Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-03-23
A STARTLING PHENOMENON.
The Bursting or . Meteor Followed
by an Ea1thQuake.


Tuesday evening at about 1920
O'Clock the inhabitants of this city and
vicinity were stsrtleo by an earthquake
which shook the houses to such an ex-
tent as to cause the windows to rattle,
and in some instances shaking the
globes from the chandeliers. There
were two distinct shocks felt in the
city, LASTING about eight seconds, the
last being much fainter than the first.
The shocks seemed to travel from about
northwest to southeast, being much
more severe at the northern pslt Of the
city. The accounts from farmers out
on the island show that the vibrations
were much more distinct there than in
many parts OF the city, three shocks
being felt by them, while in town there
were only two, and in some parts only
one, and the severity of the shocks on
the island brought many farmers from
their beds on tours of investigation,
while those felt In the southern part of
the city were mistaken by many as be-
ing caused by heavy team on the iro-
zen ground. There is considerable diff
ference of opinion in regard to this
phenomenon, some claiming that II
was an earthquake, and some claiming
that 1t was not. A moment or two be-
fore these shocks were felt q meteor Of
great brilliancy shot across the sky
from the nerthward. This meteor is
variously described by the few who were
fortunate enough TO see it. By some it
Is given the size Of large foot ball, by
others that Of an ordinary playing ball,
but by all it is described as being extra
ordinarily brilliant, making a path of
dazzling flame several feet in width.
Those who state that the shocks felt
were not those of an earthquake give
it as thor opinion that they were caused
by the bursting of the meteor. How
ever that may be, and whatever may
have been the cause, we know there
was a rumbling and that the earth did
quake ss it never did in this vicinity
before.
We give the observations as related
by Mr.. Jonathan Kenney, who resides
on Ocean avenue, about one mile west
of Brenton's point. Mr.. Kenney says
he had just returned from this city and
was unloading his wagon OF some pur-
caases he had made in the city, and
had just stepped upon his piazza when
he thought he heard the paddle VIII cells
of the New York boat. He turned and
looked in the direction of Point Judith,
but did not see the steamers lights as
usual. While looking he saw flash
of light and what appeared to be a
large ball of fire falling from the heav-
ems toward the water, it seemed to strike
the water and bound uson its surface
aud explode with fearful sound. At
the same time it illuminated the whole
visible heavens, the ocean, and the land
as far as the eye could extend. He said
objects could be as distictly seen as at
MONDAY. The point, he thinks, was
much farther off than Rock Island, but
very nearly in that direction from where
he stood. The shocks were felt princi-
pally at places along the coast. Re,
ports from East Greenwich, Block Is
land, Darlington, Olneyville, Bristol,
Fall River, New Bedford and Norwich,
Conn.,, give various descriptions of the
vibrations felt and of the meteors seen
Newport (R I. Mercury.