Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-19
THE AFRICAN COMET.
Observed by Washington Assrouomer..
MARCH Is, 1883.

MARCH is, 1883.
To the Editor Of THE EVENING srsn:
Inc comet recently discovered near Cane Town.
south Airica, and which has been watched for BY
astronomers In northern ATTITUDES, has advanced
50 lar northward as to be observed caught the
first sight OF It yesterday morning at 5.I5 am In
the telescope the comet is a fine sight. The head
quite large and the tail, which Is about a degree
anu hair IN length, IS well defined. The comet
wiz noc' however, become a conspicuous object, as
mas now reached Its nearest distance to the SUM-
ana VIII commence 70 diminish In brilliancy Its
position Yesterday morning was 81 hours and 10
l.nuVeo IN RS MT ascension and IA deg. As min
south declinatiOn. Possibly by the last OF March
~ nay become visible to the naked eye for py
tiune IL VIII have passed out OF the morning
o "Isn,. Inc comet may be found with pair OF
V,eIa gases using the following as a reference:
An imaginary line drawn from the Naval Obser-
~ "ouli pass about three degrees to the north
vi the comet. AT O'Clock tomorrow morning
ohe sonnet Will be found about 10 or IL degrees
Ldter.-Prof. Frisby secured a first-class obser-
sailOn OF the comet this morning, March 10, by
aeLsIenCe 10 s1xth-nagnitude star. which pre-
Seles the comet by about 30 seconds, and which
mas almost identically the same decllnation. The
ooservatiOns SO FAR made do no. agree with the
ephemerlS completed from the elements litho-
graphed from South Africa. GEO. A HILL
Railroad Accidents Within the City.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
It Is only TOO evident that the Rev. Eugene Peck
lost his life by his own careIessness Nevertheless.
those who are familiar with the practice OF the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company at the
place where this good public servant was hurled
20 destruction cannot place all the blame for such
accidents upon the persisted victims 10 Is an ac-
Cident that there are not more accidents seventh
street northeast, from street 10 the gate or Ken
dali Green, has been fully improved, except ~ to
pavement In the driveway; but across II, between
and streets, this railroad company has built
and maintains an embankment elevated 10 feet
above the grade. On the south side this raised
crossing Is masked by the deep cut and by houses
so that 1t forms perfect deatn-trap. IL was
this crossing and Tor nearly a square each side
OF IL that Mr.. Peck'S body was hurled and mauIed
and mangled. What the superintendent says
about the speed OF trains at this point ridiculous
10 all who live In Its neighOorhood. Trains are
run there every day and habitualy, especially
when entering the city, at rate from ~ 10 -
miles per hour. Moreover. II IL Were not for the
barriers made and held by this company the
streets would long since have been improved. 80
that Mr. Peck would not have been obliged 10
walk on the track In order 10 reach the house OF
his sexton at 9th and Boundary streets. The
action OF the train-mcn IN binding his broken and
quiyering body 10 the front or the engine and
carrying il II In triumph through the streets IS
TYPICAL OF the spirit that leads the railroads so
often 10 trample upon public and private rights.
Let Us hope that time viii prove that the same
A WITNESS.