The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-09
THE SCARF RIOTS.
A Page From the History Of n Prophet
Ruled Town.

Ruled Town.
While the Americans Of that remote
day were of a patient and ong sufer-
ing disposition, they were not without
spirit, and ever the most submissive
of them, the residents Of New YORK
and its environs, were capable OF stout
resistance when they conceived that
their rights had been unjustly and
unbearably invaded.
Thus in the late spring OF 1915 oc-
CURED the popular uprising known
commonly as the SCarr Rebellion. tax
ing its name from the immediate OBJ
ject of its hostility. Scarr was an
agent of the Federal Government to
whom was entrusted the task OF
regulating the weather in New York
and its vicinity. In the early days of
his incumbency his conduct seems to
have attracted little notice. but in
the winter of 19l4-15 n the spring
Of the later year he earned high and
undivided disfavor.
The winter supplied by him was
warm, muggy and ~flavorless. the
spring cold, wet and disagreeable. For
months the populace endured the in
! fictions he put upon them. but when
the month of June arrived, and In
stead of the brilliantly clear, sunlit
DAYS to which their fathers were ac-
. customed the reckless Scarf served to
them a series Of leftover March days,
indignation replaced tolerance. and ex-
,itemcnt that should ave warned the
authorities OF danger possessed the
masses of people.
1t showed itself first in private
E g,a,,1nfn.c t,staral In homes Hlnh
rooms, thes dansants. cafes and other
places OF resort. At the beginning
these were not different from the
structures that occasionally In the past
had been heard. but with the persist
ence Of the bad weather they grew in
vo.umc and took on the nature of
threats. The rulers OF the nation. alb
sorbed in other affairs, paid no atten-
ton. They seemed to believe that
there was no substance to the unrest
and that the manifestations would pass
without an thu
This confidence was without founda-
ton. The authorities had not k
account of the effect Of n day on
which, after weeks of dull, damp and
depressing clouds. low temperatures
and raw winds. a downpour neCessi-
tated the ~postporrment of n double
header. drove the golfers from the
links. forced the tennis players to
abandon the courts and deprived IN.
amateur gardeners of their accustomed
exercise. The dissatisfaction that had
hitherto been controlled k.ndlcd a
hcadstrong anger, and n people long
supposed to Doe completely cowsi rose
in a fury that unseated reason and
hnnishcd caution.
At what point and BY whom the dis
orders tina ensucd were started has
never been established. It is probable
that the rioting began simultaneously
IN several widely separated sections
OF the city. Il Is recorded that n
maddcncd golfer on the Van Cortlandt
links preCipltated a struggle hv tear
ing down a United States Weather
Bureau bulletin. while at almost tn"
same moment n commuter who had
Just purchased a garden rake attacked
"A thermometer displayed at the cor
ner. of Doy street and broadway.
Other acts of violence occurred at
Other points. providing the signal FOR
the terrible episodes that followed.
\ mob estimated at 10000 persons
gathered =. the plaza OF the CITY Han,
where a few police attempted 10 main
tain order. The leaders of the insur-
gent masses deceived the officers by
explaining that they were advocates
Of free speech. and thus obtained time
to organize and consolidate their
forces. Forming their onraged fol-
lowers in a column they marched
them to the lower part OF the borough
Of Manhattan. entered the building
where SCarr had taken refuge, over
powered the CiiiCe boy whose duty II
was To protect him. penetrated his
private room and dragged him from
his desk. Scars umbrella. %rainCoat
and rubber oVcrShocs were taken from
him. and. deprived Of these essential
protectors, he was exposed To the
weather Of his W creation, 10 perish
miscrably. while tho ~populace pitt
lcssly Knocked him.
While this dreadful, scene was be-
ing enacted another rrcat company
OF rioters, consisting In largo part
Of nursCmaids with Their violent
Icharscs. croquo' players and sim
lar desperate characters recruited from
the hahituts of tho parks, as
semhled neal tho meteorological - ~
servatory in Central Park and de-
seconded upon L. Tho attendants
sought to Zee, hut were captured, and
while their %assailants DESTROYED ia,
buildings it's official occupants wrr
rcmorsclessly tied TO their own record
ing thermometers, immersed In then
rain uGe and strapped 10 the whirI-
ing thermometers. one wrctChet
workman succeeded in getting clear
Of the building and hid | me" sunko0
road which travcrSed the park. lIc
was discovered, and as u" fled shrek
ing "A great crowd, many of whom
were armed with Beaufort sCale'
taken from tho store rooms Of the OH
~servatory, pursued, mercilesslY heating
him. Seeking refuge In n Fifth ave
nue. mansion. he fell victim to n mad
dcned c~ross-country rider. who har-
messed him as n hunter, mounted hin
and rode him To death.
II having been noised about thai
Scarr's official superior was nance
Houston, an attack was Immediately
begun on Houston street, which wa:
demolished, with all its bindings o.
each side. In the course Of this at
tack q great FIRE started, and, thC
water supply failing, Threatened TO de-
strOv the whole town. frrtuulrclN
there were on hand vast accumulation.
Of fresh lemonade and similar hcvcr
ages, made months before in anticipa