The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-12
WELCOME RELIEF
COMES WITH rain
Backbone of Heat Wave Broken,
While Mercury Regis
tered q.
ELEVEN clustering DAY;
Showers Force Drop in Tenn
perature OF Twenty Degrees
in SO Many Minutes.

Relief from the intolera BILE heat
which has held the city in IT'S grasp
since July l came suddenly with a
transform yesterday shortly after 2
O'Clock, while the official thermometer
on Chimborazo Hill pointed to 81 ae-
grecs, Although the first blow lasted
less than an hour. 1t sent the tenn
perature down 90 degrees-so fast. in
fact. that its declining progress in the
tube could be easily followed with the
eye. Later in the afternoon there was
second shower which cooled the at
mosphcre, but there was enough hu-
Nudity to sim remind suffering hui
manity that the relief might not be
permauent.
Just before the FIRST peat OF thunder
Governor Mann had signed PROCLAIM
ton, calling on the people OF Virginia
to pray for rain The prayer was an
swered even before news. of the proc
lamation had left the Capitol, but
there is still need of continued show
ers TO save the crops from utter ruin.
Eleven Terrible Dnys.
When the temperature reached o.
degrees yesterday 1t marked the
eleventh day OF the torrid spell. No
such record as that has ever been
known before in Richmond. The best
hope that could be offered by the
government was in the shape of local
thunder showers scattered anywhere.
They were certain TO appear some
where sometime, and this town got
its first out of many offered
The forecast Issued by the local
bureau Yesterday morning said this:
For Richmond and vicinity-General-
ly fair, except probably thunder show
ers tonight or Wednesday. Not quite
SO warm Wednesday,"
How badly the experts guessed may
be gained from the fact that rain came
instead of generally fair" In the off,
cial weather table furnished The
Times Dispatch IT p NJ daily by
the local bureau, ana printed. as usual,
this morning, there are two glaring
errors.
Said 1t Didn't Rnin.
The record is printed as il was sent,
and it states that the weather yester-
day was clear and opposite the word
rainfall is great big zero. But 1T
was not clear and 1T aid IA n, and pc
fore that rain descended the mercury
got to 95 at noon and then to o., when
the storm broke the backbone OF the
heat wave. This reference is published
for the benefit of Richmond folk aw v
from honRA who cannot always tell
what happened by slancing a the off,
cial table issued by the government
Moreover, the highest wind velocity
announced yesterday by the govern
ment was tour miles an hour. while II
must have been blowing nearer forty
at one time during the storm.
Three Prostrntcd-Onc Dead.
Of three heat prostrations reported
yesterday. one proved fatal. WYATT
Price. seventy five years old. Of 71G
North Third street, dying from the
effects of the sultry weather at 3
o'clock Yesterday afternoon. 1t was
said that the aged negro had been
suffering for some time. and had been
stricken with apopleXy Yesterday the
ht at became unbearable, and Price
succumhed with hardly struggle.
Two other cases were attended by
DIR Tarter of the city ambulance. He
was called yesterday morning. shortly
after II o'clock. to the rear of build
ing going up on Broad Street, between
ker, colored, OF 1910 Jay Street, who
had been stricken by the heat. Par
ker was carrying material to brick
layers when he tainted The ambu-
lance was called, and he was resus-
citated by DIR. Tarter, afterwards being
taken home
Anna Hedgman, colored, of the rear
OF 7o1 East Leigh Street, was overc o,ne
in the Seventh Street stemmery Of Tho
American Tobacco Company. Her con-
clifton was not serious and she was
soon resuscitated She was taken homo
in the ambulance