The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-01
COLDEST DAY
 OF WINTER
Mercury in Bridgeport Thermometers Drops to
 6 Below Zero.
Candlemas Ground Hog Sure of Six Weeks Sleep -Coldest Day Recorded by Observer Jennings, January 3. 1904, When Temperature Was IA Be- low Zero.

Brldgeporters woke up this mornin! to find it the coldest of the winter with temperature at a. m. of thermometer, of Voluntary Weathe Observer William Jennings. It ha remained very cold throughout the day This temperature practically equal4 that of one year ago when, on Jan 31, the mercury showed a mark of above zero.
 Yesterday was the first real winter day Of the season, the combination O. high wind, severe cold, and driftine snow making an actual wintry condi. ton. It was not severely cold in the morning, the thermometer being slight. " below the freezing point but ii dropped steadily, though slowly, dur. ing the day. and at in the evening stood at 20, and at Il o'clock at II above zero: Many thermometers about the city showed as low as six below this morning according to the location and the thermometer.
 The prospects are that the cold will continue today, but perhaps will not be quite so severe. It will be warm CT tomorrow. Tomorrow Is Candle. mas day in the Catholic church, the feast of the Purification, and accord ing to popular superstition the ground hog will come out of his hole look around, and if he can see his shadow will go back convinced there will be six weeks more of winter. Another sign is to look in the coal bin and if the coal is only half gone the winter is only half over.
 For number of years past the cold est weather of the winter has come in f1f anH y February, carrying out the old saying, when the days begin to lengthen the cold begins to strengthen" We are likely to get plenty of cold weather and the ice men a full supply of ice within the next week or two.
 Here are some of the temperature marks in the past five years:
 1904-Jan. 3, IA below zero, coldest day ever recorded in the city of Bridgeport by Weather Observer Jen- nings.
 1e05-Jan. 2e, 1 below zero.
 1906-Feb. 6, above zero. -,---s
 1907-Feb. 2. 6 below; Feb. f13, be- low zero.
 1s0s-Jan. 30. 2 above: Jan. 31, 1 above: Feb. 5, 2 above; Feb. 9, zero; Feb. 10, zero.
 The self registering thermometer maintained by F. Lyman, the Main street optician, at his place of business, shows above as the coldest point, but the instrument is in a somewhat shel- tered location. Other thermometers vary to below zero in some places.
 Information obtained to-day from a local ice dealer finds that the ice on the private ponds is but seven inches thick. It is necessary to ne between 10 or il inches before the cutters get to work. The dealer further stated that if the present cold spell keeps up that a harvest may be expected in the crop.
 4 Below in Easton.
 In the upper part of Easton early this morning the thermometer showed below zero.
 Stratford's Experience.
 At several places in Stratford the stood at four below before daylight this morning. At seven o'clock It had not risen to zero.
 Winsted, Feb. 1.-The thermometer registered 14 degrees below zero in outlying districts here at sunrise to- day. At g o'clock it registered be- ow in the heart of the town. All To- eomotives are having difficulty in steaming in the cold weather and most of the trains are late. The first train ,n the Berkshire division from Bridge port was an hour and quarter late.