The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-03-19
JANUARY WEATHER
BAD FOR Us YEARS
PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS DATA
TELLS WHEN BUTTER WAS
$I.0O, AND EGGS rs CENTS.

/. LANSDOWNE, Penn.-Jacob R.
Elfreth, of Lansdowne, the one man
in the United States, it is claimed,
who has a complete record of the
weather for every day for more than
125 years, gives some interesting in
formation relative to weather condi-
tons during the month of January,
from 1890 to the month of January
just past. According to his state
ment and records, which are so val
liable that the government desires
them, the latest January was one of
the most severely cold that he has
any record of. The January of 1915
was severe one, and there was much
suffering among the poor, and prices
were high for food products.
Although these are war times, and
prices of food are high, yet in Jan
uary, 1881. which was cold month,
there was suffering, and butter
brought 81 pound, or 40 cents
more than it is today. Eggs sold
for rs cents dozen, and for two
days in that month milk sold at so
cents a quart.
Mr. Elfreth has the following to
say about Januaries for the last 1875
years:
January, 1918, was the coolest
January I have ever recorded or
have any remembrance of. On eight
days during the month the mercury
was at zero or below. While 1865
67-68 were very cold Januaries
there were but few times in each
year when the mercury touched zero
or below. January 10, 1866, was
one of the coolest days | remember.
and the mercury at 6 a. m. was IS
below zero, and at 8 p. m. zero. Jam
uary /, 1881, it was % degrees be-
low zero-the coolest morning on
my record.
Turning to the records of nv
father and grandfather, beginning
with January, 1890, l find the winter
OF 1897 was very severe-the sever
est since 1890. On six mornings in
January in that year the mercury
was from to 10 degrees below zero.
On the 9th it was 10 below zero.
Sleighs were run on the Delaware
river from Philadelphia to Trenton,
and there were heavy SHOWS during
the month. Then 1903 was a very
severe winter; twice the mercury
was 4 below zero; seven days 10 to
II below zero, and once Is degrees
below, making in all ten days of ze-
70 weather, exceeding the past
month by two days of zero weather.
January, 1915, was a severe month.
with the thermometer five times at
8 to 8 below zero There was great
suffering among the poor, scarcity
Of wood at high prices, and much
snow.
In 1921 January was a very cold
and stormy month, with the mercury
below zero nine times; two mornings
at 10 below, two 9 below and five
below. Sleighing was good through
out the month. Every harbor was fast
from Virginia to Eastport, Me. In
1881 January was very cold and
stormy, with the thermometer below
zero from 6 to 8 degrees seven
times. The Delaware was frozen fast
from January l to the last of Feb
ruary. Great suffering was expert
enced among the poor, and farmers
We're prevented from driving to the
city on account of heavy snow. But
ter sold for $1.00 a pound and eggs
at 70 cents dozen. For two days
milk sold at so cents a quart.
I'm 1882 January brought intense
~ cold weather, and on nine morn
ings the mercury was 8 to 10 de-
grees below zero. Also 1885 brought
very cold January, with the Their
mometer at from to 6 below six
times. January, 1849, marked ex-
tremely cold weather the whole
month. On eight mornings the mer-
curry was from to 10 below, and on
ten mornings only to above zero,
which was the coolest January since
1880. January, 1914, was very cold.
One morning it was 6 below and
three mornings Z below"