The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-15
DECEMBER RANKS
FOURTH IN GOODNESS
Interesting Record in Salem, Mass.
Extends Over a Period Of over
100 Years.

SALEM. Mass, Jan. l5.-Andrew
Nichols. widely-known genealogist
and meteorologist, although an octo-
genarian. is yet very active and de-
votes many hours each week day trac
mo records in the Essex county registry
of deeds Office in federal street.
Since 1855 he has kept personal
record of weather conditions. His rec
ords. however, date back to 1907, the
entries then having been made by DIR.
Edward A. Holvoke Of this city, who
died March u, 1929, aged 100 years
months. The records begun by Dr.
Holyoke were continued after his death
by his oldest granddaughter, Mary
Ward. who was married to DR.. Andrew
Nichols. They were parents of An
drew Nichols From 1880 to 1850 the
Spraguc, for many years high sheriff
of Essex County. Sheriff Sprague died
Feb. %, 1852.
Mr.. Nichols in discussing >ather
conditions yesterday, revealed interest
ing data concerning temperatures for
over a century. OF December, 1917,
he said, the average temperature was
2l4S degrees. OF its warmest day, the
oath, the temperature was 1857 de-
! gtees and of it's coolest day, the Both,
degrees below zero. The highest
\ point of the mercury was A degrees
| on the oath; its lowest Il degrees be-
| low zero on the 30th, a range for the
month of 81 degrees.
Until Dee. so, 1917, Mr.. Nichols s
lowest recorded point was l6 degrees
below zero on two different dates.
The average of December, 1916, was
30.57 degrees; of the last 10 Deeem
bers. 30.43 degrees; of 100 DEFENDERS
3o1S degrees.
The coolest December was III 1881
! 1877 being its average. The next
coolest was 1875, with 1910. Others
in order were 1890, 1879; 1917, 21.S4;
1853, 22.Ss; 1890, BOSS. One hundred
years ago, 1878, the average was 1854
OF the two cold days that by the
records appear to be a tie, with al
average of degrees below zero, boil
were in December. None so cold were
! recorded in any of the other winter
months. They were Dec. 10, 1885, anC
II the 3oth of this last December. II
1885 its daytime was the coolest, foI
the three observations viz, ;, s, Is de
grees, all below zero This 5 below
at midday is the coolest recorded a
that time of day.
The 30th of this last December wa
Il below from ; O clock in the mornin,
10 :, noon | degree above zero and a
80 p. III. 5 below. With the next morn
ing ] ] below and the 10 p. m. observa
tion Of the Doth 9 below Mr.. Nichol
considers Dee 80 the coolest day.
Mr.. Nichols further stated that care
= full examination Of his records of tn
two coolest consecutive days in an
month show that Dee. %, 1917, tn
average was > degrees below zero an
E Dec. 80 the average below zero. O
jan. - and y in 1921 the average wa
i 5.5S below, zero. n...
The next Two co1s5cuff1T1c colde,
days were: Jan. 10 and II, 1859, ave
>, age 4.44 below; Jan. is and -, 1s5,
n 1888 below; Jan. Is and 10, 1856, Ia
b below: Jan - and 90, 1910. 1873 b,
e, low; Feb. IL and Is, 1917, l.33 belov
70 Taking seven consecutive days thel
- IS 10 other cold spell that can con
X within many degrees of this last: De
: 20, 1917, average I below; Dee. 30, ave
n. age ) below; Dec 81, average 2.33 b
h low; Jan. /, 1918, average l abov,
- Jan. >, average 3.67 above; Jan.
e average 7.67 above; Jan. I, avera.
. 7.@3 above The average of the sevt
Id days, 5.33 degrees above, was the col
" est of no years.