Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-11-09
JERSEYS BIG METEOR.
It Made . Eig Noise and a Bril-
liant Light.
SEVERAL VILLAGES STARTLED.

II swept Through the Heavens and Ex-
ploded win Noise That sounded Like
Thunder-Nany People llought tho Dy-
mantle Works HAD Blown Up.
DOVER, n. j., Nov 1.-The few people
who were abroad in this village late
Wednesday night discussing the latest
political news were startled by seeing in
the sky over Kenvil way rocketlike light
start from nearly meridian. plunge with
almost lightninglike rapidity toward the
earth, and then while still clear above
the dark line Of the horizon. burst into
flashes and points OF brilliant lights
While all were still wondering probably
q minute after the light had been shatter-
Cd into q thousand darts, there came a
low but distinct report, as OF tho firing Of
q great gun at distance Of dozen miles,
People who were in their houses saw
tho reflection Of the light on their win
| aows, and then, hearing the noise of the
explosion, hurried into tho street and
made anxious inquiries about the forcite
works ct Landing and tho dynamite
works at Kenvil.
Telephone communications were made
with both OF those works, and when It was
learned that there had been no explosion
at either the people came to the conclu-
/ sion that thoy must have seen meteor
Of mighty size. A majority Of those who
saw the light assert that II came first into
view in its full strength, as If It had ap-
peared from behind curtain, and not
family at first and gradually growing.
Heard a big Report.
1t was visible through about IS degrees
Of the arc from meridian to horizon, APP
pearing a little below tho former and
bursting little short Of the latter The
path Of the flight was Illuminated by a
brilliantly bright yellow light, but the
explosion shot out flashes and flames Of
greenish yellow points, alternating with
points Of blue of the shade which is seen
when a live wire is shooting sparks
The first person to come to town from
Kenvil way in the morning was Jerry
Butler. He was just leaving his barn
when tie meteor exploded He said the
flash was almost binding and that it IL
Illuminated the whole heavens He heard
the report distinctly and thought 1t must
have travelled 100 miles before 1t reached
him. He had no watch with him and SO
had no idea of the time between the burst
ing Of the light and the report, which he
thought must have been several min
utes.
| PLA1NFIEID, n. J., Nov. 9. - Late
Wednesday night the whole heavens were
vaguely lighted by flash which did not
penetrate the fog at any point, but which
seemed TO half illuminate 1t all and then
after few seconds leave it all in heavy
darkness. This preceded by about min
ute deep rumbling report, which was
heavy enough to awaken and alarm many
Of the inhabitants.
Not tho Dynamite Works.
1t was supposed that one Of the powder
works within 10 or 10 miles had explod
ed, but today brings no such news, and
1t is believed that the strange illumina
ton and report were caused by meteor
or some other astronomical visitation.
kENyII, n. j., Nov. AT about mid
night Wednesday night several Of tn
workmen about the Atlantic dynamite
works saw what must have been a heaven
ly visitor Of unusual size. They say tina
the appearance Of a yellow shaft Of ligh
which dsrted half way across the heaven
was followed by fiery explosion, which
was bigger and brighter and more va
riously colored than any Fourth of Jul.
fireworks they ever saw. This fiery ex
plosion was followed in turn by boom
ing report, as If a ton Of dynamite hai
been shot of in a blast at distance o
some miles. In q short time many tele
phonio inquiries were received from
neighboring towns, where the Cash am
report had aroused fears that the work
had blown up 1t is supposed that tn
phenomenon was caused by a meteor