The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-13

Everybody's got the old shivers, but all are hopeful.
 "weather Man Horton is not an op- timist, officially speaking, but as warm hearted as the tropic personally. He stated last night that the old mercury might slip down to nothing and then keep creeping into icy regions until an other zero record had been registered.
 Ut was February 13, 1899, when Bir- mingham made her low weather record, and since that time nothing under zero has been reached. But tonight it is possible that another zero record may night.
 The extreme cold yesterday prohibited deliveries of most everything. There was a lonesome appearance on all business streets, and very few horse drawn ve- hicles ventured out, and not many au- tomobles. The merchants on Morris avenue refused to deliver any goods yes- terday at all, and while retail merchants did not make this announcement, they executed it just the same.
 COLDEST AT O'CLOCK
 The coldest hour was reached at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, when the mercury dropped to degree above the zero mark, setting a new low record for the winter, and the lowest since 1899, when the thermometer tumbled to 10 below zero.
 The redeeming feature of the bitter cold yesterday was the bright sunshine, but in view of the cold wind that was prevalent, old ''Sol" was unable to do much with the hard frozen water that stuck about in the form of ice, sleet and snow.
 The most striking feature of the ex- treme cold wave that has emb raced Bir- mingham, fairly giving the city a ner- vous rigor. is that there has been no serious calamity. regardless of the acute coal situation. There have been re- corded few accidents or mishaps, prac- tically none of serious nature.
 JOKE ON TRAVELLERS
 Train schedules have been greatly im- paired, and belated travellers have been struggling in and out of the city for the last "A hours. An amusing incident was recorded Saturday morning when a bunch of travelling men strolled into the Tutwiler, following their departure the night before for Atlanta on a sleeper.
 They retired early Friday night aboard the Pullman at the Terminal station, due to the indictment weather. and awoke yesterday morning early, in Birming- ham, right where they had fallen into slumberland. They were, quite naturally, surprised. for they had expected to awake in the Atlanta terminal station. The explanation was that they had not left Birmingham--their train never did get away from the station.
 Some mior damages were reported yesterday as a result of the wind that accompanied the rain, hall and snow storm of Friday and Friday night. A few fences, sheds, electric signs and trolley wires were razed, but in no in- stance was anyone reported injured.
 Observer Horton stated last night that he anticipated a light change today, the temperature moderating a little in view of the contemplated fair weather. but that 1t would very likely be as low as 10 degrees during the day.
 TRAINS ALL LATE
 Trains over all roads passing through Birmingham are running far off sched- ule time. The Southern reports their trains are being run one to four hours late. and no chance of improvement un- less there is change in the weather.
 Over the Illinois Central lines there was also great trouble experienced with the snow The Illinois Central Seminole was reported seven hours late early last night. The schedule of the southbound trains is completely shattered. The ar rival of any of the trains is not vouched for within any reasonable time. and the northbound train schedules are very little better.
 Should the weather take change for the better, through trains would begin to run on the normal schedule again, if was stated by officials of the Frisco and Seaboard last night. The majority of the trouble, it was stated. Is caused by the switches being frozen and the cold weather affecting the proper opera tion of the engines.