Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-26
INTENSE HEAT
Of Tuesday Responsible
for Death and Suffering.
Two Dead, Another May Die
Two Score Of PrOStrdtiOns.
Lightning Does Heavy Damage Al
so In Several Places.

Boston, June - Death and cXtr"m"
discomfort throughout Massachusetts
ana Northern New England attended
the eighth day "f the present severe
hit wave. Today was not tho hottest
of tn" season. but tn" most uncom-
Portable with the humidity at 81; Il de-
rrccs above normal TIL" river val
lcy& of New Hampshire ANA south
western Maine, received temporary re-
ccivcd temporary relief from the on
prcssivc heat tonight by severe thun-
der showers. which have brought Death
and destruction in their track.
At least two deaths ana probable am
other fatality ana about two score q
pr,pstrations were charged to the
weather today. Edward :. Hathaway
nf Lynn. one of the Mystic Shrin"rs,
who participated IN yesterdays big pa
r;tdc in Boston. fcll Il victim t" the
heat today following his sulfcrings
from Yesterdays exposure to Tn" sun.
In T,dNick. Me- Mr.. Herbert w.
Johnson. formerly Of Arlington, Mass.
WAS struck hy lightning and instant
~ Killed. while Harry Charcttc Of SOM
rrsM nrth. n. H., was hurled from his
wagon seat by lightning bolt and
physicians said his chances for re-
covcry were slight.
I;rstnn had the distinction If being
tho hottest place on Uncle Snm :
weather map. with Il Temperature in
the middle Of the afternoon ri a.
While three degrees lower than tn"
best previous Temperature Of this
present hot wave and seven degrees
below the record breaking June tom
I,cratiIrc Of 1874. the abnormal humid
ity. coupled with tn" sever" drag nf the
past eight days upon the public health,
caused many proStrati"ns. Up t" mid
night fully - prnstrati"nS had been
reported to the police.
So intense was tho discomfort that
in Cambridge ana S"mcrvill" tn"
schools wcrc closed and in Boston tn"
large manufacturing establishments.
Throughout northern New England
and Massachusetts factories We're
closed down for half Il day. southern
New England did not suffer quite 50
severely as the northern portions. al
though Providence swcltrrcd at 90 for
Il high mark and obtained but little
relief during til" night when the ,m"r-
curry Slipped down several degrees.
The river valleys of New IIamp-
shire ami Southwestern Maine wcr"
breeding places for the worst clcCtri-
cal storm Of the season. Tn" most
disastrous one was in tn" PiScataqua
valley. SomcrSworth. y. H., ana Hcr-
wick, Me. suffering severely. where
Mrs johnson was killed Ivy lightning
and Henry Charctte was probably
fatally injured.
Tho storm swept furious down the
valley. striking Portsmouth with great
force and doing much damage. one
street ear WAS struck ut Rye Beach
but no one was injured The storm
cleared the atmosphere somewhat. us
the day had been the most distress
ing of the year. one prOStratiOn was
reported ANA nnr of the large factories
shut down for half Il day
York. Me, also ttlt the erect of the
Piscataquis storm. Lightning struck Il
cottage occupied by Mrs. q. NJ. Bell
and Mrs. \. N. Whcatland uf Boston.
hut the resulting fire was cNtinEuishcd
with but little loss. and all the uccu-
pants escaped uniniurcd.
The Mrrrimar valley was another
breeding place for a heavy thunder
storm. Six houses were struck by light
ming i'll Manchester and three were set
afrc. causing a loss of about $15.u00
altogether. The lightning affected tw"
children in Manchester although not