Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-21


tennessee, the Ohio valley and the lake regions,
so that this month, in those sections they have not
ued though. In the middle Atlantic south Atlantic
and gull states. What little rain has fallen has
not been In sufficient quantities to do any good TO
the crops In these sections In this vicinity we
have not had any rain amounting to anything for
nearly three months"
DAMAGE TO CROPS
"How much damage has been done TO the crops?r
asked the reporter.
"Ir would be impossible for me to say, as our OBJ
servers make only casual reports upon that sub
ject They must have suffered very materially,
however In Georgia the drought has been very
disastrous. Our observer at Atlanta reports that
rain has not fallen for two months, and it is
estimated that the cotton crop In that vicinity will
port. La, the cotton crop Will be only two-thirds
OF the average, and In Nashville the condition OF
things is about the same. In the vicinity OF Peters
burg, a, 1t became necessary TO close the cotton
factories on account or the scarcity OF water"
BARE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT RAIN SOON.
Sand you say there is no chance OF a change for
the better?"
swell, there is bare possibility that we will get
light rain soon. You see the map here shows a
heavy rain storm In the lake regions II that passes
OF to the northward, as 1t probably will, we will
get none Of it. but II it comes eastward as it pos
sibly may. we Will get little shower, which would
be very acceptable"
GORGEOUS TWILIGHT sPECTACLEs.
III see the brilliant sunsets have again made
their appearance" said THE STAR man.
"Yes, we get reports Of the most gorgeous SUM-
sets and twilight from all parts OF the country"
"Can their appearance be any more satisfactorily
explained than 1t was last year, when there was SO
much talk about them and SO many theories ad-
vanced to explain them?"
swell, guess there can no longer be any doubt
about their being caused by casmcal matter. They
undoubtedly result from some foreign in the
upper strata OF the atmosphere. 1t can't be dust
and it can't be moisture, because whatever causes
the brilliant sunsets must be at a height above
which neither dust nor moisture could be; that is
chr fhn1 or f1rnnt hrfl
continues II the cause were in the lower
strata, where dust could fly, the duration OF the
6rllancy would be very short The only plausible
Oric substances The meteoric belt has perodi-
city, It is supposed, OF thirty-three years The
nearer the earth in its orbit approaches the center
OF the orbit OF this meteorc belt the longer will
brilliant sunsets continue caused by the refracton
Of the SUMS rays by the meteortc dust from the
meteOrS In the upper strata OF the atmosphere.
Last year they lasted through great part OF the
winter, and 1t is argued that the earth then reached
year it is near enough to the center for the same
phenomena to be visible, but they will probably
not continue SO long as they dii last year"
Appointments by the President.
The President this afternoon appointed VIM. p.
Dunwoody, Of Iowa, to be member OF the ma
tlonal board of health, vice DR.. H. A. johnson,
signed and Worth G. Ross to be second leuten-
ant in the revenue marine service.
c. W. FREEMANrLE, deputy master OF the Royal
mint, London, is in the city, having completed
visit to the various mtnts Of this country. He
called upon the President to-day and spent consid-
cradle time at the mint bureau OF the Treasury de-
partment.
DURING THE ABSENCE OF the AdJutant General,
Lieutenant colonel Chauncey McKeever, assistant
ad1utant general, WILL BY direction OF the Presi-
dent, take charge of the ONCE OF the Adjutant
General and perform his duties
MINISTER KAssoN was to-day designated as rep
resentattve of the United States at the Congo con-
ference, which is to be held in Berlin shortly.
COMMISSIONER BurrERwoRrH has accepted an in
vitation to speak at Richmond on Thursday eve
ming.
THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AT HARPERs FER
RY viii be sold at pubic auction tomorrow AFTER
noon. The sale will be conducted by MI. Robinson,
are that seyeral & %
bid on the property. Congress liked the minimum
price OF the property at $4,000.
PATENTS have been issued to T. a. Conover, Of
this city, for a thread spool, and to Rudolph
Heunsch for winding indicator for time pieces
LIEUT.. WIZ Il. BEEBLER has been ordered to duty
In the bureau OF navigation. Navy department.
Rss1oN W. L CHAMBERS, who commanded the
transport Lock Garry In the Greedy relief expedi-
tion has been detached from the Thetis and ordered
to duty In the bureau OF navigation
CAPT. GEORGE +. TowLR. 10th infantry, relieved
from duty at Columbus barracks, Ohio, and as Q
member OF the general court martial VIII proceed
To Jotn his company In the department OF Texas
CALLRD ON rHE PREsIDRNE.-Secretary Freiing-
huysen, Postmaster General Hatton, and Solicitor
General Phillips called upon the President this
afternoon.
E A. WILLIAMS RELEASED At HAGIRsTOwN.-Mat
Dye, superintendent OF police, has received teae-
gram from Marshal Gray, OF Baltimore. stating
that E A. Williams. arrested a. HagerstOwn last
week on . telegram from this city, where he 3
wanted for charge Of obtaining money by false
pretences, had been released By the authorities
there
RAxsR OF rHs THEKxowgrRR.-The following
were the readings ct the ofIce OF the chief signal
oficer today: am, SAG: II a m, 676; pm, TIL