New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-02
Record List of Deaths; No
Relief Promised Until
/. End of Week
Frustrated Victims
Fill City Hospitals
Storm Fails to Lower HUI
midity; Factories Close;
Parks Open to Sleepers

killed By. heat in New York City yes
terdsy.
Some died in the afternoon, when the
mercury climbed TO 9S, yet many others
we're stricken in the early hours before
dawn, waiting vainly for the respite
that did not come. And after thun-
der shower had doomed and flashed its
way across the city yesterday after
noon, carrying a false promise OF re-
lief, deaths continued.
New York yesterday not only made
a record for itself in heat casualties.
but at s o'clock yesterday morning 1t
was the hottest city in the United
States.
When men who had found difficulty
in breathing, let alone sleeping, during
the night dragged themselves TO work
at that hour the Thermometer regis
tered sS. At 9 the mercury had climbed
TO 80. At $3.50 p. m. it reached the
high mark for the day and equalled
the record of Tuesday-the hottest day
in sixteen years-by touching the SS
level.
No Relief Promised To-day
The ordeal through which the city
passed yesterday promises to repeat it.
self to-day. At midnight the Weather
Bureau thermometer registered 81, and
although the forecaster held out vague
predictions of relief tonight or to-
morrow, he added Fair and warm"
There is no hope in sight for the East
until the end Of this week or the be-
ginning of the next, according to the
Weather Bureau at Washington.
If the city is forced to undergo an
other day of siege by high temperatures
Il will probably exceed me asaSh record
established yesterday. Vitality melts
away quickly under g continued hot
spell and men, women and children
who can stand one or two days OF
great heat succumb If tbs mercury re-
mains high day after day.
New York awoke from its scant,
breathless sleep to find the heat devils
still dancing on the soft asphalt and
the buildings hung over with a gray
hot haze.
The morning was calm and the tenn
persture seemed to rise with every
moment. Early in the day 1t began to
disorganize business badly. Scores OF
plants in the city, the suburbs, New
Jersey and upstate found that II would
be dangerous for their employees to con-
tinue work and shut down for the day.
Heat Cases Crowd Hospitals
Ambulances which had been st work
all night were literally swamped with
calls as the day progressed. Men, wom-
en- and children were dropping every
where. In most hospitals in the city
the day was q record breaker for the
number Of heat cases treated.
Twice during the day thunderstorms
rolled in from the west in attempts
20 relieve the city from its besieger.
The first assault was made at III a. m.
Clouds gathered, and thunder muttered
and for a few moments a breeze that
bore traces of coolness sprang up.
The mercury dropped from 90 to SO,
but no rain fell, and the sun broke
through the clouds before midday,
"NtIeupol tHe ucICuiy OSBaH again 40
upward climb.
Little Rain Fell
At $3.50 it had equalled Tuesdays
record, and there was prospect that be-
fore the day ended 1t would excel il.
Then the second storm appeared.
This was heavier attack against the
hosts Of heat. and was accompanied by
much thunder and lightning and little
rain. By 4 o'clock the ambitious mer-
curry had been driven down to 81, and
continued TO withdraw until midnight.
Added 70 tho heat Of the day was
the additional torture Of humidity. At
noon il was IT, but siackened later
The earliest trains from the city
toward the beaches were packed with
men, women and children, burned out
Of their homes by the deadly heat
and flying 20 the ocean for aid.
All day long each seaside resort was
thronged with bathers until II looked
like seal rookery in full swing. Dur
ing the night. those who feared TO re-
turn to the sitting city lay thick as
driftwood along the beaches.
Thousands Sleep on Beach
Coney Islands week day record Of
syNtVVV, fbLdDllhNFu j Vf5Negf "db GA
ceeded BY nearly 100000 yesterday.
OF this crowd, $1,000 or more remained
all night 70 3lumber on the beach. The
Island stood out notably as one OF the
few districts in the city yesterday
where no heat prostration occurred.
The subways were, as usual. the hot
test parts Of the feverish city. Scores
were overcome while travelling by
them. SO many were prostrated in The
Brooklyn Bridge Station and in the
Centre Street loop under the Mu-
nlcipsl Building, that the Mayor, who
returned 20 the city 70 aid In fghtinR
the heat, ordered Charities Commis-
'sionsr Kingsbury 20 assign physicians
70 each station until the heat wave
has sbated.
Parks Thrown Open
All Of the eitys parks were thrown
open again last night 20 the sufferers
from the eOngested districts Of the
city. Thousands Of persons got what
sleep the temperature permitted
stretched on the grass.
The heat wave continues in all cities
of the East and Middle West, although
Chicago was relieved somewhat yester-
day by showers and lake breeze.
The Windy City's death toll 30 far