Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-07-29
The Great Eciipse-The sciehtifac Obser.
walton to be Made.

walton to be Made.
A correspondent OF the st. Louis Re-
publican, writing from Springfield, ILL.,,
date July II, says: The government has
employed means to obtain accurately
the most preferable localities for con-
ducting scientific observations of the
unusual eclipse of the sun. Springfield
willEbe directly on the line of the great
est observation. Prof. Austin, of the
Institute, with a corps of
skillful assistants came here st that
time, and after several weeks nightly
established a new and ex-
act meridian line to be called after this
city, The Professor fixed it about one
hundred and fifty due west of the new
State House dome. A suitable perma-
nent monument marks the spot, being
a square shaft of marble work sunk
seven feet in the earth. Here the Pro-
fessor and his corps will erect their
tents and thence make their interesting
of one of the most notable
events Of the century. We
learn that the Professor is now here,
and will be Joined by his assistants in
time to make the necessary prepara-
tions 4
WHEN THIS GREAT EVENT WILL COME
=" OFF.
As is known, astronomers have fixed
the solar eclipse for the 7th of next
month. 1t will be an occurrence worth
seeing. unless the darkness shall be SO
intense that nobody can see. Very few
persons are alive, perhaps none. who
The remarkable eclipse that
occurred toward the close of the last
century. Without consulting encyclo-
Dedias or anybody else, We remember
he fearful accounts of that terrible
event told by our respectable grand
mother. In portions of this continent
he eclipse was total, darkness like mid
right fell upon the land. darkness that
,ould be felt, birds went to rsost, beasts
aid down in their lairs, work ceased,
,andles were lighted, and fearful look
ng for something inscrutable prevailed
n many quarters. Astronomy in this |
was comparatively in ITS infan- |
"; communication with Europe was
ardy; little was known of the coming |
vent, and many good people believed
he world was coming to an end. We
ave come to understand eclipses better,
nd scientific minds are preparing to
me of the NOSE delightful and august
PREPARING FOR THE EVENT.
We all remember the preparations
made to observe the solar eclipse Of 1850,
Vhen expeditions were sent out from
lmost every civilized nation. The near
st point of total obscurity was in Spain,
ut eur Government made no adequate
for its observation. The
otal eclipse of the sun, to occur on the
tn of next month, will be. visible in
many portions of this continent. and as
partial eclipse all over the northern
art of it and in nearly all of the South.
n order to observe this interesting event
nd with commendable iberality, the
,aYy Department sent Prof. Hull, of
heNaval Observatory and Prof. Rog-
rs, of the Hydrographic Office, last
lay 10 Behring's Strait, where the
clipse begins. Profs. Newcomb, Hark-
ess, and Eastman have been ordered to
owa to make. observations each one
of the other Prof. Var
ell will make observations at the Naval
/, In the city Prof. Austin
ill, as wehaye mentioned, have charge
observations. Meantime, amateurs ]
nd local astronomers will, all along the
ne, open their Instruments upon the
elestial hosts. 1t is going to be q grand
me. ,,fer.f- .7s,s, -5ssfF -3stE ri
THE LINE OF GREATEST OBSERVATION.
Astronomers tell oas, and the utmost
lith may be- placed in what the say,
nat the path of the umbra in which the
,lipse will be totapsis about one hum
red and foFty-thfee miles broad. It
ill enter the United States near the (
eadwaters of Milk river, longitude
lirty degrees west; thence proceeding
,rough the southwest corner Of Min
esota, diagonally shrough Iowa; thence |,
Mississippi river near Bur-
ngton, tIowa; 1t will pass through Illi-
ois near this city. and cross the Ohio I
ver near Louisville, Kentucky; thence
trough North Carolina just south oft
aleigh; thence to sNewbefn, entering {
he Atlantic near Beaufort, and end at
inset in the ocean. ~-cV a. 7ti II