Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-19
Atmospheric Phenomena In New
Jersey.
An esteemed correspondent of the Smith
sorian Institution writes as follows;

An esteemed correspondent Of the Smith
sonian Institution writes as follows;
TUCKxRroS, N. j., March 9th, 1872.
Dear Sir: On Wednesday, the 9Th instant,
about half-Past eleven O'Clock a. m, an explo-
sve noise was heard in this vicinity, accompa-
MED with Earring motion OF either the air or
earth, sui eient to be plainly felt in the houses.
The day was very cold, the sky was clear, or
clouds, and the wind was blowing strong
breeze from point a little north of west. The
general impression made upon the minds of those
who heard the conclusion at first was that the
cbimpeys had blown OFT their houses and were
rumblng on the roofs. Everybody had an i'm.
preston Of the kind mentioned, or else that
almost universally the people ran out OF doors
to see what had happened, when, seeing
their neighbors out also, it was soon
understood that the noise was general,
and not confined to their own domicils!
Some persons claimed that they felt perceptibly
an undulatory motion of the earth, and Of their
similar to that 0cc asiOned by the discharge OF a
heavy piece of artillery near at hand. Those
who heard the explosion OF the great daylight
Meteor" OF November ID, 1859, say this noise
was unlike that, being of shorter duration, APP
pearing nearer at hand, and of a more violently
explosive character. No fash Of light preceded
or accompanied the explosion, SO far as can
learn. The noise was not heard nor the Earring
felt outside of radius of six or seven miles from
this place, that L can hear. At West creek,
three miles northeast, it SET ms to have been
violence as here. Elsewhere, so tar heard
from, the effect was less violent, until seven or
eight miles distant We have no account of it.
No account OF it has been received from Long
Beach, Fix miles distant to the sOutheastward OF
this place, against which the Atlantic ocean
beats, nor do we know whether any unusual
motion was observed in the sea.
There is great doubt with us whether this was
the shock Of An earthquake or q meteor falling
close in our vicinity. Nothing in the neghbor-
hood like buildings or factories, to explode,
N m ka
noise. Its cause must be looked for in the field
of nature. Can you help us 10 . solution?
Yours, with great respect,
Prof. JOS. Henry. Smiths0Aidn Institution, Wash
ingt07a, ID. G.
p. S.-MoNDAY, March IL, 1S72-A low, rum
bling noise like distant thunder was heard about
sive noise. This distinctly heard myself, sit
ting in my house. The first great noise did not
hear. being about four miles from home, driv-
ing along the frozen road IN my carriage. Yes
teTday morning, Sunday, 10th, at 10 O'clock
and at twenty minutes past 10, similar explosive
sounds were heard, not SO loud and great as the
no Sc on Wednesday. 1 heard one of these
sounds, viz: the one happening 20 minutes after
10, and as the sky was over cast with clouds, and
1t was raining moderately at the time, suppos-
ed 1t was thunder in the northwest, from what L
supposed would be a clearing-up shower; but
others maintain, quite intelligent people Also
that the sounds heard on Sunday morning were
similar to the sounds heard on "Wednesday, but
not so loud. The sound was not exactly like
thunder, but resembled the discharge Of q can
non, say mile distant. being sudden and ex-
plosve.
The first great noise is described as loud as IL
q cannon was discharged within a few hundred
yards. The duration of the first noise on
"Wednesday was, as near as 1 can gather about
two seconds long, perhaps more; the low rum
BILE which i heard with others, about two
seconds; the explosions on Sunday morning,
somewhat shorter-one second, or one and q
half.
These things surprise us here The sea il too
far for artillery from passing ships to be heard
so plainly. If the sounds on Sunday morning
were thunder, it is strange that two discharges
Of electricity so very similar in sound should
take place within twenty minutes Of each other
and no more be heard. There is no cannon in
our neighborhood that we are aware of; the only
old piece anywhere about being spiked.
What can these things be?
Yours. with Iesnect.