Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-01-04
NUMBING BLASTS
FROM FRIGID ZONE
BrattIeboro in Grasp Of Coolest
Wave in Years
Mercury Reaches Sub-Cellar, Recording
81 Below at F. r. Vaughan 's--43 on
Western Avenue.


row greeted Brattleboro people again
Wednesday and Ferris II. Vaughan 5 |
standard thermometer recorded p de-
grees below zero, the coolest yet. Lis
ten to the report which was whispered
over the telephone from West Brat
teboro: b. y. Phelps declared that
it was AZ below, and at $50 with the
sun shining on the tube the fluid had
risen only four degrees. At Warren
Walkers, which is generally the most
frigid spot in that chilly burg, it was
"only' 40 below that morning. In
town there were all sorts of stories ra-
dating between these figures.
All this came in spite Of encourag
in" "omiscs from weather bureaus oil
over New England that the severe cold
wave was passing out TO sea and Jack
Frost was going to be more mercilul.
For few hours Tuesday the atmOs-
phcrc was quite hcarabc, but at night
fail the mercury began TO slip toward
the lower region Of it's containers once
more with the result that it was by all
means the toughest night experienced.
People were Obliged TO get up many
times during the night to keep fires
burning and then the biting air worked
its way through cracks, under doors and
around windows 80 that n comfortable
house was an exception rather than
the rule.
Wednesday the frost which hung
in the air over Brattlcboro was heavy
and thick and bit right into ones ncsl
with unrelcnting fcrccnons and many
| Il person, who was too proud or
thoughtless to wear ear caps, was frost
bitten. Water pipes continued to both
or people and keep plumbers busy an
swerinG hu1Eup calls but no serious
damage was reported.
Yesterday morning it was 90 below
| at Mr. Vaughan s and 3S in West Brat
! tlcboro. Last evening at $50 Mir
| Vaughan Is thermometer showed two be
low, which was the warmest of the week
at that time OF night.
| On Saturday the mercury at Mr.
Vaughan S did not get above 6 degree,
below zero. Sunday the weather
warmed up to i below.
Sunday morning Mr.. Vaughan 5
standard recording thermometer regis
tered - below zero. Monday it was five
degrees warmer. Reports from West
Brattleboro, however, made these fig
ures pale into insignificance. At War
rem Walkers home it was a. below
Sunday and 30 Monday morning. Their,
have been three December month.
since 1910 when the thermometers here
abouts did mot register even, as low
as the zero mark.
Chilling Drafts slipped under door
and oozed through window crack
which forced folks TO wear the warm
est wraps they could find and no mat
ter how fast coal was stocked into fur
naces it was possible almost to main
tain any degree of comfort. Al
thoughts of fuel economy have beer
shattered.
Smiles which customarily beam OF
the faces of those who belong to til
plumbing fraternity with the advcn
of cold weather began Sunday t
fade into worried expressions as the
were unable to anywhere near cate
TO the demands made upon them. On
man declared when answering ca
that he had 80 orders ahead. AS
result of bursting water pipes mur
damage was done throughout the tow
Train schedules have been out G
gear for several days because of dit
ficulty experienced in keeping up stcal
in locomotives.
Had it not been for the heavy bai
ket of snow which covers the groun
plumbers declare that there would hay
been no end of trouble. This serve
us protection to the water mains b,
low the street surface and no trouhl
whatever was reported from that dire
(, ton.
The Twin State Gas & Electric G.
had its usual winter experience Wit
frosty pipes and Saturday afternoo
l. the services of fire steamer bCcan
7 Necessary TO thaw out the mains und,
, the bridge which crosses the Connect
- cut river In houses generally the G
$ fccts were felt as the gas did not flo
$ freely enough to provide Il very bri
@ liant light.
Churches experienced some difficult
II withc the heating question Sunday IN
o the congregations were small.
;. All efforts to warm up the anditoriu
4 of st. Michael S Episcopal church
d any degree of comfort failed Althoue
0 brisk fires were kept burning from
f o clock Saturday afternoon until o.;
|. yesterday morning il was impossible
d get the temperature above - degree
t. This made it necessary to hold all Su
It day services in the parish house, Il
altar being moved from the chapel f
that purpose. 1t is probable that til
plan will be continued throughout Il
cold weather to aid in the conscrV
tion OF fuel.
Z The New England Telephone q Tel
1t graph Co. is not without its troubles h
cause of the severe cold, and though n
e of serious natWc this has been cXpe
cnccd with the trunk lines. Bctwe'
q here and Greenfield on the south III
Bellows Falls ON the north there W
N no service Sunday morning, and sol
ir delay was experienced next forenoon
getting connections, but in the al
IN crnoon all lines were working III go
shape.
H. II is said that when such heavy fror
n as have prevailed during the asst #
days gets into the copper wires
~ lightcns them to such an extent TIA
!, they break very easily, and this il
been the cause Of all the inconVenicn'
NEED FOR GYMNASIUM.