Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-27
thermometer EBBS
TO SEVEN DEGREES
Richmond Has Chilliest Decem-
Der Day Experienced in
Many Years.
ETREETs ARE ICE-CoATED
Through Whole Twenty-four
Hours, Weather Remains Be
low Freezing Point.
'TREETs ARE ICE-coATED

With the thermometer 90 degrees be-
ow normal. yesterday was one OF the
Oldest days experienced in Richmond
many years. Through the whole
wenty-four hours the mercury was be-
DIV freezing point. and when II was
parmest during the afternoon, ii was
Till 10 degrees below the notch on
which the icing point Is marked. The
temperature ebbed at it's lowest to
.egrees above zero. and the highest
cached was 22 degrees. Tho wind was
rom the north. having come from over
no far Canadian wastes. bearing with
8t something of the breath Of the
'olar zone and something OF that bitter
ouch which keeps man at home by his
reside and the beasts Of prey close
cneath their snowbound coverlets.
SILVER THROUGH
ICE-COATE.D STREETS
Hero in Richmond men and women
htversd as they hied themselves to
he scenes OF their labors. and drew
loser about them their coats and such
'ther wraps as they were fortunate
nough to have. Everywhere they
ound leo. The surface of the five Inch
all OF snow was glazed. and water
.roze as It fell. In many instances tho
rater pipes were frozen. and there
rere not q few instances In which they
burst, and required the expensive
,lumbers care. But Richmond was not
he coldest city in the country. In
Duluth the mercury fell degrees be-
ow zero. In Tampa. Fla. 1t was 10
8tegrees above. and fnnnels and tennis
we're still the order OF the day. and the
southern coasts were thronged with
FATHERS. In tho East all along the Al
antic scaboard and aH fur west as the
heBhanies the weather was generally
:lear. and last night the stars shone
bitterly bright. Fortunately. the wind
iweeping down from tho north WAS of
'nly mild velocity. and there was no
biting tang TO the air.
MANY MERRY HOLIDAY
MAKERS on THE STREETS
In spite of the cold. however. there
we're many holiday makers on the
streets yesterday afternoon. and the
theatrcs were crowded. Women came
out In all the furs they had. and men
Hwrapped themselves from head to heels
Ionly the rich little girl. whom fashion
forces TO wear scant protection on her
neither limbs. pinched herself TO see
dlf her knees were really there. And
the poor little girl came out not at all,
nor did her brother. Only those who
were bound for some merry-muking
and those others whom necessity drove
from cover went their way upon tho
streets. Others remained where the
holly and mistletoe hung in hallway
and door, and there the light Of glow
in6 ,fres and the smiles from happy
faces made them forgetful Of those
who, In other homes, were scrambling
for a crumb.
Soda water fountains had but little
trade. Other places OF refreshments
were we'll patroniZed. Yet It was so
Icold that the cup. aye and several CUPS
only cheered. It takes much more to
fnebriate in such weather as cast It's
day.
r,
1T WILL DE WARMER TODAY
Ia degree or two from normal II was
the topic Of the day. Many men wish
ell each other n happy new year and
remarked on the cold. Others forgot
the new year. and thought only OF the
bitter breeze. Street cleaners, o0C OF
them. went about their work in ST :
lence. and policemen blew through pur-
lips upon their numbing fingers.
-sboys were less shrill in their cries
anyfhe boy with the sled. clad in Goa I
AIRS Smittens. shouted his JOY. 1t was
such an aftermath OF Christmas as h.
wanted.
To-day il will be warmer, il the
prophecy of the Weather Bureau comes
true. and much OF the snow Will melt
Yesterday none of /, melted, except
In few isolated places where the sun
was not interrupted by bleak walls
brick and mortar. Everywhere else
were snow and ice, with "a slow, bitter
wind creeping around the corners and
whfstling shriily through crack and
crevice, The day Will long be remem-
bered by those who came out and la :
bored through the slippery streets. 1t
will be remembered, too. by those
who gazed through frosted window
panes and throught how beautiful
looked the snow. II will not be for
gotten by others who made their way
to the Associated Charities and came
away with basket OF provender and
bundle OF wood. 1t was a cold day.
the coidest In years for the Decem-
Der date. but this morning. and to-
morrow. too, 1t will be warmer. and
soon the summer Will come again.
At midnight, on n window ledge OF
The Times-Dispatch Building, the mer-
curry sank down to just degrees above
zero. The highest notch recorded dur
ing the day was % degrees, and the
mean temperature for the day was II
degrees or % degrees below normal.