Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-27
3 MAcMlr,crNr mrrroR.

~
4 MAcMuFicFMT MErIoR.
About nine o'clock yesterday even.
ing, the people of Ottnmwa witness
ID q magnificent and extraordinary
mcteoric display. 1t came from the
and disappeared in the
northeast, passing at a slow rate, and
evidently gravitating to the earth.
From persons who were out
of doors, and therefore, had |
good opportunities to see it, it seemed |
to be but little above the bluffs over
looking the city, as it passed away
and out of sight in northeastcrly d.
rection. 1t was in view about thirty
and resembled the ordinary
meteor, with large tail attachment,
like the caudal appcndagc to comet.
While Immediately east of the city,
taking the postofiice as a standpoint,
a beautiful explosion occurred, which
could be distinctly heard, like the
sound, and having almost precisely
the appearance of the explosion of
sky-rocket. As the grand globe of fire
passed in review it constantly threw
off a mass of richly colored and vari-
gated stars, which Illuminated the
sky with dazzling colored drops and
pendants of gold.
Up to the present writing we have
heard Of none of these fragments, re-
sulting from this explosion, being
picked up; neither have We heard of
the final landing place of the meteor.
although that point apparently could
not have been very far distant.
The writer of this account was at
the City Hall at the time, listening
to Mr.. Cope's delineations. While he
was rendering "Order for a Picture"
and was painting it with graphic
power on the minds Of his audience,
this most beautiful metcoric pic
turc sailed athwart the sky and
past the windows of the Hall; and so
superior was nature to the highest
art, that the audience arose to their
feet in forgetfulness of the place and
speaker, to witness this incompatible
touch of the Divine pencil.
The large audience in attendance at
Somerby's Worlds Fair Exhibition,
at the Opera House, was greatly ex-
cited at the sudden illumination of
the hall, nearly all of the spectators
springing to their feet delighted with
the glorious scene. In an instant the
spectacle disappeared, the audience
returned to their seats, and in the
beautiful display of scenic grandeur
before them, forgot the heavenly
show Of few moments before.
1t was the grandest sight of heaven
ly fire works ever witnessed in these
parts, and we shall publish chcerfully
any additional and interesting de-
scriptions Of this phenomenon, which
may have been witnessed by our
readers.
Since writing the above, we find
the following in this mornings Gate
City:
A very rare and beautiful phenom-
enon was witnessed in this city last
evening. About half-past eight
o'clock the heavens were brilliantly
| Illuminated, and the first thought that
suggested itself was that of a big fire.
CHANGING in the direction from which
the light came, however, the eye was
greeted with the spectacle of an i'm
mensc meteor passing over the city.
The course of the luminous body was
almost directly from West to East,
and the distance from the earth APP
parently from l,500 to 1900 feet. II
seemed to travel almost on dead
level, and at about the speed at which
swift bird would fly.
The meteor threw off numerous
fragments or balls of fire which fol-
lowed in its wake. Nearly all the
prismatic colors were displayed in
the most delicate tints, and the spec
tacle was at once grand and awe in
spring. It far exceeded in brilliancy
the meteor which passed over the city
year or SO ago-in fact nothing like
it has ever been witnessed here. Those
who saw it fairly went into ecstacics
of delight over it.
About five or ten minutes after it
disappeared from view a conclusion
was felt, and it is thought that the
metcorite must have struck the earth
and exploded not very far distant.
Scientific reports Of the phenomenon
will be looked for with interest.
The Burlington Howk-E Eye also
says:
The most beautiful meteoric dis
play of the year occurred about nine
o'clock last evening, and will never
be forgotten by those who were SO
fortunate as to behold it. The aerolite
was remarkable for its size and prox-
unity to the earth. 1t pursued G
course very nearly eastnortheast,
passing directly over the business
portion of the city, and at no great
distance from it. The body was a
large mass, averred by one witness to
appear as large as a hogshead, and
was the color of star, or of metal
at a white heat. 1t passed though the
air with great rapidity, leaving in its
wake long train of fiery balls and
particles of cooling matter which, in
cooling, changed their hue as metallic
substance does, and presented most
magnificently brilliant and many col
ored spectacle. The light was very
bright. One witness says it was as
light as day, and another that he
could have read the Hasck-Eye by its
glow. The body moved toward the
earth at an angle of apparently forty
five degrees, and appeared to reach
the ground at no great distance in
Illinois. 1t may be found, however,
to have been much farther away than
an ordinary observer would judge
from its brilliant and sudden passage.
Some idea of its course may b IAN
ed from the fact that it was Nh at
Unionville, Missouri, nearly two hum
drcd miles away and in the direction
from which the meteor seemed to
move.
FUNERAL oBsEQUIEs.
The Remains Of the Late Judge
Baldwin, Conveyed to their Last
Resting Place.