Evening journal., 1894-01-16
SIGHTED A BIG METEOR
Captain Mckee Treated to a Re-
markable Scene at Sea.
SAYS IT BLAzBD LIKE A BIG SUN

II Was as Big ma Five or Six Full Moons,
and For Half an Hour IL Was In Sight,
when It Ended Its Career by Going 20
Pieces In Midalr.
NEW YORK, Jan. l6.-Landlubbers may
fancy that grog may have had something
to do with the wonderful meteor which
Captain Mckee and Chief officer Catherine
Of the steamship Yemassee reported hay-
ing seen at sea on their arrival here from
Charleston.
They are both willing to swear that they
were sober, though, at the time that this
great meteor went careenlng about the
heavens in manner to make them fancy
that Judgment day had come and that the
earth was about 60 be smashed into smith
Greens by this awful ball OF fire The cap.
tain declared that the meteor was as big
as nve full moons, while the chief officer
claimed IL was as large as six full moons.
Both agree as to oovorything else concern.
ing the meteor, which. II all they tell about
IL be true, Is the most extraordinary me
teor ever let loose 10 astonish mortals.
Like "a Big sun.
IL must not be inferred from the fact
that those who saw 1t fix It's size by saying
the meteor was full" Though It took a
Eigzag course, there is no reason for be
lieving that It was not as temperate me.
teor as the sober men who saw it. lt was
| just about dawn, when the Yemassee was
| Is miles south Of Charleston bar, that the
meteor was seen. Captain Mckee aud
Chief Officer Catherine were the only two
men on deck at the time.
"The meteor was dead ahead and far up
In the heavens when we first saw it, said
| Chief Officer Catherine, "and seemed to be
| coming straight for the ship ! thought
| Judgment day had come sure and that
some planet was about TO strike the earth.
| IL was as big as six full moons and burned
| like the sun.
suddenly Il shot of TO the east, followed
by great streak OF fire. When / saw Il
was not going to strike the ship, felt
some relief. IL frightened mo badly, ad
nit. After going about 30 degrees TO the
east It began to take a zigzag course. II
darted about the heavens at great speed
just AS a bolt Of lightning would IL con
tinued TO go about In that way for Ions
time.
"At last It burst into more than 100 piecel
like "A skyrocket. The small flreballs werl
shot all over the heavens In every direction
and gradually died away as the fire doe
from an exploded rocket.
In Sight Half an Hour.
81 pulled out my watch when the me
teor, OF whatever II was, began its zigzal
course, and the display lasted more thai
half an hour. The captain and boil
watched the thing from the time Il startel
until the great streaks OF fire it left in IL
wake gradually died out.n
Captain Mckee is a man OF few words
and after telling OF the size OF the meteo
and how Il acted he referred inquirers {
Chief Officer Catherine for full particular
The mate Of the ship wanted to know VIII
he was not called TO witness the exhibitio
OF the meteor when he was first told abou
J IL. Chief Officer Catherine told him thl
he and the captain were "transhxed wit
establishment" and did not want to los
sight Of IL fos moment Scientists 4
! skeptics can get full information about thI
meteor from either Captain Mckee OF Chi,
= Officer Catherine.