1914-12-16a

C-c-c-cold weather arrived in Hamilton on December 15, 1914, much to the inconvenience of Hamiltonians all over the city.

          The Hamilton Spectator provided the following observations of the effects of the drop in temperature :

          “The mercury, which took such a sudden jump a few days since, is gradually getting back to where it belongs, and the lowest it has been during the last 24 hours was 11 above zero, whereas it went to one below yesterday morning.

          “The cold weather made many a man hunt for a warmer place to sleep, and all the cheap lodging houses in the city were filled to capacity last night and the night before.

          “There were hundreds of families in the city who were not prepared for the sudden change, but the relief committee is doing its best to provide for them, and there were no places which have been brought to the attention of the society which were not looked after.

          “The railroads report little delay owing to the cold weather, but many autoists were put to the inconvenience of thawing out their radiators owing to the water freezing.

          “Work on the buildings which is going on in some parts of the city was not interrupted, the contractors who are erecting the new Royal Connaught hotel using steam to thaw the frost out of the ground where the excavating is being done.”¹

               ¹ “Felt Effects : Cold Weather Caused Hardship in Many Poor Homes”

          Hamilton Spectator.  December 16, 1914