1914-07-13ff

“For the first time this summer, the mercury rose above 90 degrees on Saturday. The heat was intense and wherever people congregated, a good deal of inconvenience was experienced.”

Hamilton Times. July 13, 1914.

It was the first heat wave of the summer of 1914, and it was less than welcomed in some cases.

At the armories on James Street North, a series of well-attended musical performance by the internationally-famous band led by Creatore concluded just a heat the heat arrived:

“Had it not been for the cooling effect of the numerous electric fans the Hydro-Electric and Culley & Breay kept running, as well as the cooling refreshments served by the ladies of First Methodist Church there would have been many cases of prostration. As it was, three persons fainted in the crush in front of the platform where the band was stationed.”¹

¹ “90 in the Shade : Several Cases of Heat Prostration On Saturday”

Hamilton Times. July 13, 1914

The heat set in on Saturday, July 11, 1914. The next day the heat had not abated in the least:

“Yesterday the influence of Saturday’s heat was still felt, and the attendance in the churches was small in consequence. But the light rain that fell for a short time cooled the air and dispelled the oppressiveness of the atmosphere.”¹

The morning edition of the Hamilton Spectator, which hit the streets on Monday July 13 1914, contained the following chronology of the first heat wave of the summer :

“Rain was never more welcomed by the citizens of Hamilton than it was when the long-expected storm broke over the city during the early hours of this morning. Not that people like getting wet, but if there is no escape, they prefer to be drenched by a rainstorm than by perspiration, and since last Friday they have had no alternative from the latter.

“Bad as it was on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, the heat grew worse as time wore on, and Saturday afternoon the thermometer jumped up to 93 degrees and refused to budge. It dropped a bit, of course, during the still hours of the night, but people were asleep then – or ought to have been – and they did not have the opportunity of appreciating the comparative cool, for when they awoke on Sunday morning, the mercury had again started its upward flight. It again got up to 93, and there it hovered for the rest of the day.

“It was so hot yesterday morning that those people who, from a sense of duty, went to church, might have been forgiven if they thought for the moment they were heading for the wrong place and had got perceptibly nearer, but they were no worse off than those who stopped away, for nowhere was it possible to escape being sizzled.”²

² “Rain Put Crimp in Heat Wave : Last Night’s Storm Brought Temperature Down”

Hamilton Spectator.  July 13, 1914.

During the Sunday afternoon, many young Hamiltonians headed to the bay to cool themselves. While swimming was a positive response to the heat for most, there was an incident that was tragic.

Aaron Grawvan, a 17 year old recent Polish immigrant, was employed at the Steel Company of Canada, and he boarded at a home on Princess street.

 Grawvan, had a hearty Sunday lunch, and then, accompanied by four of his fellow countrymen, walked a few blocks north to Gage’s Inlet for a swim.

Within a very short time of plunging into the bay, Grawvan sank beneath the waters of the inlet and was drowned:

“From meagre particulars of the fatality which the police have been able to gather, the unfortunate victim and four companions went bathing in the inlet early yesterday afternoon. Two of the men, it is said, were dressing on the bank, and Grawvan and the other two were still swimming about, when Grawvan was stricken with cramps and cried out that he was drowning.

“Two little boys, 6 and 8 years of age, who were playing on the bank, have told the police that the other two men left the water as soon as Grawvan screamed, and that when the boy sank beneath the water, his four companions ran away across the field near the Grasselli Chemical works.³

³ “Drowned in Gage’s Inlet : A. Grawvan Deserted by Four Companions : Inquest Will Be Held Into Fatality”

Hamilton Spectator.  July 13, 1914.

The boys who witnessed the incident ran up Sherman avenue north to the police station near Barton street. The police arrived at the inlet within minutes. Constable John Smith commandeered a boat and with a set of grappling hooks set out to search for Grawvan. After many attempts, he located the body and it was brought to shore. Smith and his fellow policemen worked on the body for nearly an hour but their attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful.

Grawman’s body was taken to the city morgue, and a coroner’s jury was empanelled. A coroner’s inquest would not normally be held in such a drowning. However as Grawvan’s companions were not immediately located due to their sudden departure from the scene of the drowning, there was some questions which needed to be asked.

 One of the young boys who witnessed the drowning was able to give the police the name of one of the men who ran away. Soon, the police were able to gather them all, and after investigation it was decided that no foul play was involved. It was conclude that Grawvan had suffered cramps caused by his swimming too soon after partaking his lunch.