Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-09-20

The summer of 1879 will long be re-
membered for it's torrid atmosphere
The situation will be better under
stood from the following record: Nor
witch, Conn, June 2, 100 degrees; New
York, June %, SO degrees; Charleston.
July IL, 101; on the same date st.
Louis, 100; Knoxville, Tenn, July Is.
1903; Charleston. July IA, Ill Q6
deaths); Detroit, July &c. 102; New
York. July II, 101.
In 1881 it is said the heat through
out the United States was the great
est on record, the thermometer in
many places registering 105 degrees
in the shade. In England the mer-
curry ranged from 80 to 101 degrees,
and in Paris SO degrees. The heat
continued with brief intermission
through July and August into Septem-
Der. In Richmond the thermometer
registered 105 degrees; in Washing
ton 104; in Baltimore, Wilmington,
Philadelphia, Rochester and elsewhere
from SO to 100; yet on September
snow fell in Deadwood, S. D., to the
depth of five inches, and at Bald
mountain the snow was two feet deep.
During the month of September the
thermometer in places registered as
high as log degrees and great forest
fires broke out and ragged in different
parts OF the country. On September
a day of darkness broke over the
country. being worse over the New
at he
were badly frightened. The Connect
cut legislature, in a belief that the
end of the world was approaching, adj
journed. A strange greenish-yelIow
pail overspread the heavens, and so
darkened the light of the sun that
lamps and gas were lighted, schools
and factories closed, and multitudes
OF the ignorant and superstitious be-
lieved that the day of judgment had.
come.
Everything looked changed and I'M
natural. The faces of the people on
the street were CHASTITY, the gas jets
in the stores, instead of showing vel
low, were as white and clear as cleo
trio lights, and thousands Of the sect
cred in their places of worship and
confidently awaited the appearance of
the Lord. The dark day was more
wonderful in the country. The leaves
and whitening foliage assumed a most
singular tint of green, changing like
that of grass to a brownish hue;
fowls went to roost, and the animal
creation must have been greatly mys-
titled by phenomenon such as they
had never before witnessed.
A curious feature of this luminous
haze was that it cast no shadow. It
was as light under the trees as away
from them, the whole unnatural ap-
pearance Of things most likely being
due to the immense forest fires. which
we're raging in many parts of the
country
Other Hot Visitations.
The months of June and July, 1882,
were notably oppressive. On the 18th
of July SO children in New York city
died from the effects of the heat. Car
horses fell in their traces; drivers
dropped from their seats on trucks
anu WdSOuS. bFOdUWdy was ike a
great transparent fame of fire. Bust
ness was partially suspended and
many workshops were closed The
crowded parts of New York on the
east and west sides were filled with
families mourning their dead, and un-
dertakers went their busy rounds as
If an epidemic prevailed. Seven hun
dred and seventy-nine little ones died
during this period from diseases super
induced by the heat.
The month of August, 1896, was
very hot and for period OF five days
the thermometer ranged from 9S to
100 degrees. Hundreds died of sun
stroke. The year 1900 was also a
scorcher. For three days In May,
three in June, Is in July, II In August
and four in September total of AZ
days-the thermometer ranged from
80 degrees upward, and In places went