Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-21
n III BLlNIE SIGHT.
Remarkable Scenes During Great
NIeteoric Shower.

Meteoric Shower.
Hugh HAYS is a remarkable old gentle
man, says Louisville letter to the New
York sun. He has just celebrated his
eighty-siyth birthday, and is fairly en-
titled to be looked upon as an old settler
He came here from Pittsburgh rs q boy
when Louisville was nothing more than
a village. Ne is full Of anecdotes of the
early days. One of his most interesting
"reminiscences is about the celebrated
star shower of 1898.
IL distinctly remember that remarkable
81 enc on the night Of No ember %, two
generations ago" he said. About
3 o'clock in the morning was walked by
the screams Of frantic womenand children
who were pushing through the streets
My first impression was that the city was
on fire, but when got outside the house
such sight as no pen can describe was
presented. 1t was bright, clear, and
beautiful night with a sky that looked
as if prepared for the occasion Not a
cloud was visible, but it seemed as if
millions and millions of bright stars were
darling with lightning rapidity in all
directions above us. The city was as
brilliantly lighted as if u MONDAY sun
shone above.
"What added to the terror was the
fact that the Millcrites had been pre-
dieting through the country that the end
Of the world was at hand Lorenzo
Dow had preached for a month in this
city, his subject always being The End
of Time He told his hearers that the
| day of Judgment was close at hand, and
that they should be ready to say farewell
when the archangels trumpet sounded,
for there was no telling when this might
be. No wonder that the people were
frightened Mt the wonderful display
going on above their heads They were
sure the stars were falling, and they went
wild
"The starry exhibition lasted one hour
and twenty minutes, then ceased as sud +
denly as if great black curtain had been
! thrown across the heavens. As quickly
as you could shut off gas light the mo
teors disappeared All was sudden dark
ness and the scene was over In the mean
time the doors Of every house had been
thrown open, and the citizens felt that
they had been granted a new lease Of
life. Nobody went back to bed quite
the contrary. All the saloons kept open
and made no charge for drinks There
were more men drunk that night, prob
ably, than were ever seen in that cOndi-
ton in the Streets of Louisville at any
time before or since Strange to say,
men were intoxicated who had never be-
fore been known to touch a drop Of
liquor. The poor fellows thought it
would be their last night on earth, and
they would take long pull and a strong
pull before being ushcred into eternity
shalt never forget the death-like ap-
pearance Of the faces of the people that
night Men, women, and children wore
horror stricken expressions, and the
bright light made by the shooting stars
caused their faces to look blue as indigo.
Il was a night of fear and sublime gran
deur TO the inhabitants Of the city, but
night of froicsome delight to those
wandering, flaming creatures Of the air
who glided through the ballroom Of
I Hpdit 10 II ghihtu ny thc ldlih VI IDu
Captain Blair Summons, with his new
boat the Ben Franklin, of the Louisville
and Cincinnati mail line, was caught in
the mcteoric storm six miles below Madi-
son. lie told me he had hard time in
making a safe landing with bis boat The
stars were so plentiful and bright above
him and their reflections IN the water
prouud and in front Of the boat were So
dazzling that the pilots were blinded
/ lie had hard time 10 keep some Of bis
passengers from jumping overheard and
drowning Every one wa. frightened
nearly 90 unacy or death. f1r they
thought the end 81 time had come IN.
decd several deaths were caused by
F fright Ia different paris ot the country,
aud 8ue If these deaths occurred hefe
That Was 4 long time 14o. und meh q
sleht may never ho Witnessed again