues. referring 10 them
as stoves which autumn % winter
could make" 4
Hut today the practical man want.
summer u winter made. and the yari
Gus simple devices Of the forefaticrs
The frcbecks, andiruns. open nseplnc-
aud crude stoves have heen thfoan IN
to the junk heap or into the. museum
10 make way for the Dcdyfn bot ali
aud steam heaters Bo.ioD Globe.