The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-09-22
DAYS of MYsterious Darkness.

The strange darkness at midday, caused
by yellow haze filling the sky, which egak-
ened surprise and alGrn. iH Boston, Providence
Portland and other eastern cities on Tuesday.
is not without parallel in meteorological his
tory. Everybody has heard Of the Dark Day
of 1850, which is sometimes spoken Of as
Black Friday. The year 1880 resombled 1881
in its wonderful physical phenomena. II was
year to drive weather prophets mad, and il
impressed its memory indUiibly upon the mind
OF the people. It's freaks eliminated on MAY
ID, when. the light Of the sun seemed sudden.
ly to fail, and all Of New England, and por.
tions Of New York, Pennsylvania, and Cana
de were plunged in mysterious gloom. Birds
and fowls retired to their roosts; dinner was
eaten by oandlelight. The air seemed of a
brassy color, and there was sulphurous or
sootJ smell pervading it, Very many were
in the greatest alarm, thinking that the day
of Judgment had come. The Connecticut
Legislature was in session when the mysteri-
Gus darkness fell upon the face of nature and
the Senate Chamber was shrouded in gloom,
| 80 that business could not be transacted. The
general alarm spread to the lawmakers and
one OF them solemnly moved that the Senate
adjourn. COL Abraham Davenport immedi-
ately arose and opposed the adjournment His
speech, though brief, was q remarkable one
and it had the OBJECT Of restoring composure
of mind in the as5omblagc,
IL hii against the adJournment. Either tho
day of judgment is at hand or it is not. If
it is not there is no cause for adjournment, -
If it is wish TO be found in the line of nv
duty. l ask that candles be brought"
Nobody who saw that dny ever forgot it,
Tho New England coasts was shrouded i'm
| darkness, which turned away incoming ships.
Evidently the phenomenon observed on Tues
day was OF the same nature as that of 1880
Such dGTkcnings Of tho suns light have been
in o,,;o a
the year 62G the whole Roman Empire was
| covered with reddish shadow, caused by q
strange haze in the air. In 1888 all of Europe
most Of North America, and the western por
ton of Asia were covered with great dry
| tog Of pale blue color, which dimmed the
| hight OF tho Gun and at times almost extin-
| guishcd it. 1t lasted for several weeks, and
| was accompanied by violent electrical storms.
Ii spread alarm everywhere. ''It was" SAYS
one writer, 80 time Of terror, of tumult, and
OF universal excitement" In 1881 there was
another great fog that made the sun look green
or blue, and tinted all the objects of the land
scapc with similar hues.
Sometimes these pncnOmena are confined to
comparatively small areas of country. The
togs OF London arc examples In December
1873, London wGs dNrkcncd for q week so
that traffic had to be suspended on the Thames.
street travel became aim )st impossible, and
many persons lost their lives through occi-
cents. year ago lust spring u mysterious
darkness oVcrsprcad Il portion of Minnesota.
Tho inhabitants, AZ in 1850, aio their dinner
by candle light, and all ordinary occupations
were suspended.
The causes assigned for these phenomena
are various. Somctimcs they arc duo to the
smoke arising from the burning Of great for
eSls or vast peat bOGS. Occasionally these
f"ga have been ascribcd TO the passngo OF the
earth through the tail Of u comet. In 1861.
whch tic earth Is supposed to have passod
through portion OF the tail OF TIC great COM
ei OF :h"t year, slight haze Was dlscernible
by day, and 1T night tho air seemed nrlow
with strange phosphorcscrnco, which in
somo places rendered il possible 10 road print
al midnight. lhc same lhOsphove 4cenue ut
night WAS Witnessed during the great fops OF
1853 1881. Tho country vii hin u few nun.
dred miles Of largo volcanoes is sometimes
u2rkencd by matter ihro IN into tho almos.
rhorc from the cratcrS. At times there so ems
no way TO account for such tarkenng OF the
ho"vcnS, except upon the supposition that tho
earth, IN lis sweep Though space, suddenly
encounters mass Of atteuuatcd mcieoric mni-
ter, which spreads through the atmosphere
rms does not appear improbable when it is
r"CHlicctru ihut the cartli in revolving about
tho sun docs not continue 10 travel in tho sam.
pnth, but In consequence Of tho suns own
motion, IS every year passing through new
HcluS VI SphCc. nc sun II CARVING hlA
squadron of worlds on stupendons voyage
through the vast ocean of other, or whatever
fills the intcrsollar spaces Ii somo Of these
phenomena arc really duo to matter that the
earth plows through in her marvellous cruise
wo may conclude that therein lies another
peril to the mad and merry crew Of our rock
ribbed ship, for some Of The great dry fogs Of
history brought opidemics with thom. In 1888
especially, mon and beasts were seriously
affected with q disease resembling oatarrh
that prevailed as long as tho fog astod.-Now
York Sun, 10 inst