The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-30
Now on August 9, This Year,
The Thermometer Regis.
tered 81 in the Shade and
Winter Was Prayed For.
TODAY THE MERCURY
FLlRTEO WITH ZERO
At Three O'clock This Morn
ing the Liquid Dropped
Down the Tube and En-
braced the 10 Below Mark.

Can you believe this, taken from the
files of August .. 1909? Perhaps it
will warm you up trifle:
The heat today IS terrific. the Off
cial thermometer at the water works
pumping station registering 81 degrees
Some of the Thermometers over the
city registered as high as rs and even
100 degrees and Old Sol shown down
on sweltering humanity with fury
that was intense. There were several
heat prostrations reported"
1t seems incredible now. when the
mercury is flirting with the zero mark
to think that this same suffering
humanity. several short months ago.
walked about the city in shirt sleeves
and straw hat. wiping away the beads
OF perspiration which rolled like water
from their hot, feverish brows: or pic
ture yourself seated on one OF the
benches in Glen Miller park. with your
coat off. sleeves rolled up and a palm
leaf fan in either hand, seeking relief
among the cool, fresh breezes which
now and then were waited In your di-
rection. And you. who were hoping
and praying that winter would soon
| arrive. are you satisfied now:
coidest Day Of Winter.
Not since 1901. when the thermome-
Afer Registered 10 degrees below zero,
has 1t been SO cold in December. The
official thermometer at the water
works pumping station registered 10
degrees below zero at 3 o'clock this
morning. At q o'clock last evening
the mercury in the little glass tube in.
dicated degrees above zero. And
then the silver liquid began to slide
Each hour showed one or two degrees
colder until the minimum was reached
at ) o'clock. The run up the tube then
began but not very rapidly. for at d
O'Clock this morning the mercury re-
corded six degrees below and stuck at
that point for three hours. All during
the day the liquid fingered around the
zero mark and the fact that ii was the
coolest day of the winter was not In
the least disputed.
OF course there were those who en-
joy nothing more than exaegerating
conditions. some claiming that their
thermometers registered as low as Is
and 20 degrees below zero early this
morning. But when the snow crackles
and groans beneath the wheels of the
heavy wagons: when you make a noise
like a pair of new squeaky shoes as
you walk. and when you can see your
breath in a steam heated flat (althougt
the latter argument is not so convinc
ing on second considerations why the
need of thermometer-you know its
cold. Not only that, but you know
its very cold, with decided emphasis or
the adjective.
Ice Is Very Thick.
Ice of an unusual thickness is beins
formed on the streams and ponds in
this vicinity, and is being cut and
stored away in large quantities for uss
next summer.
There have been two Decembers In
the past twenty-five years. it is said
when the thermometer registered a:
cold as it did early this morning. 1r
December, 1898. 16 degrees below wa:
reported, while in December. 1901. !:
below zero was recorded. On severa
occasions within the past few years the
mercury has dropped to Is and 1s de
grees below zero in January and Febru
airy. but 1t is an unusual occurrence tc
1 hnr in
Der. In January aud February of tn.
year 1904 the official thermometer a
the pumping station registered as Low
as 1j and - degrees below zero re
spectiveIy. while in January OF the
present year II degrees below was reg
istered.
There is intense suffering among th'
poor Of the city during this extreme
cold spell. The Associated Charitie.
are constantly besieged with appeal!
for fuel. food and clothing and ever,
effort is being made to supply th'
wants of those who are in destitute cir
tcumstances. Several tons Of coal wer'
donated today at the office Of Truste'
Howarth and many orders were alst
given on groceries. No PARTICULAR,
pathetic cases have come to light re
Gently, but there are many poor peo
pie in the city in urgent need OF hell
and money contributions and in fac
anything in the way Of donations b!
those who are able to give will b,
greatly appreciated.
| THE WEATHER.