624 THE FHOST AND UHOUGHT OF 19(»r>. — DOANE. 



Ill 1U04-5 I'old weiither set i'ii (.'ai)ly and coiitiiiued with 

 almost unbroken severity for nearly three months. The tem- 

 perature dropped in Jannarv to 7° below zero and in February 

 to 6° beloAv. 



The penetration of frost reached a depth in some of the 

 streets of Halifax of six feet. The unprecedented severity of 

 the winter caused water pipes to freeze where frost had never 

 been known befor(>, and the usual waste was largely increased, 

 causing a falling off in pre-sure on the summits and a water 

 famine in the liigher parts of the service. 



Many service pipes were frozen, and after spending days 

 and money in cutting down to the pipes and thawing them the 

 greatest care was needed to prevent the frost from closing them 

 again. Hydrants and mains were not immune, and the thawing 

 operations overtaxed the staff of the water department all 

 through the long winter. The frost penetrates more readily 

 and to a greater dcDth. where it can follow the water down a 

 wall, curb-stone or pipe, consequently the jiipes are sometimes 

 frozen where the ground around them is unfrozen. The frost 

 works down near the building and follows the pipe out under 

 the street. When a trench or hole has been opened during the 

 winter and refilled with frozen material, it is a difficult prob- 

 lem to prevent the pipes from freezing again. Frost also 

 penetrates more readily in trenches made in rock than in closer 

 filling. Apparatus has been provided for thawing frozen pipes 

 in future by electricity, so that it will not be necessary to open 

 trenches in winter and much delay, expense, annoyance anr] 

 inconvenieace will be avoided. 



During the winter ( 1904-5) Barrington passage was closed 

 by ice for about four weeks. This is a strait through which the 

 tide rushes wdth a velocity of six to eight miles an hour. It has 

 been closed twice only within the memorv of the oldest inhabit- 

 ant. About forty years ago this passage was frozen over so 

 that men crossed o'n the ice, and about sixty years ago a load of 

 hay drawn by oxen was taken across on the solid ice. 



