Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-31

All previous cold records for tho
month OF December were broken IN
Richmond yesterday morning. when
touched the mark IT - degrees bclo" +
zero which was also the second cold
est day IN tile twenty years history
OF the local Weather bureau. The pre-
yious coolest day for this month &C
CURED December 81. 1899, when tho
temperature WAS 4 degrees above. The
coolest day on record Was February 10,
1899, when the mercury dropped 10
: degrees below zero.
There was intense suffering and great
Inconvenience throughout tho city be-
cause OF the cold. with transportation
lines and public service companies suf-
fIrinS severely. Charity workers wcro
also taxed to meet the urgent and un-
prccedcntcd demands made upon them
by tho unfortunatcs OF tho city. The
Inconvenience, however. was lcsscned
somewhat By tho fact that yesterday
was Sunday, although hundreds OF
frozen water pipes which gave way un-
der the strain could not be repaired
until this morning.
, Unable 10 obtain a sufficient supply
: OF oil. tho fuel in its tanks becoming
stin and frozen. the Iicnrico County
Gas Company. supplying practically the
entire northern suburbs OF the city, was
forced TO close down its plant for two
and onc-half hours late yesterday. Oil
was later obtained. however. from
South Richmond, and the works re-
sumcd operation. Many homes in this
section we're without lights or cooking
facilities, and in many others gas has
been used this winter for heating pur-
poses. The plant resumed operation at
1:30 o'clock, and there was no further
Econvcniencc.
Y SKATING on RIVER FOR FIRST
TIME IN NINETEEN YEARS
Skating on the James River was
possible yesterday afternoon for the
first time in nineteen years. and many
persons awaited themselves OF the
sport, while the lakes in the various
parks of the city wcre covered with
several inches of ice. Hundreds bravcd
the cold wind and biting air TO enjoy
the sport Street car traffic continued
under great difficulties and steam
roads operated with trains hours be
hind schedules. The fuel situation Ii
Richmond was not believed to be crit
ical at this time, but little or no Goa
arrived yesterday, and with continued
cold weather for several days condi
tions will become serious. Dci.verie:
are precarious over slippery Streets
and few homes or public building = ~
more than few weeks supre
4 Little relief is promised" Richmond
and vicinity for the next forty-eigh
hoks. The forecast of the Wcathe
Bureau last night predicted coli
weather for to-day and tomorrow
with snow tomorrow and a slightl
higher temperature. The cold way
continued yesterday throughout til
Eastern section of tho United State:
4 with little or no relief in any cit,
while many arc seriously threatenc
n 18th fuel famine.
SECOND CoLDEsT DAY
IN PAST TWENTY YEAR
From a temperature of degrees a
= o'clock Saturday night. the mcrcur
| cropped steadily in its tube until
o'clock yesterday morning. when
tipped the mark at % below. II wa
the coldest December day on recor'
~ and the second coolest day in tile pas
/ twenty years. The coolest day fc
which figures arc available. howevc
was accompanied by blizzard Of tn
first magnitude, and was we'll rcmcn
hered yesterday by the older resident
This record WAS established Feb
ruary 10, 1899, and after three da!
N OF extremely cold weather, Richmo
was visited by q heavy sGowstorr
For forty-cight hours there was
binding storm, which blocked stree
car traffic and. on the suburban line
made operation impossible for sever
days.
Tho weather warmed slightly ycstc
dayyas the day progressed. and, Wi
~ 3GontInucd on Seventh paCe.)