The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-02-16
Thousands of Families
Short Of Fuel, Continue
to SILVER
t. wv IA
HOPE FOR SOME RELIEF
LOOMS THIS AFTERNOO
Two Dead as Result OF
Accidents; 100000 Gals
Ions of Kerosene Arrive

Hartford, Conn, February
16. - (UP)(- The thermorll-
eter dropped to an official "A
degrees below zero today, set
ting an all-time record for
cold as thousands of families,
many short Of fuel, continued
to shiver in the state. The
Weather Bureau, reporting
the new record, for the first
time in two days held but
hope for some relief from the
numbing cold. This afternoon, an
official said, the thermometer mar
go as hight as zero Of q little aboves
Numerous families throughcut
Connecticut deserted their homes
and went to live with friends ana
relatives, and rev went to publH
shelters, such as schools ana
churches. II
From all over the state cana
reports that many business COM
Germs were unable to keep their
buildings heated, and employees were
sent home to warm up. At the
State Capital, many women worked
in fur coats and the hot coffee
counter was mobbed.
Schools Closed sss
Some sectors reported that schools
were closed and children sent home
because they couldn't keep their
minds on their boo;is.
Two men were dead as result Of
accidents. Ralph Taft, So. chief
engineer at the Oxford Soap Conn
paIly plant, Manchester. was injured
fatally In q boiler room blast, and
Joseph Letizio, "a, Hartford, was
killed when q huge coal pile, fro
zen by the cold, suddenly gave way,
and fell on him. ~.
The weather bureau gave up
reading the records at midnighk
last night. Then the temperature
hit 1S below, the previous all-tim6
record set on Dec. II, 19l7--also o
war year. The cold continued to
get worse. and at 1880 @ 24-below
reading was made. Hi
Red Cross headquarters in the
Hartford area reported that many
persons have offered to share their
homes with any families In need Of
shelter. More offers were received
than requests for warm places, it
was said.
Meantime. a shipment Of about
100000 gallons Of kerosene arrived
in this area, relieving that shortage
somewhat. The fuel oil situation,
however, was getting critical again.
Public transportation systems an
over the state were clogged as the
result of the weather. Schedules
were upset as buses gasped through
the cold. Thousands of motorists
stepped on their starters, and re-
ceived diScouraging responses, us1-
ally faint buzz and then silence.
Many failed to get even faint
buzz from their exhausted batter
les. ~
Private cars In many towns and
cities were piled up on road-sides
and in the streets.
Five mailmen in Hartford turned
up with frozen ears, ana another
collapsed on the Job. Postmaster
william j. Rankin Immediately
suspended deliveries for time. and
asked citizens to be patient about
their mail.
N. E. Toll %
Boston, Feb. 16 -(UP)- Relief
for New England from the bitter
sub-zero temperatures was in sight
today as the death toll reached "a,
but the fuel oil situation was be-
coming increasingly critical.
At 1880 a. m.-for the first time
In 80 hourS-the temperature rose
above zero. The oflcial recording
was one above and the weather blkP
reau said it would be warmer today
and tonight with moderate wind4
late In the day.
Continued on Pare ID