The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-08-10
GneG1telEiqetrrer:


Tho Eclipse. ..
From The Cincinnati Gazette,
A party numbering about three hun,
dred left the landing at the foot OF Vine
street, at half past seven o'clock Satur,
day morning, on the Gen. Lytle, and
away they steamed down the river
The boat meVed up 10 the Madison
landing, almost hundred miles below
the city, alta quarter past one. Stop.
ping Just long enough 10 leave would.
be passenger behind, the downward
voyage was again resumed, and on the
boat still steamed, until the high ellis
on the Kentucky shore, two or three
miles above Westport, were towering
Immediately at the left. Then the huge
boat swung once more slowly round
again her bow was turned toward
home, and tho gHngway planks were
thrown out.
1t was about twenty minutes past
three when the company had its col
lectIve mind made up as to where II
would 70. A hill three hundred feet
high was casting its shadow upon the
host, and itdid not require long time
for some OF the party to vehemently as.
sert they were not going TO climb any
such elevation as that-not for the best
eclipse ever made, But others, stouter
OF heart and limb, dared the difficulties
Of the upward Journey, and making
beasts OF burden for the time OF four OF
five deck hands, and packing upon
their broad shoulders four or i've tele-
scopes and ehrOnometer or two, they
started up.
II the ascent was hard the view that
was obtained at the summit was worthy
Of being purchased at even so high a
price. For found myself standing
on the brink OF o cliH that had sheer
straight hight Of hfty feet, aud from Its
base the ground sloped rapidly away to
the river. looked OF from the brow OF
this hill across the Ohio river, two
miles and more away, TO broad,
green Indiana lowland, and then far
away across this meadow to the distant
bills that were skirtIng the western
horizon. Then, sweeping around 10
the north, there was still level ex-
pAnSe on the opposite shore. Turning
once more, this time to the east, l could
see the river four miles away, It's waves
dancing and sparkling In the glad sum
light. A few trees were the only OBJ
struCtiOnH In the way, and an axe
speedily removed these. He would
have been hard man to please who
WAS not satisfied with our plan Of OBJ.
servatlon. The sun was shining In our
faces, It's whole downward path to the
horizon was clear, and all this time,
silent, Invisible, immense, the mass Of
the moon was-not creeping, for that
Implies slealth-movlng on.
By the time our telescopes were
mounted, and q big, stRlwart Ken.
tuckian had cut away the growth OF
stunted ash ana hickory, there was no
time 10 lose. Out from the great dark
ness, forth from the blue DER archIng
vault, the old moon came, revealing
ltselfln the glorious sunlight. A shout
from a Rmemberot The party announced
the beginning of the great astronomical
event. Henceforth, ,althOughth the mount.
ing of telescopes was hardly completed,
the work proceeded slowly. For bow
could one keep his eyes from the vail
that was covering so gradually the vast
globe Of dazzling light?
don't know whatothers were think.
ing. In my own mind there came first
the thought OF mystery, and then Of
awe as the one mighty mass began It's
majestic sweep In front OF that other In.
eonceiVably greater one. But after that
first feeling was over, there came a
thought OF admiration as l looked at
my watch and sHw that the hand was
pointing 10 the hour 4:3l. II was pre-
cisely the hour at which hfty years be.
fore an astronomer. forecasting tha fu.
ture, had told men who are now In their
graves, the moon would stand before
the face OF the sun, and for two hours
obscure his light. And not only that.
remembered that less than one hun
dred miles from me there would be on
ly a partial eclipse, and that iuto a mar.
row belt Of one hundred and forty miles
width, whose limits had been deIermin.
ed as accurately as the boundaries OF q
mans acres, had come 10 see total
eclipse. Nay, even more than this. l
was standing as near as possible the
exact central line Of this total eclipse.
II astronomy has future, It has also a
past. Ifthere is much yet TO learn,
something has been already achieved.
Close by my side was standing spec.
troscope, that wonderful instrument By
which not only our sun, but the suns
OF other systems are yet to be as accu-
rately known, theIr constituent ele-
ments 10 be as precisely determined as
the water that was flowing at my feet.
As the moon moved in Its solemn
march all work was suspended. In.
struments that were not In exact posi-.
ton were left 10 stand as they were,
For every moment grew precious, Our
party WAS not scientific party, and we
must use our eyes, and depend on 9th.
er sources for scientific knowledge.
Even those who had been absorbed In
the account which FenImore Cooper
gave OF the great eclipse Of 1905, ceased
their reading. They could read that
beautiful account ut any time. Only
once, and that now, could they them.
selves see.
AS the observation became greater,
there came marked change In the tenn.
perRture. do not think many OF US
were looking for go great a difference,
A Thermometer In the possession OF
Mr.. Robert Brown, Jr., was exposed TO
the sun, and 10 him l am indebted for
the information In respect to the
change In the position OF the mercury.
AT 4:50 a temperature was indicated OF
500 AT 4:55:S0 OF 9lo. At this point 1t
remained stationary until s O'Clock.
Al that time 1t began gradually to fall /.
AT sos 1t stood at $50. AZ '6:10 at 500,
From that time forward ita fall was
more rapid. and Is indicated by the fol-
lowing liable:
Hour y Deg. Hour. Deg.
-.....-.A w. 62l ID
S;l2g.g ..s....s.s.s. &e1 ................,.7v
6:l5.. "....."......A 80
6:l1.".., .,....-,......6S.tO o;A."... ..,-".7S
80 b25..............".77.2C q
b.l6 So n b;;23, ,..,.,.o,... II