The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-02-18
VIVID BALI or FIRE
A brilliant Meteor shoots over At
Inntn Late Tuesday NiGht.

n Brilliant meteor ShootS wv
Ianau Late Tuesday Night.
A vivid ball of fire. three times as large
as the sun and equally as brilliant. shot
through the heavens Tuesday night, passing
Atlanta at Hos o'clock
The brilliant bali made the city as bright
as monday and many declare that us pas
sage was attended by rumbling noise and
a slight shock. as OF an earthquake.
Every one who was awake at that hour
saw the swift-movinS meteor. 1t was or
marvellous brilliance and passed close to
the earth. seeming to almost touch the
hcusetops.
1t was seen by every policeman on duty
in the city. and in u few minutes after its
flight they were making sensational reports
of il to the police station.
At The Constitution office IL was seen by
every one in the building. There was a
vivid flash as of a powerful stroke of light
Ming. The whole earth was brilliantly light
ed and the heavens were ablaze with splen-
dor.
The meteor came out Of the northwest
and travelled toward the southeast. 1t shed
a swath of light that extended in every
direction far as the eye could see and
for several seconds the city was lighted as
brilliantly as at the hour of noon.
The first impression was that il was
vivid fash of lightning, but a glance into
the heavens oispelled that idea. The light
was caused by a huge he II that seemed to
have stolen the brilliance of the sun. The
bail had disappeared before any one could
get an idea of its size or nature.
In three minutes after the passing of the
great light The Constitution telephone be-
gun to ring and inquiries commenced to
pour in from people all over the city. who
had seen the ball Of fire. All gave the same
account of it, saying that it looked like the
sun out on a midnight tear.
1t was ut first tbpuot,t that n local
brilliant. but this was disproved before
five minutes had passed. At the train dis
patcher'S office, three minutes after the
meteor passC !. the telegraph operators all
along the line of the East Tennessee and
Georgia Pacific begun to send in reports
of the night light.
The operator at Austcll was first to tell
of it. He said it passed his station hight
ing up the earth with tho brightness of
day Nickajack was next with the start
ling report THAI the ball emitted loud noises
as Of cannonadlng as it passed that place.
Similar reports came from the operators
at Bremen, Tallapoosa and Cedartown. all
within a minute of each other. Operators
in the Rome Office also Joined in the chorus
saying that the light had been visible in the
Hin City. Admission followed with the same
report.
Close upon the heels OF these reports came
a message from the operator 1T Gainesville.
there and had gone to pieces with terrific
noises. as great as mcn-of-war al battle.
All OF the policemen report having seen
the meteor. Captain Moss and Sergeant
Jennings saw it ana watched its flight until
ii disappeared in the northeast.
1T appeared to pass just above the house
tops" said Sergeant Jennings. 1T was a
great BAH of fire. wonderfully bright and
Kissed through the air AT a wonderful speed
l saw it until it had disappeared from
view"
Patrolman Holt gives vivid description
of it.
1T looked like three suns rolled into one"
said he, land they seemed to be burning up.
1t made everything brighter than dSy and
the big bali soughed through the air like an
angry ball of fire. | watched it for nearly
a minute and finally saw it burst into a
thousand pieces, far into the northwest. y
loud report accompanied the explosion. II
shattered to pieces suddenly and went out"
MIR. \. II. Davis, whose nome is ON Ponce
de Leon circle, saw the meteor.
1T Was followed Immediately" said he,
'by a distinct earthquake shock. TIL" doors
and windows of my house ratified with the
shock"
Scores of people reported having seen the
brilliant ball. and every one was wondering
about it.
What helps the ambitious housewife?