The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-15
MERCURY ! 70 LEA! FALL ), ,,,..

Continued From First Page.
degrees is unusual, but the current has
been retarded by the dam being con-
structed in the river and no compari-
sons can be made to former years.
Formerly it took a .protracted cold spell
Of considerably below freezing or drop
in temperature to zero.
The area of frozen surface will
increase greatly tonight and the
streams of the system will become gem
orally icebound," said E. R. Demain,
local weather forecaster, in speaking
of the river conditions.
Fall in Temperature Steady
There was steady fall in tempera-
ture beginning yesterday shortly after
noon, when the maximum temperature
was registered at SO. The p. m. read
ing of the thermometer atop the Fed
eral building showed 16 degrees. At
l O'Clock the mercury had fallen to
. degrees following steady fall, until
1T reached degrees. 1t remained at
that stage until after o'clock this
morning.
Weather bureau officials were a triHe
loath in forecasting cold wave for
tH"i iiioouiS last hiSht, ptlleNlnK lnaJ
Sunday storm would linger and
cause higher temperatures, but instead
the storm went off into the Canadian
maritime provinces and the cold from
the central high pressure area came
close to Harrisburg. The zero mark
this morning is midway between Har-
risburg and Pittsburgh, zero tempera-
lures being, experienced within hun
dred miles of this city in exposed
places.
Came on Heels of Snow Storm
The cold, coming as it did on the
heels of five inches of snow which later
became slush when the snow turned
to rain, froze the ground covering,
making perilons walking. Sleighing.
however, was excellent, but few took
advantage of it. Outside hydrants froze
up as a result of the cold. Coal men
did a rushing business Yesterday.
everybody being anxious to get in n
supply OF black diamonds for the cold
spell.
Although the drop in temperature
was sudden there were comparative!v
few homeless men to be taken care of
last night. The quarters of the Saliva
tion Army were sought out by many
men without places to go, but there
were only nineteen applicants for a
warm place to sleep at police headquar-
ters.
on many warmer nights the police
men have been asked to care for as
many as thirty in one night. Stoves
were Kept going all night in many in
stances, but there were no fires report
ed. This is very unusual, for overheat-
ed chimneys cause fires during most ev
cry cold spell during the winter in.
this city.
So far little damage has been done
by the frozen snow and rain. The
greatest inconvenience was caused bv
frozen moisture clinging to wires and
clogging switches. Employees of the
Harrisburg Railways Company were
employed throughout the night keeping
the switches open.
Injured in Falling on Ice
Two other persons have suffered pain
full injuries from falls on the ice. Mrs.
Annie Evans, $50 Hummel street. fell
last night at Nectarine and Kittatinnv
streets and fractured her left ankle.
She was admitted to tine Harrisburg
hospital. Harry Herzog, 311 South
River street, an employe of the Adams
Express Company, slipped on the ice
while unloading trunks this morning
and fractured his right arm at the
shoulder. He was treated at the Har.
risburg hospital.
The crispness in the weather added
zest to the Christmas shoppers, manv
of whom came out to-day for a trip
through the stores.
According to the Weather Bureau off
cials in Washington, two more days
of extreme cold weather can be looked
for, as the region of the country af-
fected to-day by the cold wave was the
entire section of the country east of
the Mississippi, where the coolest
weather of the season prevailed in most
every State. This entire section of the
country, except in Florida. where rain
fell, and the lake region, where it was
still showing this morning, was fair.