A Terrible Tale

Chicago, July 19. - It is not easy to real! ize the extent of tbo calamity inflicted on this city by the awful heat of Saturday and Sunday. If the sama nuniber ol peopie had been lost in a shípwreck, a conflagration, a railroad accident, or a disaster of any other kind, the public would have been appalled. The figures are startling. At the latest returns the number of persons sun-struck and overeóme by the heat was 193. Of these 137 were fatal, ia were dying, 22 had recovered and 15 were on the way to recovery. The coroner's book was fuü of entries, and' he and his deputies worlied until nlne, o'clock last evening, at which time they had held 52 inquests, and it will take at least till to-night before all the cases now reported will be disposed of. Iiunostof the cases the deaths were sudden, and in the heat of Sunduy the early victims became; decomposed to a shocking extent. Com-; plaints were received by the pólice, but' they could do nothing, and the bodies had to be endured until thecoronergotaround. A good many will haye to wait till tonight, for the pressure of business on the coroner and his deputies is greater than at any time in the history of Chicago, not excepting the great flre. The deaths were not particularly heavy in any one portion of the city, but were about equally divided. Most of those who died were laborera or men who worked in the sun. It seems that many of those who began to feel the effects of the heat Saturday died Sunday or Sunday night Exertion was the chief cause of the mortaüty, and the immoderate use of liquids iollows immediately bohind. The majority of those wlio have fallen victims of the excessive heat are from the ranks of the very poor, and their consinment to the dust will inflict no little amountof privation on their families. Never before in the history of Chicago have so many burial permits been issued as were made out yesterday at the Health Department. Dr. Tomlinson usually does the work alone, but he had to have two assistants yesterday. The total number of deaths reported was about 200, and this does not hiel ude the sunstrokes, on which cases inquests are to be held. The Rreat mortality is among infante, although very age and condition, with every imaginable ailment, was represented. During the week ended Saturday, July 16, the official death reeord of the health department shows a startling total of 48S. The change of temperatura yesterday saved thousands of lives, for had the day been as warm as the previous the people would have dropped off hke leaves in autumn. TBS HEAT ELSEWHERE. Cincixxati, July 19.- Seventy-one prostrations irom the heat were reported to the pólice yesterday, of which twenty-one were fatal. Dispatches from country towns in Ohio, Indiaaa and Kentucky report numerous prostrations during the last three days. The thermometer has fallen 10 to 15 degrees since dark here. During theday the merairy in the signal office reached 100, while it was 8 to 6 degrees higher on the shady skle of the streets where people travsled. Comparatively few were on the street. St. Louis, July 19.- The intense heat of the last ten days continued yesterday, the mercury reaching a maximum of 102 degrees in the shade at two p. m. Toward ereuing a brisk and cooling breeze carne down from the north and northweat, lowering the temperatura a few degrees, but at midnight the thermometer showed but a slightly less degree of heat than the average for the last week at the same hour. Forty-three cases of prostratioo were reported, but up to midnight only three deaths were reported. Washington, July 19.- The mercury rose to 102.8 in the signal office yesterday, and od the sidewalk the temperatura was from uu to 113 aegrees. A thermometer laid on the concrete pavement in the shade registered 126. During the hottest part of the day out-door work was generally suspended. In soma of the rooms of the departments the heat was so intense that no work could be done. Fifteen or more cases of sun-stroke were reported, flvo fatal Pittsburoh, Pa., July 19.- Mercury touched 95 at three p. m., and then beean to falL At midnight the temperature was comfortable. There wera three deaths from the heat, making thirty-eight within the last forty-eight hours, and many more people were prostrated. Among the dead is Stephen Strunz, a wellknown soap manuf acturer. Nearly all the factories and milis temporarily suspended operations during the heat of thedav. Gibsox Citt, UU, July 19.- Thé corn erop in the fore part of the season promised to be the largest in this vicinity for years, but the present drought is cutting down the yield fast, and unless it gets rain soon it will not be quita an average erop, The weather is the hottest this city has had for several years. Streams are drying up, but the wells are holding out tbus iar. Richmoxd, Va., July 19. -The mercury ranged at three p. m. yesterday from 100 to 106 in the shade. Tbere have been many prostration3 from the heat in the last two days, and twelve resultad fatally. Several industries employing a largo number of cperatives suspended work yesterday, owing to the extreme heat MiLWAtiKBE, Wis., July 19.- Six deaths resulting from the extreme heat of the last few days were reported to the health office yesterday, making ten fatalities in all. Baltimorb, Md., July 19.- The weather festerday was the hottest ever known in this city, the thermometer at three o'clock registering 102 degrees in the shade. About twenty-five cases of prostration were reported up to midnight, six of them proving fatal. Philadblphia, July 19. - Mercury touched Í5 degrees at noon. Thirty-ona deaths Trom heat were reported yesterday, and leventeen others were overeóme by heat, but most of them will recover. Louisville, Ky., July 19.- The thermometer ran up to 100 yesterday and stood there nearly all day. A dozen cases of sun-stroke are reported, four of which were fatal. Indianapolis, Ind., July 19.- Mercury ranged from 97 to 104 degrees yesterday tnd fourteen people were prostrated, of whom three died. Mayor Denny was overeóme in his office at nine o'clock. Pbbu, IU., July 19.- Tb mercury yesterïay reached 104. Maoy persons wera prostrated and a farmer was killed by the heat. Niw York, July 19.- The thermometer Itood at 90 in the shade at 8:30 p. m. yeiterday. At midnight it stood at 74, with a eool oeean breeze blowing. L Charleston, S. C, July 19.- Yesterday was the hottest day this summer. The thermometer reached 103. at four o'clock in the afiernoon.