Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-15
THE REMARKABLE PHENOMENON OF, MARCH q

This singular appearance, noticed in your paper of
yesterday, and reported by the Alexandria Boarding
School, was observed by myself and many others at my
residence; among them Capt j. D. WEBSTER, of the To-
biographical corps with whom watched both phenomena
during their whole appearance Its location was to
west of the meridian and south Of the zenith and it ap
peared be about two degrees in length and quarter
of that in width Mr.. LANGpoN, of the Patent Office, in
formed me that he witnessed it from Washington, and
that it appeared to him north Of the zenith and nearly
round The color Of fiery red and fickering, and
vanished altogether in about half hour. During the
whole time it appeared to be stationary ltwas evidently
connected with the great fire in Washington, caused by
the burning of Mr.. DoUGLAsss icehouse. It's light was
intense when that Of the FIRE and it expired
with the last gmmer of the fire. On the same evening
witnessed similar phenomenon in the west, about
thirty degrees above the horizon appearedto be about
six degrees in length and not more than onetweh that
in width. It's color was white and it was considered
comet by ALL AT the time of its first observation there
light clouds passing from north to south, and
the phenomenon obscured by and reappearcd from
behind them they passed 1t fixed like the second
Directly vertical plane with this bright light of
fire. supposed be the burning of brush three four
miles distant The phenomenon disappeared with the
light Of the fire. 1t Is worthy Of remark that there was
at the time another distant fire in the northwest but
no such attendant phenomenon. iswel worthy of in
vestigation and is truly meteorological marvel Dur
ing the whole time of the second appearance there were
clouds visible in its neghborhood; but during the
whole evening the atmosphere was hazy and frosty My
residence is about miles from the Centre Market in
northery direction and from the combined observations
already reported its locality must have been the site
of the fire raging at the time OF its appearance May 1t
not have been due to reflection from the ice in the house
below the fire becoming visible upon stratum of
geang vapor? And may not the first appearance have
been due to reflection from some body Of water in close
proximity? These mere suggestions, and may be at
least of negative Importance. beam of light such as
we suppose might have issued from reflection from the
ice within the walls Of the building becoming visible
upon elevated stratum ought to present the appear
ance noted viz to observer in Washington nearly
round appearance to distant observer elongated ap
pearance and the eongaon greater the greater the dis
tance.
1t is probable that many Of the extraordinary and un
accounted for luminous appearances In the heavens which
have been from time to time recorded and classed among
either preernatural or meteoc phenomena might have
been produced by similar to this 1t is evident
that such cannot be frequent they would
depend upon the coincidence Of the required and unusual
state the atmosphere and the peculiar circumstances
attending the fire. by which beam Of parallel rays of
light could be directed into the atmosphere The condi
ton of the atmosphere must have been if my theory is
right that Of entire transparency below and some
diton at great elevation which would afford ground
work for the reflection of light and yet not render the
air opaque like cloud or fog. There were no clouds
visible about this luminosity during its whole appear
ance and in the of the first one it was above the
region of light cirrus clouds that passed during the
time of its appearance If suppose beam of paral
lei rays reflected from parabolic mirror with the oxy
hydrogen light in its focus this beam will not be visible
when passing through clear atmosphere; but when it
cloud of dust smoke it forms the very appear
ance in question: and it does not impossible that
the night Of the 2st ultimo, if had been provided
with powerful apparatus, might have produced some
marvellous eeoric appearances by directing the mirror
the reflected beam upwards and giving to gyatory and
other motions Probably by far the greater number of
the observers of this phenomenon far distant rs
the light of the fire below it, and it is not
tain that should have suspected its origin had not
observed similar before the evening 1t is
but few years since the papers were full OF accounts of
an extraordinary luminous appearance in the heavens
somewhere in New York State, which by many
regarded portenous sign; and many such have been
noticed and recorded hitherto without attempt to cas-
sify them with any known meteorc phenomena Itwoud
be strange and important if all these appearances have
been be produced by fires upon the earth. Sir
John Ross whose experience in the Northern regions
should entte his opinions weight believed the
boreas to be caused by the reflection of the SUMS
from the crcumpolar fields of ce becoming visible
only in peculiar states of the atmosphere This theory
always appeared to be better supported by scen
tic anaoges and actual appearances than any theory
offered Certainly the unduations Of the aurora
bear close resemblance to light reflected from agtated
MIRROR and find no analogy in the aurora boreas flask
Of the electrician Be that II may, neighbors at
the South the 2lst northern light stationary
stredner if may the term, of red color and if the
mirror had been dancing onc," have doubt but
they would have seen dancing meteor or genuine
streamer The disturbance Of the magnetic needle does
not necessarily connect the boreais with cleo
tric magneceecric cause for recent observations
have shown that the needle TO disturbance
high Winds storms and other meteorological changes
CfIAS. G. PAGE. |
At New York. Thursday, while four young men
we're standing a temporary platform, which had been
raised the hatchway in the Sugar Refinery Of Peter
Moller Co., from unaccountabo cause it gave
way and precpitated the TO the floor beneath dis