The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-21

What was the straugest occurrence
that ever happened in the history of
Csnsds was what has been always
known as the Phenomenon of $780,
On the morning Of SUNDAY. November
8, 1919. the sun rose upon c.oudy
sky, which assumed, as the light grew
upoE it, strange. greenish tint, vary
ing in places to inky blackness. After
a short time the whole sky became ter
ribly dark. dense clouds filed the at
mosphere, and there followed q heavy
shower Of rain. which appeared to be
something OF the nature of soap.suds,
and was fornd TO have deposited, after
settling. sub2-snce in ell its qualities
resembling SCOT. Late in the afternoon
the sky cleared to its natural aspect,
and the next day was fine and frosty.
On the morning of Tuesday, the 10th,
heavy clouds again covered the sky and
changed rapidly from deep green to q
pitchy black. and the sun, when occa.
sionally seen through them, was some
times of q dark brown. or an unearthly
yellow color, and again bright orange,
and even blood,red. The clouds con-
stantly deepened in color and density,
and later on heavy vapor seemed to
descend to the earth and the day be-
came almost as dark a. night, the gloom
increasing and diminishing most fits
fully. At noon lights had TO be burned
in the courthouse. the bsnks and pub
lie Offices OF the city. Every body was
more or less alarmed. and many were
the coDjectures rs to the cause of the
remarkable occurrence. The more SEN
sible thought that immense woods or
prairies were on fire somewhere to the
west; others said that great volcano
must be broken out in the province:
still others asserted that the mountain
was an extinct crater about to resume
operations. and TO make of the city q
second Pompeii; the superstitious quo
ted an old Indian prophecy-that one
day the Island of Montreal was to. be
destroyed by an earthquake; and some
cried that the world was about to enc =.
About the middle Of the afternoon a
great body of clouds seemed to rush
suddenly over the city, and the dark
ness became that of night. A pause
and hush for moment or two sue
cseded. and then one of the most elar-
ing flashes of lightning ever beheId
famed over the country, accompanied
by clap of thunder which seemed to
shake the city 10 its founda,ioas. An.
other pause followed, and then came a
light shower Of rain of the same sogpy
and sooty nature as that two days before.
After that it appeared TO grow brighter,
but an hour after il was dark ~ ever.
Another rush of clouds came, and an
| other vivid Hash OF lightning, which
vas seen 10 strike the spire of the old
French parish church, and to play
curiously about the iron cross at lie
summit before defending to the
ground.
A moment later came the climax of
the day. Every bell in the city sud
denly rang out the alarm of FIRE, and
the shrighted citizens rushed out from
their houses into the streets, and made
their way in the gloom toward the
church. until Place d'Aimss was crowd.
cd With people, their nerves ell un>
strung by the awful events of the day.
gazing A. but scarcely daring to ap.
proact. the sight before them. The
sky above and around was black as
ink but right in one spot, in naid.sir.
above them was the summit of the
spire. shining like sun. Directly. the
great iron cross. together with the ball
at its foot. fell to the ground with a
crash. and was shivered 70 pieces. Blu,
the darkest hour comes Just before the
dawn. The glow above gradually sub.
sidsd and died out; the people grew
iess fearful. and returned to their
homes; the real night came on. and
when next morning dawned everything
was bright and clear, and the world
was - natural as before.
The phenomenon Was noticsd in a
greater or less degree from Quebec 10
Kingston, and far INTO the States. bat
aiontreal seemed its center. Ii has