The morning times., 1896-11-15
film FLAM.
Official Inquiry Into the Late
M.teOric F.ascO.
DID YOU SEE THEM SHOOT ?
Scientific Demonstration OF the Abb
sence of the Star Shower-Views
FROM the Smithsonian Institution
and Naval ObservatOry-Ret
ence OF Government Employees.

Ibid you see any shooting stars last
niSht?'' was the question yesterday WHICH
took the place OF the usual how do YOU
| like the cool snap"
AS Il matter OF TACT very few people did
sec any mctcors up to midnight, Decause
| there was a Widespread impression llat
the fireworks We're To take place any time
after dark. The truth is that THESE metoers
always start out from u point III the
| constellation Leo, which does not rise
until after midnight.
People VINO snIvered on balconies or
VINO made trips to the windows like
Godivl i'll her nSlltdress before midnight
naturally did not see any shooting stars,
which were at that time below the hori-
Znn, which is astronomicaIly ON the other
| side OF Anacostia.
There Were Olners also who did not see
them after midnight and it is rather an
open question as To whether there was any
display or not, AT least any visible display.
The whole police force or the city, those
| on duty after midnight, failed to see any.
Policeman Gosse Gas asked if lie saw any.
| He said positively that he did not, nor
had lie seen anybody who had observed
them III any great numbers.
NONE AT THE MUSEUM
1t can, however, be stated positively
| as untrue that one OF them was caught
and taken to the Smithsonian Institution.
Trying 10 verify tins report, reporter for
The Times called at that institution yes
lerday Afternoon. One OF the sweep
ladies', who had remained Oh duty after
The dinner exodus hour, was alone with
her broom When The reporter cailed-
She was asked il IL was true that one
of the meteors had been sent To the museum
yesterday morning.
She leaned Oh The handle meditatively
ami said that there hadn't been new
animal at the museum since the dead kan
eafoo that had been chloroformed, and that
the skin was still out under the shed.
She was told that the inquiry was not
about kaHSaroOs, but aeroIites, living,
| huslling, aerolites.
An! Dat, inGeed," she replied; "weIl,
den, L guess you'il lind il out ut de Zoo,
unless It's been stuffed.
III being further explained to her that
what was wanted was look at the al
legged captured shooting star, she SAID
iisinissing the subject with a return TO her
sweeping: There AIM no shooting things
out here at all except Mr.. Langiey's flying
| horse an lie keeps DAT in d box. 1 newer
| saw 1t shoot or fly, an don't know any
onns 'JouL dc waite peoples business YOU
hear; an II j did / wouldn't tell You; de
law rs SO strick on US guyment people.
aln'u you heard dat some peopIe dun loss
liis 700 ton ,aIkin' Uout neJeItes, and
airholeites and silberites and one ting
| anudder? Go way, man, you must come
down on Monday an See Mr.. Langley or
Air. True anu WIN tnat tne iauy sIa.ey
closed the door So dat de dust wouldn't
blow IN de gentleman's face"
OUT AT THE OBSERVATORY.
IL was also endeayored TO ascertain by
telephone from the Naval Observatory last
night whether the star shower was as
heavJ as NJ. Flamrnarion had reported IL
would be in this latitude.
Hello said the Naval Observatory
voice AMI the grinuing of Ine trolley wire
at the same time. Hello, l say; what do
You want?
Il want to know whether the observers
observed anything last night that the peu-
pie round town say they dIdnt see?-
w ell: | m a new manat the observ atury."
What's that"
l. say Una new man at the observatory.
I'm new man; a new night man. you
want To talk to the day man.
what, About shooting stars?''
'oh. Shooting stars; why DIDN'T You saw
so. saw some OF them myself"
Then you are the day MANI
No; tell you I'm the new night man"
Where did you see them?"
''oh. just saw them
How many?"
ionli have to see the professors about
that. | only know saw some Of them -
What became OF the others?"
TELEPHONE OBSERVATIONS
Il told You you'd have to see the pro-
resSors about that"
Have you any objection to my telling
them that You saw them"
Not at all, but IL the day man Were
here
'Gr-Gr-G -Gr--" Clipped in the trolley,
and this closed the incident
There was no other testimony available
last night. 1t is evident, however, that
there We're Some stars out OF some unusual
description, notwithstanding the variety
OF the dispositions. 1t is more probable
that there Were really none Of the visible
variety out at all. The stream has, with
out doubt, been delayed by hot box,
or was derailed or had an excursion party
| on 1t. But there are three more wears
| In which To watch for Flammarion's film
| flamS fireworks