Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-23
OUR MAIL POUCH.
The stranger in the Sky Causes Specula-
lions by Correspondents-No Danger Of
Collision in Spite of the Alarming

The Stranger in the Sky Causes Specula-
lions by Correspondents-No Danger Of
Collision in Spite of the Alarming
Surmises of Some Scientists.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Three very accurate observations must be
mad In order to obtain the elements Of any
comet and define its pathway. The writer
has not yet learned that the one now in
sight has been definitely determined to be
Biela's comet, due about this time. 1fit be
true, however, that this comet will bisect
the earth's orbit on the 9th inst, only eight
hours after the earth's passage, some very
wonderful phenomena may be looked for.
Eight hours would mean a distance only
ABOUT o5O,OO0 miles, a distance which will
quite cleverly clear our moon, but still leav-
ing rather scant margin for errors in the
CALCULATION. The passage Of the earth
through comets tail would probably be
attended by no very alarming phenomena;
but such would not likely be the case-tf the
earth and the comets nucleus should
happen to meet. But while there are hours
OF time for passage through comets tails. It
Is question of minutes only for the earth
and the nucleus, hence the likelihood of
collision between the last named is remote,
though still possible
We are told that comets have no apprecia-
perturbatfons OF any OF the planets near
which they have been observed to pass at
very short range. Still some OF them are
known to possess the elements of solid
bodies and therefore must have some real
weight. Who knows but what the fiery
Delts now enveloping Jupiter, OF the rings
OF Saturn, are the gifts of comets those giant
planets attracted to themselves ages ago9
we nave the word of our own Ignatfus
Donneily, who can prove anything he takes
al nod of fl,n
Northern Hemisphere, which the geologists
tell us were the work of glacial ice in the
drltt period, are no such thing. "Ig." proves
in about 500 citations from "old folk lore"
and Scandinavian nursery rhymes that
ABOUT so,O0o years ago. more orle less. the smil-
ing 1ocund earth was peacefully travelling
IN fts orbit, just as it will be next Sunday,
the 21th, when without one moments warn
ing 1t ran into comet travelling about 35
miles per second, said comet being
composed of several billions of cubic
It must have been an awful swipe,
for the gravel buried thousands OF
square miles OF the earth's surface many
ieet deep with the stuff, miscalled, drift.
Under that drift there are to be found even
TO this day In many places the remains of
animal and vegetable life, and even human
beings which to all appearance were very
suddenly overwhelmed. There is lacking,
however, the evidence of any great degree
OF heat generated by the impact of such
prodigious masses suddenly precipitated
over this possible objection to his theory
the writer failed to no.e but that would be
small matter, for the man who can prove
that Bacon wrote the Aztec Inscriptions.
be all this as 1t may, Mr.. Editor, there is
some real ground for alarm concerning the
outcome of the new comet. Very wicked
people should put in the time this week try
ing to reform; and If the comet gives us the
go by. they will feel all the better for the
rest they have given themselves r,
PIrTsBURa, Nov. 81, 1892.