1816

The year was 1816. What was so unusual about this year? Well, that was the year of no summer. Yes, there have been a few years since then when little summer weather existed.

We tried to find some comment in the local newspapers to confirm the serious effects 1816 had on the local county, but we discovered this year is not available. Therefore, we have no way of commenting about the hardships of the people who lived here in Bedford County.

From reports we have found this part of Pennsylvania was not hit as hard as parts to the north and east as well as New York and all of the New England states. There are some snow and heavy frosts in July and August. Some parts of New England had ice on some of the small streams. All the vegetation, garden vegetables and corn froze. Thousands of birds died due to the lack of food. The people were hungry. They were all wondering what would become of them. They also worried about the survival of their livestock.

Surprising, a famine also occurred this same year in Ireland in which more than 700,000 people died. We discovered that this was not the real potato famine in which over two million people died. This tragedy happened from 1845 to 1849.

What happened to cause these changes in temperature? It was discovered that one of the most terrific volcanic eruptions the world has ever known happened in the providence in Tamboro on the island of Samhawa, East Java in 1815. A massive cloud of dust was thrust into the high atmosphere. This layer of dust lowered the temperature of the sun's rays coming down to earth. This belt of dust was found to be the cause.

There are other recorded volcanic eruptions which changed the temperature of the earth. One fifth of the population and livestock was destroyed in Iceland in 1783. Others took place in 1831 and 1883. Volcanic eruptions in 1902 hurled vast quantities of dust into the stratosphere. One old timer told the story about a heavy blanket of snow falling on the ripened wheat. The farmers were afraid the snow would ruin the kernels so they took long ropes, held by two men, and pulled the ropes over the heads of wheat to knock the snow away. It so happened that the fields where the snow was not removed were found to be in good condition. Where the snow was removed the wheat had spoiled. Many of the farmers harvested their wheat in July while wearing their overcoats or heavy clothing and mittens on their hands. This informer could not remember whether this was in the harvest of 1883 or 1902.

The last major eruption took place on Mt. Katmai, Alaska on June 6,1912. This eruption of dust particles greatly affected the country. Scientists were able to trace the cloud, traveling eastward at forty miles per hour. Dust particles from this eruption were found as far as Algeria. This vast cloud caused a loss of solar radiation of about twenty percent, thus the earth's heat fell about thirteen degrees for a period of time.

Scientific records also show that the world had an enormous tidal wave in 1818. Some scientists are predicting another one about the year 1986.

There are many areas in the world where volcanoes still exist. It is possible any one of these can erupt in the future and thus cause another change in the world's atmosphere.