Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Chicago, the Dingy City-- Part 7: "Enveloped in Smoke Clouds All Day":

The city didn't end the year 1892 too well either.  On December 1, the Tribune reported, "Chicago Enveloped in Smoke Clouds All Day," as a heavy black smoke sooty smoke held sway making the gas lamps look like stars on a foggy night.

The paper went on to say the banks of smoke were "heavy enough to use as paper weights."  Offices and businesses had to turn on every jet and electric light to do business in the middle of the day.  Retailers complained that sales were down by buyers couldn't see the merchandise.  One resident went so far to say that pedestrians would be needing lanterns to walk around.

It is hard to determine how many times the sun was mostly blocked out, but this continued into the 1950s because the Tribune would write about these times when it was particularly bad.

On Jan. 18, 1925, the paper reported "the densest, thickest and darkest smoke screen which has been thrown over the city this season."  The "plague of darkness" on Dec. 7, 1929, was caused by low-hanging clouds, fog and "the customary smoke screen."

Perhaps the "Good Old Days" Weren't So Good Old.  --Ciiter

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