The Fkost axd Drought of 1905. — By F. W. W. Doank, 

 M. Can. Soc. C. E., City Engineer, Halifax, X. S. 



, (Read 9th April, 190(5). 



Frost. 

 The severity of the winter of 1904-5 is still fresh in the 

 memory of the members of the Institute, and the record and 

 effect of the heavy snowfall may be found in detail i'n the 

 Tvansaciious of last year. While the snowfall was extraordinary 

 in itself the extreme severity of the wdnter ^vas caused by the 

 almost unbroken season of steady penetrating frost. 



In ordi'nary soil in iSTova Scotia a depth of two feet limits 

 the penetration of frost ; and in desig-ning foundations for 

 structures, footings three feet below the surface are considered 

 safe -and will rarely, if ever, be disturbed. In some other forma- 

 tions and under different conditions the ]:)enetration is much 

 greater. 



In Manitoba frost penetrates at times to a depth of nine 

 feet, and in some towns water pipes are placed at a depth of 

 eleven feet to prevent them from freezing. 



In IsoYQ. Scotia the lowest temperature reported is about 30° 

 below zero, while in Halifax the lowest record duri'ng the last 

 forty years is 21° below in January, 1873, the next being 16^ 

 below in January, 1866. 



The winter of 1903-4: was much colder than the average, 

 the lowest temperature reached being 9° below in January and 

 11° below in February. Tlie penetration was almost as great 

 as in 1904-5, but the cold was not so continuous. The settling 

 pond in fro/iit of the gate house at Spruce Hill lake froze, so 

 that a man could walk over it — the first time since it was con- 

 structed, probably more than forty years ago. 



(623) 



