“The New York Times
SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1901HEAT BRINGS DEATH AND MUCH SUFFERING
Life Rendered Almost Unbearable in the Tenement Districts.
Great Distress Among the Horses— Hundreds Revel in the Streams from Fire Hoses.
Despite a brisk southerly breeze that tried hard to temper the heat of yesterday, there was considerable suffering throughout the city. According to Weather Forecaster Emery, the maximum temperature was 94 degrees, which was reached at 5:30 o’clock In the evening, when the silvery column gave up the struggle for the day. The highest point reached on ‘the previous day was 91½ degrees.
What made the temperature especially trying was the high percentage of humidity. As early as 8 o’clock in the morning the humidity was .78 per cent. The suffering, especially in the poorer sections of the town, was intense. The park at the Battery was crowded from an early hour with the poor from the lower section of the city, who there sought relief in the cool breeze that swept from seaward up the Narrows. Far up in the upper floors of the down-town sky-scrapers the heat was not so severe, but in the street, between the tall buildings that reflected the heat and cut off every chance of a breeze, men and beasts sweltered.”
TimesMachine: Saturday June 29, 1901 – NYTimes.com
From June 26 to July 3, 1901 New York City averaged 95F (35C) and had two days of 100F.
