TRAGIC DROUGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22469, 13 July 1936, Page 10

TRAGIC DROUGHT

DEATHS FROM HEAT TOTAL NINE HUNDRED AMERICAN CONTINENT COOL WIND PREDICTED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 12, 6.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, July tl The total number of deaths from heat throughout the United States is 700 and those in Canada 200, of which 130 occurred in Ontario, where all temperature records were broken. The first promise of any considerable relief came to-day with a forecast that a cooling wind originating in the Morth Pacific would begin to work its way across the Continent and could be expected to break the heat wave by the middle of next week. Rains of varying intensity are also to be expected. Temperatures of 100 degrees or more are reported from various parts of the United States and Canada to-dav. Oklahoma, Georgia and Kentucky entered the group of States where a serious drought emergency exists. The damage from the drought in Canada and the United States may total 500,000,000 dollars. From cities like New York, Chicago and Toronto come reports of continued suffering and high death and prostration rates. Seventeen people died in New York today, making a total of 68 in four days. Prices of grains broke sharply on the "report of the • impending end of the drought.

SUFFERING INCREASED PRAYERS FOR RAIN OFFERED DUST AND FOREST FIRES (Received July 12, 5.5 p.m.) CHICAGO, July 11 The terrific heat from tho Mississippi to tho Atlantic coast is unabated. Suffering has increased in North and South Dakotas. Prayers for rain have been offered by the civic authorities at Mitchell, North Dakota and a new appeal for aid has been sent to President Koosevelt by the Governor. Dust is blowing again in Kansas, and forest fires are raging in Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota. In North Arizona sheep farmers drove their flocks to railway watering Btations and paid 25 dollars a tank for water. A message from Washington says the Weather Bureau predicts a continuation of the heat and no effective rains for the next two days. Mr. Koosevelt told the press that the Government has authorised the creation of 55,000 new jobs in the five north-western States of Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming and 20,000 Works Progress Administration jobs in the two other drought regions, one in the Carolinaß, Tennessee and Kentucky and the other in Arkansas and East Oklahoma. Maize dominated the grain pits in Chicago to-day, advancing the maximum limit of four cents. Wheat also turned sharply up in Chicago following the lead of Winnipeg and coming near the five cents limit. All grains shared the advance in prices which were among the year's highest.

HEAT IN CANADA NINETEEN DEATHS CAUSED MANY CROPS ENDANGERED TOKONTO, Jul; 10 Nineteen deaths have occurred in Ontario as the result of the heat,wave. Spontaneous combustion in a hayloft caused a fire which swept the business section of the town of Alimico. The estimated loss is 250,000 dollars. Scores of people are homeless. Ottawa officials declare that recent rains have been of little benefit to crops. In all, 12,000,000 acres are imperilled.