The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1869-04-23
The Aurora BoreaIis---W Onderi'ul
Magnetic storm.

The Aurora Observation-Disclosures
Magnetic storm.
There are more things in heaven and earth,
Than are dreamed Of in our philosophy.
The papers from all directions make
mention of the brilliant display of CO.
lcstial pyrotcchnics on Thursday night
of last week. The following is from the
correspondent Of the Louisville Core
qfer-J0HRaI, who writes from Wash
ington City:
THE AURORA BOEEALIs.
The observatory here took observa-
tons last night of the great magnetic
storm which was visible for several
hours in the eastern part of the coun-
try. The storm was first heraldcd by
telegraph from the northwest and NOV
ed southwark ut the rate of one HIN
drcd miles an hour. The telegraph line
reported its progress all the way from
the northeastern portion of the CONT
ncnt as far south as Wilmington, n. G.
At seven, p. NJ. il took possession of all
the telegraph lines leading out of New
! York City, so that il was impossible to
work the wires for half an hour. In
two hours from that time the magnetic
waves, or flashes Of electric light. so to
speak. reached Washington. AS the
storm passed ON, the wires from Wash
| ingtOn to Boston were taken possession
! Of by an auroral current. The @alvanic
| batteries were removed from the line by
! the operators. and the telegraph was
| then worked from Washington TO New
! York and from New York TO Boston
! I,.t,.i,, ,,-l,t,,-,r Nj
patches were sent to the President with
| no other motive than the magnetism
which came from the heavens.
The New York ErprcSS ampli!cs the
subject rs follows:
The latest and most prevalent sensa-
ton OF the day is the aurora borraliS.
or Northern Lights exhibition. of last
evening. Before such an exhibition,
mans most pretcntiouS and ingenious
effort at gorgeous display. pale into ut
ter insigniticancc. The exhibition cX-
tended over the major portion of the
country, and excited both awe and de-
light throughout the length and breadth
OF the land. Many will be the awful
predictions of evil to come that will be
haZardCd on the basis OF last night :
Niioh VI 'CltNiiNi ~ Ibt'NiitiiNN' III LOO!
there was a great aurora. which was
very generally a source of terror to the
ignorant. In this respect. however. they
were not behind the ancient Greeks and
Romans who rcgarcd the auroral APP
IpCaraMccs with vivid imagiuations, and
as pOrtCntious Of great events. The
earliest accounts Of the aurora are those
of Aristotle. In 1850 it was seen in
London in the form OF burning spears.
In iJ74 it was seen there again. From
the latter half of the Eth century its
appearance suddenly increased in an
extraordinary degree, but no period has
furnished more brilliant displays Of the
aurora than the last 100 years. In
Northern Europe. Iceland. Sweden and
Norway it is Of very common occur
renee. 1t is not confined, however, to
Northern ATTITUDES. Many beautiful au-
roras have been observed in the An
tarctic regions. Nevertheless scientific
men assert that the true name Of these
phenomena is polar lights. As TO their
causes and origin there was always Il
degree OF doubt which has not been al
together dispcllcd. 1t is observed that
that the magnetic needle is affected by
, these lights under some circumstances.
. 1t is violently agitatcd. and Oscillatcs
towards that point where the rays from
= the horizon concentrate. This fact con-
meets the aurora directly with magnet
: ism. which is developed by the clcctri-
cal action taking place in the atmosphere.
Professor Olmstcad. Of New Haven. as.
signs to the aurorG an interstclar Oh
cosmical origin, though the exhibitions
take place i'll the upper regions Of the
atmosphere. The nchulOUs matter. like
that which furnishes the material Of the
mcteoric showers, or the ZOdiacal light
and is known to exist III the planetary
:, spaces. is probably the cause Of the an.
roral displays. The periodical returns
of the phenomena indicate such posi-
ton. so too its rapid motion, which eX,
cccds that of light or electricity, and
Z again. the extent of surface. covering
:; many degrees in longitude over which
.. the aurora is seen at the same time
The light he regards rs emitted by the
friction of earth plunging through this
vapOr, the velocity being sufficient, not
: withstanding the rarity OF the mate.
rials, and the magnetic phenomena he
. explains by suppOsing that the vapor is
metallic. probably fGrruginous, suppo'
> sition to which the stones Of iron pre-.
cipitatcd upon the earth in the form o.
ncroiitcs, lend some plausibility.
q The display last night was most re-
markable, rivalling that seen in this re-
) gion in January, 1897. The bank OF
auroral vapor, the steamers, the arches
| the corona, and the undulatiOns or mcr
T. ~ dancers, the whole set Oft by pCcu
= liar light. were all observable last night
| and will form for many days, the sub
: jccts of conversation, thought and spec
: ulation.
War on Carpet-Baggcrs.
At meeting of the Republican par
| tv i'm Louisville. n few days arO. Tho