Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-03
WORST KNOWN IN DECEMBER
Cold Kills Cattle, Delays Traffic
and Causes Much Suffering.
Lowest December Temperature Ever
Recorded sunday-Nearly Low
est Known-Business Places
'-~ Close-slow Relief ON Way.

Burlington, in common with the rest
~ Vermont. passed through the sever
est December weather on record Satur-
day and Sunday, but 1t was predicted
that Monday would begin to see
an end of the cold which has
caused the death of considerable
amount of livestock, raised havoc with
tha niumbing of thousands Of buildings,
delayed trains and caused no little sur
ferine throughout the State. Early
sunday morning at the weather bu-
reau the official thermometer went
down to Is degrees below zero, thus
breaking all known records for the
month Of December. During most OF
the cold spell a stiff wind prevailed to
add to the discomfort.
The cold wave reached Burlington
along about noon Friday, following
comfortable morning with the tempera-
ture In the twenties. BY Saturday
morning the mercury had dropped to
40 below zero and remained at prac-
tically that point all DAY. During Sat
urdav night there was a further drop.
10 Is below zero, and the highest point
reached Sunday was II degrees below
zero. All this in the face OF great
scarcity Of coal.
LIVESTOCK PERIsHEs.
So far as could be learned Sunday night
there was no loss of livestock in emit
tenden county for the reason that the
farmers got ready for the drop South
Of here in Addison county, however
the loss was heavy. More cattle are
raised there than in Chittenden county
and a large number of calves perlsneu'
Calves are about the most susceptible
Of any animals to the cold, especially
before they are a year old
No cases of exposure were brought
into the local hospitals but the physi-
CLANS were called on to attend numer-
GUS minor injuries such as frozen ears
noses, etc. On Main street an elderly
man was found lying in front of the
Strong building by some OF the theatre
help. The thermometer then registered
26 below on the street and he would
have frozen to death shortly had he not
been found. He was taken into the
building and there restored so he could
be sent home in a hack. Two or three
people were seen on the street with
snow white noses and didn't know they
were frozen until told. Frozen ears
were plenty and were mostly OF those
who were out on short trips for the
men who were obliged to stay out took
precautions. Because or the cold the
lumber yards as a rule gave up work
early in the day Saturday. Only a
n
and 1.-The concerns took pity on those
who did.
PLUMBERS AND COAL MEN BUSY.
There was no rest for the plumbers OF
men in the water department Sunday
Every plumber in the city wore overalls
until late into the night and the water de-
nartment men the same. In a short time
Sunday forenoon Is from meters were
reported and the trouble continued all day.
This was following a strenuous day Satur-
day In the other towns around here this
trouble was very general. especially In Els
Box, where nearly everyone had thawing.
out time. The coolest weather in this sector
was reported from there, where an un
Oficial source gave the lowest point as 8
beiow zero. In this city the hydrant
stayed in good shape and the only trouble
was In meters and pipes. The gas com
pany also had a force at work nearly al
the time thawing out gas pipes.
The coal men Saturday worked ever.
available man and then some of the com
panies were obliged to distribute coal OF
Sunday to take care Of the emergenc!
orders.
TRAINS ALL LATE.
The difficulty in keeping up steam mad
timetables useless and no trains moved OIL
time. This in turn affected the mails 81
that most of them were late at least on
delivery. The early sleepers yesterda.
were between three and four hours lat
and the train from New York due at a
p. m. did not reach here until evening