July 1911 - The Killer 1911 Heat Wave

In July of 1911, along the East Coast, temperatures climbed into the 90s and stayed there for days, killing at least 211 people in New York alone. Sweeping hot, dry air came in and New York City became a sweltering center poorly equipped to handle the heat and humidity. Poor ventilation and cramped living spaces exacerbated the problem, ultimately leading to the deaths of old and young alike, with children as small as two weeks old becoming overcome by the heat. The streets were anarchic: People reportedly ran mad in the heat (one drunken fool, described by the New York Tribune as “partly crazed by the heat,” attacked a policeman with a meat cleaver), while horses collapsed and were left by the side of the road.