Monday as Hottest June Day Since Foundation of Siccawei Observatory in 1873
RECORD maximum temperature for the month of June since the foundation of the Siccawei Observatory in 1873 was registered on their instruments on Monday, wher the mercury suddenly soared to 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even in the shade of the comparatively cool garden of Holy Trinity Cathedral, the registration was 100.5, a jump from the day before of no less than 11.5 degrees.
The nearest to this ever recorded was 100.4 degrees, which was noted in June 1 1893, at Siccawei. As compared with the same date last year, there was an increase this year of 9.5 degrees. The average, calculated over 61 years is only 94.5 degrees maximum for the month, The intense heat caused considerable suffering in the city, both in man and beast, and many heat prostrations occurred. Details of the total number are as yet Jacking, although it is believed that there were no really serious cases.
Although the majority of Shang-a's citizens, perhaps fortunately, dia not realize the extent of the heat wave which hit the city on Monday, complaints were universal, and the news of the record being exceeded id. not come asa surprise. All those who were unfortunate enough' to be forced to brave downtown streets knew that it was out of the ordinary. Walking up Nanking Road from the Bund, in the towering canyon between the Palace and Cathay Hotels, was like walking towards the mouth' of an open furnace, as the breeze blew in hot gusts that made the pedestrian gasp for alr.
Unconventional attire gradually became the order of the day as the sun climbed higher in the heavens, There was no warning of the extraordinary noon-time heat as, at 9 m,, the ofMfclal thermometers read 86.2 degrees. Long before even: ing had come, shorts made an appearance on numbers of stalwart menfolk and the afternoon changes of the fair sex became, it possible, even more diaphanous than ever.
By evening, unconventional hardly expressed the appearance of a great many of residents. Coats had, for the most part, entirely disappeared and towels, rather than handkerchiefs, mopped many a brow. Walking became an agony, even to those with stout-soled shoes, and as for the barefooted coolies, many of them frankly gave up and sought the shaded spots to give relief to their burning feet, Many Cases of Heatstroke All were not so fortunate ana there were many cases of prostration through heatstroke, During the day the "North-China Herald" representative saw two rickshaw coolies collapse while pulling thel= Passengers, though, fortunately, both were able to walk away after im. mediate relief measures. The only ambulance call during the day for heatstroke was to Yangtszepoo Police Station where the wife of a Chinese orders poured in a steady stream throughout the day. And municipal closing regulations alone sent many hundreds of others home from the many spots where it is possible to sit still and keep cool with assistance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.