Ice Phenomena at Prince's Bay during the Recent Cold 

 Weather^ 



Howard H. Cleaves 

 (with plate 3) 



During the three days from December 29, 1917, to January 2, 

 1918, inclusive, the cHmax was reached of the severest period of 

 cold which this vicinity has experienced for many winters, and 

 on the night of December 30-31 the mercury registered the 

 record-breaking temperature for Staten Island of 14° below zero. 



Newspaper accounts of the cold and its attendant conditions in 

 Greater New York and vicinity are of too recent date to require 

 reference or comment at this time. Descriptions of certain local 

 phenomena and events, however, are worthy of being placed upon 

 record, as their like may never occur again. 



The lower part of Raritan Bay was almost completely frozen 

 over from Staten Island to New Jersey. On January 5 Elmer 

 Juhl, Albert Juhl, and Fernando Morin, residents of Richmond 

 Valley, walked on the ice from Mount Loretto, Prince's Bay, by 

 way of the interstate boundary monument, to Lawrence Harbor, 

 near the mouth of Cheesequakes Creek, New Jersey, and re- 

 turned by the same route. In so doing it was necessary for them 

 to cross both the north and the south channels of the bay, through 

 which in ordinary seasons it is common to see large sailing vessels 

 and tramp steamers passing. 



Elmer Juhl, who personally related the facts to me, also stated 

 that he knew of a number of others who had crossed from Staten 

 Island to New Jersey. Such crossing was commonly practis^ed 

 for several days, by workmen passing between Tottenville and 

 Perth Amboy north of the course kept open by the steamboats 

 of the Tottenville and Amboy ferry. 



1 Presented at the meeting of the Association January 19, 1918. 



30 



