Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-08-13
THE REPORT.
DUBUQUE, Aug. 9, 1869.

DUBUQUE, Aug. 8, 1869,
To The President Of the Iowa Iasti-
tate Of Science and Arts
DEAR SIR:-In compliance with
your request we visited Cedar Falls,
Iowa, on the Tth inst, to make obser-
walton upon the duration of the total
phase of the eclipse of the sun. We
were provided with five double and
single quarter second watches, which
were generously furnished for the
purpose by Messrs. Giles, Morse &
Co., of this place. We were kindly
assisted by George G.. Dean, of Du-
buque, aud j. HI. Stanley and J. j.
Tolerton, of Cedar Falls, who took
stations as observers. The line of
| observation and the positions of the
observers were located by +. Roden-
berger, civil engineer, who also gra-
tuitously furnished an accurate plat
of the same, which Is herewith pre-
sented. At IL o'clock noon, we cor
rected the watches by the signals
transmitted by telegraph of the pre-
else mean time of Dubuque.
The first station was half mile
northeast of the Soldiers Orphans
Home, which is two miles south of
the city; the second at the cupola of
the Orphans Home; the third,
fourth and fifth, on the same line,
half a mile apart extending south
west.
In due time the stations were occu-
pied-the first by Geo. G.. Dean ::
second, by +. w. Horn; third, by w.
w. Wormocd fourth, by J. ]. Toll
erton, and the fifth by VIM. 1. An
derson, In addition an observation
was made by J. II. Stanley, opposite
his store on Main street. Each of
whom were provided with colOred
glasses, lantern and assistants.
The sky, which had been clear du-
ring the day, became slightly hazy a
short time before the beginning of
the eclipse, but which did not i'm any
respect interfere with the perfection
of the observation. The wind blew
all day gentle breeze from the east.
AT the store of Wise & Bryant the
average temperature i'm the shade,
before the eclipse, was "A degrees,
which at the period of totality fell to
Ga degrees.
At the Orphans' Home the first
contact was Mt o'clock, SO minutes
and % seconds; last contact o'clock,
80 minutes and AZ seconds. Dura-
ton, 2 hours, 324 seconds.
Total phase lasted 63f seconds, with
a variation from II seconds at one
and a half miles southeast of the
Orphans Home to 81 seconds i'm the
city. The corona was we'll defined.
The moments of immersion and
EMERSON of the sun were startlingly
instantaneous, and were of such
thrilling interest to behold as to re-
quire no ordinary power of attention
to secure accuracy in recording the
period of duration. During the time
dew deposited plentifully OH the
grass.
At the southwest the darkness was
of the blacklist character, while at
the northeast, through .urid haze,
trees could be seen basking i'm the
dim sunlight, in the vicinity of
GAINESVILLE, eight or ten miles distant.
This was the most wonderful natu-
raj phenomenon ever witnessed by
the citizens of Cedar Falls, and of
more interest than any that will be
observed there in the present centu-
ry.
Acknowledgements are due to Supt.
Farley for passes over the railroad
and to the telegraph agents for the
free use of the lines.
Very respectfully,
Ed. w. HoRR,
VIM. I. ANDERSON,
NJ