Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-26
SINGULAR PHENOMENA.

SINGULAR PHENOMENA.
a scene suggestive of We olden time
was witnessed one day recently by some
OF the operators in a saw-miIl at Bed.
ford, n. IL. About four o'clock in the
afternoon, when the sun was shining
brightly, star of remarkable brilliancy
was seen In the east, at point about
midway between the zenith and the
horizon. 1t remained for about thirty
minutes, and then suddenly disap-
peared.
a while since, about eleven O'Clock.
a: M, singular phenomenon was visi-
BILE in the heavens at Woodstock, NIB.
and at several other places. A large col
ored circle like rainbow surrounded the
sun, arcs of three other clear white cir
Giles intersecting one another near to the
colored circle. After remaining visible
about an hour, they gradually faded
away. The same appearance was no.
tlced at Sidney, G. B., and at Pictou.
The "St. Elmo's Fire. or electricity
seen playing on the bavOnets of march
ing armies, and around the spars and
masts OF ships, comes from the presence
OF ''chargedn cloud in the air. from
which the pointed objects draw the
lightning. A splendid instance of this
same phenomenon was lately witnessed
in Jura at st. Cergues, where a whole
forest OF plne-trees was seen to be aoloW
with light like a phosphorescent sea in
the tropics. A thunderstorm was rag
ing at the time, and at every flash Of
lightning, the illumination entirely dis
appeared, but soon shone forth again
until the next flash came. Before the
appearance of this ST. Elmo's Fire.
heavy rains had fallen and soaked the
forest so as to render it conductive of
electricity, and the thunder-cloud over
head, heavily charged with electricity.
had induced an opposite charge on the
ground below, which discharged itself
into the air by the pointed boughs and
needles of the pine trees.
Next perhaps to the famous "Dark
Day. in New England in interest were
the incidents of that phenomenal won
der, the great ''star shower of Noyem-
Der -, 1888: night when so many me-
teors flew and flashed that the heavens
seemed on fire, and many ignorant peo-
pie supposed that the end of the world
had come. Said an eyewitness:
SIT was clear as night as / ever
saw. would fix my eyes on a given
star, and in few moments it would
seem to fall, owing, | suppose, to the
fact that it was obseured by passing
meteor. The illusion was perfect"
Some of our readers may have heard
the quaint anecdote of an old sailor who
reformed when he saw Cor thought he
saw the "North STAR fall. The story
is given in the sailors own words; and
the above reference to the optical illu-
sion shows how natural his impression
was:
60 have spent most of my life on the
sea, and have passed through MANY
dangers. But | never had to look death
and eternity so squarely in the face be
fore. You know, parson, that sailors
believe in the North Star. Well, [ saw
that the other stars were falling, but [
thought that as long as the North Star
kept its place, all was safe. So | went
out there and sat on the ground, with
my back against the chimney Git was a
rock chimney, and then | watched that
star, trying not even to wink. In few
minutes it cut loose, and here it came.
And then, parson, | fell on my knees
and did some'of the tallest praying you
ever heard, and | have not sworn an
oath since.'' ASA
The following incidents seem very
strange, but are nevertheless true:
During heavy thunderstorm at Me-
chanic's Falls, Me, little boy was sit
ting at the foot of Balm of -Gilead tree,
which was syruck by lightning The
tree was considerably spIintered, but the
boy was uninjured to all appearances.
Soon after the accident he was seized
with nausea, when a physician was
called, and, on removing the little fell
lows clothing, there was found upon his
stomach and chest an imprint resembling
the trunk of the Balm-of- Gilead tree, its
branches and buds as perfect as could
be drawn by the hands of skilled
artist.
The likeness of woman who has
been dead more than twenty years was
lately discovered on pane of glass in
chamber window in house at Char
lotte, Va. The likeness is distinct and
accurate, and resembles a photograph
negative. 1t is said the woman was
stunned by flash of lightning many
years ago, while standing at that win
dow, and the theory is that the outlines
of her features were photographed on
the window-pane at that time.
A singular electrical phenomenon re-
Gently occurred at Celereus, Switzer-
land. There was thunderstorm in the
distance, when suddenly tremendous
peal of thunder shook the houses to their
foundations, and there was wonderful
discharge of lightning. A little girl near
by tree that was struck was literally
folded in a sheet of fire! The vine
dressers fled in terror from the spot. Six
persons, in three groups, near the same
locality, were enyeloped in a luminous
cloud. They felt as if they were being
struck In the face with hailstones or fine
gravel, and when they touched each
other, sparks of electricity passed from
their finger-ends. None of the persons
mentioned were injured, though they
had sensation for, several hours after
as if their joints had been violently
twisted.
The Northern Lights have been used
to send kilograms, their electric force
charging the wires and working the
marker without battery. On the 9TH
er hand, science makes lamp-light now
out of electricity, and one case recently
occurred of lamp lit by the electricity
of the skies.
The Sixth avenue, IN front of the St.
Over Hotel, at Pittsburgh, Pa, is il
Illuminated by an electric light at night.
The lamp is not Lit until dark, out one
dag passers-by were astonished at see
ing the light burning with unwonted
brllliancy at six o'clock in the evening.
The illumination lasted for about two
minutes, and then died away. No one
was more SURPRISED than Mr Garnon