The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-07
IT'S WARMIN UP.
Mercury Rises Slowly After
Seven O'clock Today.
Minimum Was Two Degrees Be
low Zero This Morning.
COLD IN THE HOUSES.
People Suffer Because OF Low
Gas Supply.
Low Temperature Area Passing
to South.
COLD IN THE HOUSES.

4 most reliable information obtainable by
the government weather observers in
| this city. The mercury reached a
minimum of two degrees below zero
about daybreak this morning and since
! then has steadily climbed away from
the chilly zero mark, though it has
! Travelled at little better than suaiPs
pace At 2 o'clock the Thermometer reg
istered II degrees above zero.
Kansas did not experience the ex-
treme severity of the storm for while
below zero temperatures prevailed
throughout the state the Dakotas and
Montana were experiencing minimum
temperatures Of 40 degrees and more
below the zero mark The area of ex-
trene low temperatures is slowly pass
ing to the south and by the latter part
of the week the effects Of the storm In
this section of the country will have
disappeared
south and east of this part of the coun-
try today. and the Ohio valley and tfSs
southern country are now experiencing
low temperatures The Ohio valley
experience below zero weather. while
freezing temperatures will prevail in
Virginia and southern states. It is ex-
pected that by tonight or tomorrow the
cold wave will be at its worst in the
south and that oranges and other semi
tropical fruits will be killed by heavy
frosts and freezes.
The prevailing wind was from the
northeast during the night. gradually
veerfng to the east during the early
morning hours. The direction from
which the wind came had much to do
with preventing a return OF the ex-
tremeIy low temperatures of the pre-
cedfng "a hours The extremely low
temperatures prevail only when the
wind is from the north or northeast
At o'clock this morning the mercury
Efn
a rise of two degrees in half an hour,
for the mercury remained stationary
between q and I;S0, 1t is still rising
slowly. While the weather observers do
not expect zero weather again as a re-
suit of the storm y hich struck Topeka
Tuesday evening. below freezing tenn
peratures will be the rule rather than
the exception during the remainder Of
the week
Reports received from over the state
indicate that uniformly low tempera-
lures have prevailed during the past
As hours with the minimum tempera-
tI1re readings varying from four to
eight degrees below zero While the
mercury hovered about the zero mark
early this morning the cold was not
nearly as noticeable as during the pre-
seuce of a perceptible wind, the velocity
averaging less than six miles an hour
Traces of snow were reported from
various portions of the state but at no
point was there a heavy fall and the
storm was one OF low temperatures and
dry cold. For this reason there was
little or no suffering among the stock in
the western part of the state even when
il the open and where unprotected.
The real suffering. however, is not
among the stock Of the state but among
the people Nor is the suffering con-
fined to the poorer classes who were al
ways the first to feel the pinch OF zero
weather prior to the introduction of
natural gas into the state From near
ly every city and hamlet where natural
gas has been introduced come cries Of
distress and pleas for more heat
Topeka is no exception to the rule
and all day Wednesday women and
children huddled about gas stoves
watching the fffckering flames hoping
for an increase in the volume OF the
heat giving product The supply Of
gas throughout the day and evening
was miserable and by outstanding the
supply temperatures of from so to 50
degrees prevailed in many homes
where children and sick people re-
quired a much higher temperature
Candles and oil lamps were again
brought out from their places of Sc
cIusion and a cold lunch served.
though in some parts of the city there
was gas enough to permit a cup of /
the rule las, night in many of the gas
heated homes for the coverings fur
nished for the beds were the only real
heat furnishers about the houses
The gas company has at last admit I
ted that in cases of extreme cold /
weather it is unable to furnish the re- /
0uired gas supply he inference, how |
ever. is that during the hot summer !
months there will be plenty of gas for
heating as well as cooking. All of the +
larger buildings where natural gas
is used for heating or cooking have
been chilly and half cooked meals !
have been the result in many of them I
used as homes and hotels
As was the case last winter when the I
gas supply failed many of The larger !
Consumers have had their gas fixtures
taken out and are burning coal This /
has resulted in a big squirt of business I
for the coal dealers who owing to the I
open winter prior to this time were
we'll supplied with fuel Several of
the coal dealers had men and teams !
working late into the night delivering |
rush orders
The Grand opera house has been
heated by natural gas and the fixtures
were taken out last night and the boil |
erS will be heated by coal for the re- |
mafnder of this winter. at any rate
The government wea, her forecast is |
Fair tonight and Friday; rising tenn
perature today"
Mercury on the Climb.
The sun has shone bright and /
cheerful since 10 o'clock this morning /
and has aided the mercury in its febt
for more favorable position above /
the zero mark It was 10 O'Clock this
morning before the mercury was able
to divorce itself from the zero mark
and since then its climb towards the /
top of the thermometer has been
somewhat more rapid
The wind which was from the east
this morning veered to the southeast
shortly before noon and did its share
towards assisting the mercury in ffs