Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03
HUMIDITY IS FATAL
Ten Deaths Ascribed to the
Heat in Chicago.
HAZE OVERHANGS THE CITY
Atmosphere Thick, With Dust Mis-
taken for Clouds Portending
Shower That Did Not Come.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


CHICAGO, ILL.,, July 2.-Death and suf-
fering continued today in growing pro-
portions to mark the progress of the hot
wave hanging over Chicago and this re-
gion.
The mercury itself failed to climb as
high as it did Friday. but a haze hung in
the sky, the humidity was intense and no
breeze came with the usual lake relief.
Ten more deaths were recorded during
the day in Chicago alone.
All Chicago started suffering early in
the day-in fact it did not entirely cease
suffering from the night before. Hundreds
of people left their beds and slept in
doorways. the parks. anywhere they
could find where it was bit cooler than
in their rooms. Many on the north and
south sides sought the lake front dur
ing the night in hopes that some vagrant
breeze would reach them there.
The thermometer climbed upward until
In the afternoon it registered 80 degrees.
a mark it held until evening.
Collars OF busy men were wilted long
before Q o'clock in the morning, and it
was difficult to get people to do any
trained on them all the time. Places
where the drinks were sold-soft drinks
and the other kind. too-did a rushing
business. and buttermilk, with the strong
recommendations it has received as q
hot weather thirst killer, was in special
demand.
Dust Mistaken for Clouds.
The haze over the city caused thousands
to carry umbrellas. in the belief that a
shower was coming. Others thought
forest fires in neighboring states were
responsible for the overcast condition of
the skies. Prof. Henry J. Cox Of the
weather bureau, however, declared 1t
was the usual accumulation Of dust
above the city which the absence of a.
breeze had failed to remove.
Prof. Cox came to the defense Of Chi
cagO as summer resort, and asserted
that the deaths and prostrations record
ed here in the last few weeks were not
care and precaution on the part of the
people who suffered. He said June
weather here was a few degrees cooler
than st. Louis. and from 10 to 10 de-
grees cooler than New Orleans.
During June the average maximum
temperature in Chicago was Is degrees
only two degrees higher than that Of At
lantic City. while its minimum tempera-
ture was Ola. about the same thing as
the eastern resort.
OF experiments he has been making with
regard to the clothes Chicagoans should
wear during the warm months.
Difference in Thermometers.
Thermometers with light and black
bulbs were exposed to the sun for the
purpose of observing the radiations when
the thermometer was known to be $50
degrees in the shade. The thermometer
nit h. 1s-~l~&
while the one with the black bulb showed
temperature of 1916 degrees.
This last temperature indicates ap-
proximately to what degree Of heat a
man dressed in black and exposed to the
sun is subject at the shade temperature
Of $685." said Prof. Cox. quite diff
ference
lat the time these observations were
made the atmosphere was not clear, and
had 1t been clear much greater diff
ference would be noted between the shade
temperature and that Of the black bulb,
probably forty to fifty degrees"
Prof. Cox made plea for heat sufferers
to abstain from alcoholic drinks, over
eating. and thinking about the weather.
He suggested spending as much time in
the open air as possible. drinking plenty
of water, and eating all the fruit and
vegetables you want.
'All this is easy and open alike to rich
and poor he said you need not get
Is luxury that you cannot afford"
Three Deaths in New York.
NEW YORK, July 2.-The hot wave
claimed three more victims in New York
today. not counting two suicides partly
ascribed t. the weather.
The MAXIMUM temperature for the day
was only S8 degrees at 4:3O pm. but
the humidity was excessive.
Five Deaths In Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, July 2-Heat. inten-
sified by high humidity. was responsible
for five deaths in this city today, besides
causing much suffering. particularly
among the poor. The government ther-
mometer reached the maximum of only
eighty-nine degrees. but the atmosphere
was heavy with moisture, and a mist
greatly resembling light fog hung over
the city during the entire day and even
ing.