Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-13
COOLEST DAY IN
HISTORY Of: CITY
REGISTERED 81
BELoW;DATE FlFTY-FlvEY
AGO SAID TO BE COLDER.
MANY ARE SUFFERING
Charitable Organizations Find Fuel
and Groceries in Great Demand
Are Doing Good Work.
Coal Is Scarce.

! The thermometers of Ottumwa have
not il half century registered as low
mark as was reached by the mercury
this morning at o'clock. 1t is stated
by old settlers that in the winter OF
1861 a temperature of thirty-four
degrees below zero was recorded but
it is not known whether this registra.
ton is reliable or not for the reason
that but few thermometers are accur'
ate. 1t is probable that the tempera-
ture this morning has never been
equaled in the history Of Ottumwa.
Fred p. Fisher, 80 North street, de-
clared this morning that his Their
mometer registered thirty-four de-
grees below the zero mark at 4:30
o'clock. The official thermometer, in
spected by the government weather
bureau and placed in charge Of Local
Weather Observer Charles Sloan gave
the temperature at o'clock this morn
ing as twenty-seven degrees below
zero Since the installation of the To-
cal weather department twenty years
ago, this mark has never been reached.
February S, 1905, twenty-four degrees
below zero was recorded at 7 a. M,
but by afternoon of that day the mer-
curry went up to II degrees below.
This afternoon it is from five to eight
degrees colder than this mark Of 1905
Old settlers, who have resided in Of
tumwa and who have been "eye wit
nesses" of the weather assert that they
cannot remember as cold day as to.
day, with the exception of the day
fifty-fve years ago, and but very few
can recall that record.
Scarcity Of Coal.
throughout the territory affected
with this severe weather coal famines
are reported, in many places it being
,lnobtainable at any price. In Ottumwa
however, although there is a great
scarcity of fuel coal men declare that
there is no present danger of famine.
Much Suffering in City.
To the charitable organizations Of
the city, pleas for fuel and groceries
are coming in great numbers. AL
though there are many requests for
fuel and groceries are in the
greatest demand. The Open Door Res
cue Mission has found its calls for as
sistance doubled during this below
zero weather. They have been able to |
cope with the problem nicely at present |
oy caring for the most needy and des- |
Janet Worden Is endeavoring to cope |
With the same condition and is able to |
dispose of all the clothing and supplies |
hat are given the association.
A few nights ago one Of the night
policemen met a negro with a sack OF
oal on his back. He Immediately stop
,ed him and asked him where he got
he fuel. The man asserted that he had
aiken it from the railroad yard. But he
made plain statement of facts to the
officer in defense of his action. He de-
Jared that he had a wife and four
hill, rem at home that were freezing to
leath for want of fuel and that he had
burned up everything imaginable about
he house.
The high school closed at 1 o'clock
oday because Of the cold. The after
loon and morning sessions were COM
lined, thus giving the full days work.
The grade schools held their regular
lOurS,