USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Annals of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania in the olden time; being a collection of the memoirs, anecdotes, and incidents of the earliest settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 42
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1759. January 4. Our river is so full of ice that no vessel can stir. 1760. March 20. On Sunday last, we had a violent N. E. snow- storm, when, considering the season of the year, and the time it lasted, (18 hours,) there was the greatest fall of snow that has been known, it is said, since the settlement of the province.
1761. December 24. Navigation quite stopped-measures for re- lief of the poor.
1764. December 31. Delaware frozen over in one night-passable next morning.
1765. February 7. On Tuesday last, an ox was roasted whole on the river Delaware, which, from the novelty of the thing drew together a great number of people
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Seasons and Climate.
1765. February 28. Our navigation is now quite clear, and several vessels have come up.
March 28. On Saturday night last, came on here a very se- vere snow-storm, which continued all night and next day, when, it is believed, the greatest quantity of snow fell that has been known (considering the advanced state of the sea- son) for many years past, it being said to lie about 2, or 2} feet on a level, and in some places deeper. A great number of trees are destroyed; some torn up by the roots, others broken off; and the roads so bad that there is scarcely any travelling.
1766. January 9. River quite fast since Friday last-weather very severe.
1767. January 1. Our river is so full of ice that navigation is at a stand. Thermometer, 6° ; on 2d, 5°.
December 24. The cold weather of Saturday night filled the river so full of ice, that vessels could not depart ; but on Tuesday there was a fine thaw accompanied with rain, and the weather is now moderate, and we hope the navigation will soon open again.
1768. February 11. Our river is now so clear of ice, that vessels get up and down.
March 24. On Saturday night last, we had a most violent snow-storm from N. E.
1769. January. Arrivals and clearances through the month.
February 23. Since our last, have had a fine thaw, warm sun, and some rain, by which our navigation is now clear.
1771. December 26. The cold has been so intense for three days past that navigation is at a stand-river full of ice.
1772. March 16. During the last week there fell large quantities of snow, in many places two feet deep-a good deal of ice in the river.
1773. January 20. River full of ice-navigation stopped.
21. Thermometer in open air, on east side of the city, at 2 P. M., 8º above 0; at 4 P. M., 7º ; at 6 P M., 5° ; at 10 P. M., 4º.
1779. February. Leaves of willow, blossoms of peach, and flowers of dandelion were seen.
1780. January. On Sunday morning last, at a fire at the French consul's, the weather was so severe that many of the engines were rendered useless by the intense cold. During this month, the mercury, excepting one day, never rose so high in the city as to the freezing point.
March 4. The Delaware became navigable after having been frozen nearly three months. This is denominated the hara winter. Ice 16 to 19 inches thick-frost penetrated the ground from four to five feet. During this winter the ears of horned cattle, and the feet of hogs, exposed to the air
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were frost-bitten. Squirrels perished in their holes, and partridges were often found dead.
1781. January 27. The winter, thus far, hath been remarkably mild, so that the earth has scarcely been frozen half an inch deep, or the smallest ponds covered with ice strong enough to bear a dog.
1782. February 6. About a week since, the extremity of cold was felt here. On Tuesday afternoon the thermometer fell very low. This day the mercury was within the bulb, and in some instances it fell 4° below 0, being the greatest excess of cold experienced here for many years. It is needless to say, the Delaware, opposite the city and for several miles downward, is covered with a fixed and strong floor of ice.
1783. December 26. The navigation stopped, and in a few days the river was frozen over opposite the city, and continued so till 18th of March. 29, snow.
1784. January 13. On Tuesday and Wednesday a most remark- able thaw, attended with a warm, disagreeable, unwhole- some vapour, which, in the evening, was succeeded by a sharp N. W. wind, and clear sky, so that, within a few hours, we have experienced a transition from heat to cold, of at least 53 degrees. The suddenness and severity of the frost has entirely bound up the navigation.
1785. January 3. Vessels attempt to go down, the moderate weather having so far cleared the ice ; but on the evening of the 4th, the harbour was entirely frozen across.
January 20. Frozen from side to side : broke up in four or five days, and was entirely free from ice : all vessels from be- low came up.
1786. January 21. Our weather has been remarkably mild for the greater part of the winter, until Friday (17th) last, when it grew cold, and froze the river, in a few days, from side to side at the lower part of the city.
1789. January 3. Owing to moderate weather, the navigation is again restored, and many vessels have departed. The three lower bridges on Schuylkill were carried away by the break- ing up of the ice, and one of them nearly destroyed.
1790. January 2. Such an open winter as the present has not been known in this city since it was founded-boys bathing in the river as if it were summer-wharves crowded with wood-oak 15 shillings-hickory 25 shillings.
March 10. The only considerable snow this winter-only remained on the ground three days. Yesterday morning, thermometer at 4º.
December 18. River frozen over and stands-boys skating- continued closed till 18th January
1793. January 14. Hail.
18. The extreme temperateness of this season ex
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ceeds every winter remembered by the oldest inhabitants of Philadelphia, for now we have April weather.
1795. January 21. The sky has continued almost invariably with- out a single cloud, for a long time past. Flies were seen a few days ago. Indeed, there was an expectation with many people, that there would be no ice during the present sea- son-about the middle of last week, however, a frost came. On Monday morning, January 19th, at 7 o'clock, the ther- mometer, in the open air, was so low as 12º-a great part of the river was frozen over.
1796. February 9. Navigation interrupted by driving ice for about a week past: yesterday a vessel came up. The winter to this time the most moderate I ever remember for forty-five years-very little interruption by floating ice. Schuylkill is frozen so as to bear people on it, but not very safe for many in a place.
December 6. Within ten days we have had very cold weather. The Susquehanna has closed-men and horses cross daily. It is not within man's memory to have seen the river so low of water, or to have closed so early. Snow, in Philadelphia, two inches deep.
December 24. Severe cold as remembered for forty years- snow two feet deep at the westward.
1797. January 10. River still closed-loaded wagons come over on the ice-weather as cold as remembered these fifty years
1799. January 1. Snow-more snow in the last six or eight weeks than remembered for several winters in the same time and season, and very cold weather most of the time.
January 3. Snow. 4th, Delaware full of ice. 5th, snow. 6th, ice in the Delaware stopped, and boys skating on it- snow on the ground about three inches deep. 9th, snow February 9. Delaware clear of ice.
25. Extremely cold. Skating on the Schuylkill, and the ice in the Delaware stopped.
March 12. Deep snow on the ground. A very long and severe winter this has been.
'800. January 1. The winter, thus far, has been remarkably open, there having been very little ice in the Delaware, and that very thin.
January 29. Last night coldest this season-the Delaware being frozen from side to side, though very little ice in it last evening.
March 8. Snow without intermission for twenty-five hours -- near two feet upon a level.
December 23 The weather, except some cold nights, has been remarkably open. No ice in the Delaware-this day being remarkably warm for the season-the like not remem bered since the British army were here, in 1777 and '78
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Those who are curious to examine later years, may find the record in Hazard's Register.
The Climate of Philadelphia and adjacent country
Has been much investigated by Dr. Benjamin Rush, in 1789, and revised in 1805. The facts of which may be consulted at large in Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, vol. i, p. 151.
Among his facts are these, to wit: The climate has undergone a material change since the days of the founders-thunder and light- ning are less frequent ; cold of winters and heat of summers less uniform than they were forty or fifty years before. The springs are much colder, and the autumns more temperate. He thinks the mean temperature may not have changed, but that the climate is altered by heat and cold being less confined than formerly to their natural seasons. He thinks no facts warrant a belief that the win- ters were colder before the year 1740, than since that time. He observes, that there are seldom more than twenty or thirty days in summer or winter in which the mercury rises above 80° in the former, or falls below 30° in the latter season. The higher the mer- cury rises in hot days, the lower it usually falls in the night. Thus, when at 80° by day, it falls to 66° at night; or when at only 60º by day, it only falls to 56° at night. The greatest disproportion is most apparent in August. The warmest weather is generally in July; but intense warm days are often felt in May, June, August, and September. The variableness of weather in our state, he ob- serves, lies south of 41º, and beyond that the winters are steady, and in character with the eastern and northern states. Our intense cold seldom sets in till about the 20th or 25th of December-" as the day lengthens the cold strengthens,"-so that the coldest weather is commonly in January. The greatest cold he has known at Phi- ladelphia was 5° below zero, and the greatest heat 95°. The standard temperature of the city is 521º. The month of June is the only month which resembles a spring month in the south countries of Europe. The autumn he deems our most agreeable season. The rains in October are the harbingers of the winter, so that, as the Indians also say, the degrees of cold in winter can be foreknown by the measure of rain preceding it in the autumn. The moisture of the air is greater now than formerly, owing probably to its now falling in rain, where it before fell in snow. Finally, he says, " We have no two successive years alike. Even the same successive seasons and months differ from each other every year. There is but one steady trait, and that is, it is uniformly variable."
Spring and Summer Occurrences,
Being such notices of facts as were deemed rare for the season al the times affixed in the following memoranda, to wit :
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Seasons and Climate.
1736. April 22. Hailstorm near the city ; hail as large as pigeons' eggs 1750. May. This is the coldest May ever known. Several frosts, and some snow.
1772. April 2. Fell in several places six inches snow.
1783. May. A heavy hailstorm, believed the heaviest ever knowr here-did not extend far in width-stones fell of half an ounce-many windows were broken.
1786. May. Remarkable for the absence of the sun for two weeks, and a constantly damp or rainy weather. It continued for forty-two days, being all the time a cold north-east storm, and no sight of the sun.
1788. August 18th and 19th. There fell seven inches of rain.
1789. This spring remarkably backward-peaches failed-no cher- ries or strawberries- quite uncomfortable to sit without fires until June.
In July. Very hot weather-by 10 o'clock, A. M., the meats in the market putrefy, and the city mayor orders them cast into the river-merchants shut up their stores-thermome- ter at 96° for several days-in August fires became agree- able.
1793. April 1. Blossoms on fruit trees are universal in the city- birds appeared two weeks earlier than usual.
May 22. To the end of the month a continuance of wet and cloudy weather-wind mostly at north-east, and so cool that fire was necessary most of the time-the summer of this year was the " yellow fever" calamity.
1795. The latter end of June and beginning of July were remark- able for the continuous daily raining-perpetually interrupt, ing the hay harvest-and then came a great flood.
1796. July 26. The most plentiful harvest remembered.
1797. April 7. The peaches and apricots in blossom.
1799. April 3. Frost last night. 11th. Some ice in the gutters. 20th. Some ice in the morning.
June 6. Black and white frost in the Neck.
1801. May 28. Hay harvest near the city.
1802. April. Several frosts this month and in May-fires agreeable 1803. May 7. Ice-on the 8th a snow which broke down the pop- lars and other trees in leaf-on the 15th a fire was necessary. 1805. Summer-no rain after the middle of June, all through July -heat 90 to 96 degrees-pastures burnt up and summer vegetables failed.
1807. April 3. Snow. June 13. Fire necessary.
August and September. 'I'he influenza prevailed.
1809. April 13. The houses covered with snow like winter. 26. Ice as thick as a dollar.
May 6. Ice. 13th. Grass frozen. 30th Frost-the coolest May remembered for many years.
VOL. II .- 2 V 31
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1810. April 1. Snow on the ground. 3d. Spits of snow.
May 13. White frost for several mornings. This year was remarkable for its abundance and excellence of fruits.
:811. July 3. Warm dry weather for some time-Indian corn suf- fers-a finer dry hay harvest not remembered-between 3d and 9th, hot weather continued from 94 to 97º.
1812. April 13. Snow and rain.
May 4. Rain and snow. 8th. Frost. 22d. The spring very backward-fires necessary. In July the grain harvest was daily interrupted by rain, and was so long deluged that it grew and sprouted while standing.
1816. June 5. Frost. 10th. So severe as to kill beans. 11th. Se- vere frosts at Downingstown-destroyed whole fields of corn. 1818. July 22. Monday last rain fell four inches.
1824. July 20. Storm of rain and hail at Chester.
28. Unprecedented fall of rain near Philadelphia-do- ing much damage to bridges, &c.
1825. June 11. Severe heat at 2 o'clock-thermometer at 96° in the shade.
1827. July 20. Peaches, pears and plums in market.
1836. June. The first three weeks were cloudy and rainy every day. 1842. June. The whole month and into July-very rainy and cool.
A glance at such collected instances of remarkable irregulari- ties may well serve to repress the oft-repeated exclamations of those who cry, " Who ever saw the like before !" or, " An unprecedented occurrence !" &c. For, at undefined periods, the whole circle of remarkables may be found but a repetition of "the thing that hath been."
Indian Summer.
This was a short season of very fine mild weather, which was formerly much more manifest than of later years. It was expected to occur in the last days of November. It was a bland and genial time, in which the birds, the insects, and the plants, felt a new crea- tion, and sported a short-lived summer, ere they shrunk finally from the rigour of the winter's blast. The sky, in the mean time, was always thinly veiled in a murky haze-intercepting the direct rays of the sun, yet passing enough of light and heat to prevent sensa- tions of gloom or chill.
The aged have given it as their tradition, that the Indians, long aware of such an annual return of pleasant days, were accustomed to say " they always had a second summer of nine days just before the winter set in." From this cause, it was said, the white inhabit- ants, in early times, called it the "Indian summer." It was the favourite time, it was said, of the Indian harvest, when they looked to gather in their corn.
The known amenity of such a season was fixed upon, in olden
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time, as the fittest time for the great fair at Philadelphia, which opened on the last Wednesday in November, and continued three days; thus insuring, as they conceived, as many good days before and after the term, for good travelling to and from the same. The fair in the last week of May was also chosen for its known settled weather.
Weather Prognostics.
A cunous old almanac of our country, of the year 1700, gives the following rules for prognosticating the weather, to wit :
The resounding of the sea upon the shore, and the murmur of winds in the woods without apparent wind, show wind is to follow. A murmur out of caves portendeth the same.
The obscuring of the smaller stars is a sign of tempest. Also, if the stars seem to shoot, winds will come from that quarter the star came from.
The often changing of the wind showeth tempests.
If two rainbows appear, it will rain. A rainbow presently after rain, denotes fair weather.
If the sky be red in the morning, it is a sure token of winds or rain, or both, because those vapours which cause the redness will presently be resolved.
If the sun or moon look pale, then look for rain. If fair and bright, expect fair weather. If red, winds will come. If a dark cloud be at sunrising, in which the sun is soon after hidden, it will dissolve it, and rain will follow. If there appear a cloud, and after vapours are seen to ascend upon it, that portendeth rain. If the sun seem greater in the east than common, it is a sign of rain. If in the west, about sunsetting, there appear a black cloud, it will rain that night or the day following, because that cloud will want heat to dis- perse it.
If mists come down from the hills, or descend from the heavens and settle in the valleys, it promiseth fair hot weather. Mists in the evening show a hot day on the morrow ; the like when white mists arise from the waters in the evening.
The circles that appear about the sun, if they be red and broken, it portendeth wind. If thick and dark, it shows winds, snow or rain -which are also presaged by the circles about the moon.
White and ragged clouds appearing like horses' manes and tails, foretelleth great winds-even as the sailors long have said, viz. :
Shagged clouds-like an old mare's tail, Make lofty ships-to carry low sail.
Thunder in the morning, if it be to the south-westward, and the wind be there, denotes, many times, a tempestuous day ; also, a rainbow or water gall, in the west, denotes a stormy wet day. The " sun dogs" appearing in the morning or evening, is a sign of cold wet, windy weather-especially in winter time.
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To the foregoing we might add, as a weather proverb of long standing and observation in our country, that the 17th and 18th of March have always been periods of memorable time. On the 17th, being St. Patrick's day, " he turns up the warm side of the stone" __ indicating warm weather must soon follow; and on the 18th, " Shelah comes draggle-tailed," i. e. brings a wet day. In 1760, however, they concerted to bring together a most tremendous snow- storm. We add the following modern rule as a
Weather Denoter.
A wet summer is always followed by a frosty winter, but it happens occasionally that the cold extends no farther. Two remarkable in- stances of this occurred in 1807-8 and 1813-14. With these excep- tions every frosty winter has been followed by a cold summer. The true cause of cold, or rather the direct cause, is to be found in the winter excess of west wind ; every winter with excess of west wind being followed by a cold summer; and if there is no cold before, or during a first excess, then a second excess of west wind in winter occasions a still colder summer than the first. It also appears, by repeated experience, that cold does not extend to more than two years at a time. Again, if the winter excess of the east wind De great, in the first instance, the winters will be mild, and followed by mild summers; while summer excess of east wind is itself, in the first instance, always mild; but uniformly followed by cold winters and cold summers, which continue, more or less, for one or two years, according to circumstances.
Rare floods and ebbs .- In 1687, Phineas Pemberton, in his letter, speaks of the great land flood and rupture, at or near the Falls of Delaware. It occasioned much mortality afterwards.
In 1692, 27th of 2d mo., he speaks of the great flood at the Dela- ware Falls, which rose twelve feet above usual high water mark, owing to the sudden melting of the snow. The water reached the upper stories of some of the houses, built on low lands.
1731, February 16 .- Last week we had the greatest fresh in the Delaware, ever known since the great flood at Delaware falls, thirty- nine years ago, in 1692.
In 1733, month of February, "the ice in Schuylkill broke up with a fresh, and came down in cakes of great thickness, in a terri- ble manner, breaking great trees where the flood came near the low land. It carried off the flats of two ferries, and the water was two and a half feet high on the ground floor of Joseph Gray's middle ferry, which is much higher than any fresh is known to have been before in that river."
1737, February 3 .- Sunday night last the ice, thick and strong, broke up with the fresh occasioned by rains and melting of the
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BLOW. The water rose near six feet on the floor of Joseph Gray's house at the middle ferry, which is three feet higher than before in 1733.
March 17 .- On Wednesday and Thursday last a south-east storm raised the tide higher than known for many years, which did great damage.
1738, April 6, a great storm, at east and north-east, damaged the wharves and much raised the creeks.
1754, January 22, an unusually low tide, owing to a gale from north-west.
1767, January 8 .- From the great and unexpected thaw since Saturday last, the ice on Monday broke up, and at the middle ferry carried away all the boats, broke the ropes, tore the wharf, swept off some of the out-houses, &c.
1769, March 16 .- Saturday last, a remarkably low tide, owing to the north-west winds. It is said to be two and a half feet lower than common low-water mark in the Delaware ; and in the Schuyl- kill it was so low that the ferry boats could not get to the fast land on either side.
1775, September 3 .- The highest tide ever known.
1784, January 13 .- Great damage was done by the sudden and extraordinary rise of water occasioned by the thaw and great rain of Thursday last.
March 15 .- This morning (Sunday) about two o'clock the ice in the Schuylkill gave way, but soon after it lodged, and formed a dam, which overflowed suddenly the grounds about the middle ferry, and carried off every thing but the brick house-drowning several horses and cattle, and forced the family to secure themselves in the second story till daylight, whither they were followed by a horse, that had sought refuge in the house. The waters did not subside till four o'clock on Monday afternoon" In the Pennsylvania Gazette of the 27th of March, 1784, the particulars of this event are related in the form of two chapters in Chronicles-in Scripture style.
1796, March 18 .- A lower tide than recollected for many years- [say since the 26th of December, 1759, when it was lower] owing to a hard gale the night of the 16th instant, and since continued at north-west. The flood tide was two feet lower than a common ebb -the bar visible nearly across-several chimneys blown down.
1804, April 22 and 23 .- A very great fresh in the Delaware and Schuylkill, attended with very high tides, occasioned by very heavy rains.
1804, March 20 .- The ice gorged above the city, on coming down Schuylkill in a heavy fresh, which occasioned the water to rise to so great a height, that a man on horseback, with a common riding whip, from the Market street wharf, on this side the river, could but just reach the top of the ice piled on said wharf. The ice and
. There were 21 persons in the house at the time, of whom only two are now living
31*
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water found its way round the Permanent bridge on the west side, overflowing the causeway between the road and the bridge, to a depth that required boating for passengers for some hours.
1805 .- This summer Schuylkill lower by three inches than had been known for seventy years-caused by the long and great drought. 1810, January 19 .- Lowest tide for fourteen years.
1822, February 21 .- The ice and water came over Fairmount dam to a depth of nine feet, and brought with it the Falls bridge entire, which passed over the dam without injuring it, and went be- tween the piers of the Market-street bridge. At this fresh, the gene ral body of water far exceeded the fresh in 1804; as the rising so much then, was owing to the ice gorging above. The fresh of 1822, from Reading down, is considered to have possessed the greatest body of water and ice ever known; at that place the river rose twelve feet high.
1824, April 7 .- During the last four months twenty freshets have occurred in Schuylkill.
In 1824, the 29th of July, a very great and sudden land flood was experienced in and around Philadelphia,-the effect of a great discharge of rain, to wit :-
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