Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-11-03
The Expected Meteoric Shower in Novem-
her

scryatory i'll this city, is making arrangements
to take scientific observations on tho expected
mctcoric display in November next.
The appearance Of shooting stars is quite
common, but in the months of August and
November of each year they are seen in great
or numbers, generally about the 10th of Au-
gust and 18th Of November. The great me-
tcorc shower Of 1899 seems to have drawn
the attention Of astronomers more particularly
to this subject, and from that time to the re-
currencc Of the mctcoric showers in 1888, and
up to tho present day, they have been cndeav-
oring to refer the different phases and charac-
tcrlstics OF the phenomenon to known laws,
and to establish tho exact anniversary of its
appearance.
The mctcoric displays of 1900 and 1883
wero charact ctcrzcd by the fall of metcortcs,
which, rushing towards tho surface of the
earth with loud noise, penetrated bcr cath 10
several feet. The pcriodicity of these starry
showers is not SO definitely asccrtained with
regard to the day as the year. They have oc-
gurred to greater or less degree in the months
Of August and November, from 1888 to 1880;
out the most remarkable of them have ap-
Feared on the 18th of November, or between
tat day and tho 1Ith.
The next appearance Of the metcoric Pile
nomenon, therefore, is expected on or about
astronomers have demonstrated that the shoot
ing stars more numerous between mid
night and sunrise, and the majority of them
agree in fixing the radiant point-that point
in which the lines described by the metcors
in theiv flight centre-in the constellation Leo
limiting the area Of radiation to the immediate
vicinity of Regulus, in the neck of the lion
Others assign the radiant point to the constcl
lation Orion.
The theory most generally accepted in ac.
counting for the regular occurrence of mctc-
orlc showers is that an unusual aggregation of
these asteroids exist in the plane which is
reached by the earth at that point Of its orbit,
and through which the earth is several hours
IN passing, although observations have not
beon sufficiently numerous to establish the OK
act period of the carth's arrival ut this part of
its orbit During the flight of mcteors in No
vombcr, 1888, much apprehension was mani
tested from the fear That one or more Of these
asteroids would co ,c into collision with the
Garth; but hitherto no disastrous consequences
have cnsucd from this grand celestial display,
ana although there is some reason to believe
that an event OF this kind is possible, scientific
men unite iii the opinion that such calamity
Is not within the bounds of probability
National MtcNiyenccr.
INTERESTING STATISTICS OF TIE UNITED
SrArEs.-Thc following interesting item of
statistics was prepared in the United States
Census Bureau, Department of the Interior,
and taken from report in reference to the
area, population and density of population Of
the United States:
The land and water surfaces of the United
States are equal to 8,250,000 square mics
land, 3,0lO,37O; water, about 24O 900 square
miles. The States embrace | 1904 351 square
miles, of landed surface, and the Territories
I,2o6,Olo miles, as exhibited by the eighth
census OF 1860. The number of inhabitants
IN the United States, as returned in 1860 was
III ,443 ,32i-in the States 81 1,14S,O46. md
29o,275 in tho Territorics-thus showing an
average of seventeen inhabitants to each square
mile in the States, while in the Territories
there arc four square miles to each inhabit.
ant, and exclusive of the District of Columbia,
the territorial area would represent five and
onc-tifth square miles to each inhabitant. In
1860 Massachusetts, had 157, Rhode Island
1873, New York so and Pennsylvania 81 in
habitants to the square mile, which rate an.
piled to the United States would give 472,-
100000 in Massachusetts,, 400,0O0,0OO in
Rhode Island, 256,000,000 in New York and
10000, 900 in Pennsylvania Belgium, Eng
land and Wales and France, in 1865, had
397,3O7 and 176 inhabitants to the square
mile respectively. If the United States was
as d1enscly populated as France our population
would number $4,000, 900; or if populated
as densely as England and Wales 024, 4,OOO,-
OOO and if according to Belgium's density
of population (307 to the square mile) the
United States would contain 1,195, 100000,
which is 110,08600O moro than the entire
population Of the world
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