davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

4 recent telegraphic announcements from
one of the astronomical observator1es stu
ated in the Southern Hemisphere tells OF
the appearance of large comet.
Ordinarily there is nothing startling In
such announcements. 1t is a matter OF
every !ay occurrence under the present
advanced state of astronomical science for
the observers to find a comet within the
field of view of their telescopes, and only
those of proba bic importance find mention
in the newspapers. The one alluded to in
the dispatch mentioned is by some thought
to be the return of the great comet of
1880. whose giant tail measured al the time
of its last appearance over 150, 600, 600 miles
in length.
Because the ordinary observer fails to
perceive with the naked eye these wander.
ers of space. it must not be supposed that
their numbe is limited. The best astron-
omers are agreed that the number of
comets is very great. Arago estimated
that there are at least II 500. 600 within the
orbit of Neptune. Lambert points out
where he thinks Arago neglected to in
vestigate. and places the number at over
SOC, 100000. Kepler says: Comets are
scattered through the heavens with as
much profusion as the fishes in the sea"
From the beginning of the Christian
era TO the close of the present century
there is trustworthy record of about 1000
of which we are fairly satisfied that prob
ably half dozen have returned. Proba-
bly, at least five have been seen to each
one recorded, so we may conclude that at
least 5000 have appeared during that time.
What has become of the immense number
which apparently visited our system but
once2
The theories put forward to account for
the formation of comets are many. They
are all ingenious, but unproven. Cole, a
noted English observer, thinks it possible
that there are other emanations from the
sun and from the stars (Which are other
suns), besides that of light. If this be the
case the comets in their passage from one
system to the other may attract and COL
lect the particles scattered in the immense
regions of space. This would account for
the very dense and extensive atmospheres
observed 10 surround most comets.
Professor Young of Dartmouth College
thinks that comets consist of matter
elected from our sun and from other suns.
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20
The Queen Lily and the
Wheat Belong to One Tribe

OF THE many who admire the queen
lily now blooming in the park conserva-
tory, few perhaps remember that its mag
nifcence is the outcome of process of
change prolonged through countless ages,
during which environments favorable to
size and beauty were predominant, and
that each portion of its structure is trace
able to some corresponding portion.
foundation or possibility in the structure
of the unpretentious ancestor of the lily
family.
To the mind of the botsnist who can
discern kindred traits in the most seem
ingly diverse species. and can trace the
and the scant herbage of the mountain
peak, the lily tribe unfolds a marvellous
retrospect of evolutionary adjustment to
conditions. According to noted au-
thority the first flower boianicaly en-
titled to be called a lily, though now ex-
tinct, is fairly represented by the simple
marsh lily, the gagea depicted in the
illustration.
Many of the tribe blend with these
triple formations developments of their
own IN the direction of growth, of beauty.
or both, while others lose some of the liIy
traits, but, retaining the foundation, di-
verge into less ornamental form, lust as
a modern storehouse may be constructed
from tine ruined walls of castle. or the
first class the Victoria lily is the climax
though it also numbers in its ranks such
exquisite DEVELOPMENTS as the aspnodeI
the tulip ami the orchid. Conspicuous in
the second class is the grass tribe in its
thousand varieties. including the familiar
stalk of cultivated wheat.
The gap between the latter and the
night blooming lily, resting its large
blossoms and leaves on the deep water
and sensitlveIy angling its color with
the hours of day, seems wide one. but il
has been bridged over by several plants
that probably represent the chief stages of
transi ion.
The large species of white water lily, the
Egyptian lotos and the prickiy leaved
eurgale of East India suggest the route of
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

DURING the past days dark streak ex-
tending in an east and west direction
might have been tiscerned on the disk of
the sun even without the aid of magnifv-
ing power. 1t was large group f small
sunspots, and the peculiarities of he dis
turbance have especial interest now within
two years OF the period OF com para,ive
solar quietude, when the disk will be un-
srotted for weeks and months in success
sion. The number and size OF these phe-
nomena have been decreasing since 1894
and the solar cycle. which includes a max
imum and a. minimum OF disturbance
five and half years apart, will
not be completed until about the
fourth year of the next century,
when the spots may be expected to ap-
pear again i'll great mum Der as in 1928. As
the cause of this eleven-year cycle is still
unknown and that OF the spots also some
what unsettled, an accumulation of de.
tails as to the position, form and dura-
tion of solar disturbance is always of
value in the study of solar physics. On
September 8, when three small groups
were distributed over the disk, this group
appeared on the east limb, thus showing
a stream OF successive disturbances across
from east 10 west. As it advanced it was
seen to be. COZ posed of about ten small
black spots in a straight line GU
riously entwined with curving
line of six or seven small spots.
all connected with an encircling penum-
bral area, which in the foreshortened view
seemed to be group of unusual length.
AS il approached the central portion of
the disk WHARF Dimensions ara ba., .o..
II proved to be more than 100000 miles in
length and from twenty to thirty in
width, while the size of the spots was
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

Concerning the tradition OF the dlndus,
Sir Charles Lyell states that 1--WE can by
no means look upon them as pure effort
of the unassisted imagination, or believe
them to have been com posed without re-
gard to opinions or theories founded on
the observation of nature"
Lenormant says:
In all the legends OF India the origin of man
kind is placed on Mount Meru, the residence of
the gods, which unites the sky to the earth.
Meru then is at once the highest
part of the terrestrial world and the central
point of the visible heavens. = It is
also at one and the same time the north pole
and the center of the habitable globe.
The "Secret Doctrine says:
The Egyptian priests taught the fact to
Plato, VINO expouuds the theory OF fact as a
sudden catastrophe. Dr. Croll combats the
axis theory, saying that such attraction
and change of climate-can be accounted for
by the mutation and procession of the equt-
noxes, "but there are other men OF science,
such as Sir Ii. James ana Sir John Lubbock,
who feel more inclined to accept the idea that
they are due to change in the axis of rota-
ton"
There is one point of Importance that
should be noticed. OF course, if the poles
have changed there has resulted a CORE
spending change in the cardinal points.
Do we find any evidence of such a change.
and if we do is it not worthy of special
note2
Terrieu de Lacouperie writes:
The names of the four cardinal points, and
what is very remarkable, the hierogIyphio
signs by which they are expressed, are in a
certain measure the same in the Akkadian
and Chinese cultures The south
which was so termed in the cuneiform tablets
corresponds in Chinese to the east the north
to the west, the east to the south, making thus
a displacement of quarter of circle. 1t
would be interesting ii on examination of the
Akkadian and Assyrian names we could find
that they in their turn denoted an early dis
placement OF which only traces remain to
us" = Early History of Chinese Civiliza.
ton.
Frederick Klee pronounces it remarkable
that the scandinavian mythology informs us
that before the establishment of the present
order of the world the sun, which now rises in
the east, "rose in the south"
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

know nothing. One bold utterer has voiced
his opinions thus: Science seems to point
to the finite duration of our system in it's
present form and to carry US back to the
time when neither sun nor planet existed,
save as mass of glowing gas. How far
back that was it cannot tell us with cer-
tainty. it can only say that the period is
counted by millions OF years, but probably
not by hundreds of millions. 1t also points
Nforward TO the time when the sun and stars
shall! fade away, and nature shall be en-
shrouded in darkness and DEATH" So spake
Professor NeWcomb. Science is made to
bear very many burdens; this is one. No
law of nature doth disclose the science of
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

divergence from the ancestral lily or
simple gagea to the exuberance acquired
in the waters OF the South American
tropics. The trail Of divergence from the
gagea to the ear of wheat has been more
definitely traced. First comes the common
rush family. whose small dingy blossoms in
a group are seen when magnified to be the
true lily type, though botanically classed
as merely of the lily tribe. Another link
Is marsh plant known as the wood
rush. As shown in the illustration, its
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20
ct That Is Coming and What May Be Expected It Hits Us

On September Z, 1871. Professor Young
witnessed an extraordinary explosion on
the sun. The expelled matter was seen
by him TO ascend to height of 200, 900
miles above the suns surface, travelling
with a velocity of 166, 900 miles per second.
This would give an initial velocity of over
100000 miles second, and if there was
no. any resisting medium in space would
be sufficient to carry the elected matter
beyond the SUMS attraction. 1t is believed
that there is resisting medium in space
The use OF the spectroscope has enabled
us to learn something of the material of
which comets are composed. Observa-
tions with it, and the fact that meteorlc
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

tail in few seconds. Perhaps some form
of electrical energy is present creating the
constant state of intense excitement.
The questions of greatest interest to the
majority of people are: Do comets exer-
else any Influence upon the earth? Is
here any danger of comet colliding with
the earth; and if so, what would be the
result2
A few comets have had their motions
sufficiently well observed and computed
to enable US to predict the length of time
required by them to comp plete the tour Of
their orbits. One of these, known as
Encke's, is small affair of short period.
Another, known as HalleYs, is large
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

comets in 1919 and 1928 The face of the
globe exhibits many very peculiar phe-
nomena, extremely puzzling to the ortho-
dox geologist, who is unable to saiisfac-
toriiy account for the conditions by any
theory known to him. The drift is one
OF these. On the supposition that the
earth was struck by comet OF some size
and mass the phenomena is nationally
explainabIe.
The elements, i. e., the speed, direction
and shape OF orbit, of quite number OF
comets have been studied and rarlial sue
cess attained in computing the times of
their return. Yet, it has always been
found that something has interfered to
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

small blossoms are in loose cluster like
wild garlic, which, in spite of its Insi nifi-
cant flower and its strong individuality
among the floral host. is botanicalIy
ciassed as true Iily. Moreover. the wood
rush com bines small brown-tinted flowers
like the common rush with fat taperine
leaves like the grass tribe. The glutinous
seed vessel a so gives an idea of the begin
ngs OF grain formation. Finally, botani-
cal researches detect in the erIocaulon, a
rather rare but interesting bog plant, with
ianceIike leaves and blossoms in close
tuft, strong suggestion of the stalk OF
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

showers are intimately associated with
cometary routes, lead to the opinion that
comets are composed of blazing nucleus
and mass of separated matter, such as
metalliferous stones, clay dust and gas.
The nucleus gives out intense heat and
masses of burning gas which is luminous.
1t is pro bable that comets shine with both
inherent and reflected light. That the
comet is constantly undergoing great
physical action is apparent to every care
full observer. The appearance of the tail
is constantly changing. Apparent vibra-
tons or coruscation begin at the head
and traverse the enormous length of the
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

breaking it globule of yellow metal was
found in the bottom, and in he scoria
were smaller ones, all together weighing
ten grains Thorough tests were made
with the yellow metal and it was proven
to be pure gold.
Similar experiments were then made,
except that white powder was added, in
stead of the red, the result being a large
bead of " hite metal. The gold and silver
thus obtained were submitted TO an as
sayer and retiner, both of whom at once
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

one completing its orbital revolution in
about seventy-five years. Its first re-
corded appearance occurred in A. ID. 1905,
and that year was marked by great fam
inc in Europe. Its next appearance was
in 1880 when a terrible earthquake took
place. Its subsequent appearances, to-
gether with the attendant abnormal earth
conditions, are as follows: 1855, exc .ssive
cold and great crop failures; 1880, inunda-
ton of Germany; 1904, intense cold and
drought 1880, awful pestilence; 1456, in
undation and earthquake; 1881, great
foods; 1907, intense cold and drought;
1882, floods and big earthquake; 1859,
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

the known to be the science of the un-
known. Throughout all the vast universe
exists a something-call it force, if you
choose-that comprehends all other
forces, and that passeth from meas
urable energy to intangibility, only
to manifest itself as energy when the
conditions for such metsmorphosis attain.
Some forces of nature lie dormant
until they are brought into contact with
other forces, and then when the com bina-
tion occurs the resultant energy is of
changed form. Let me illustrate this by
calling attention to the phenomenon of
crystallization. Dissolve some alum in
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20
THOSE SPOTS
ON THE SUN

from five to fifteen miles in diameter.
The entwined aspect II had at first was
modihed. as proba bly, the spots farthest
from the solar equator failed 10 keep pace
with those nearest TO that line. Its
average position is deg. north solar
latitude, and on account of its length
1t Will probably remain visible until
Ihe I'D OF this month unless the
disturbance dies out before then. Being
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

negative the result. The one of 1882 was
said to have period OF 129 years. 1t did
return in 1861, but was absent in 1870. The
velocity of movement of a comet varies,
and We DO not know exactly just when
and where the variation comes in. The
comet of 1472 had speed of over 5000. 600
miles in twenty-four hours. We are apt
to think that our fast express trains, NOV
ing sixty miles an hour, are swift fliers,
yet here was an enormous mass speeding
through space at the velocity of over 2083
miles per minute.
AS to the part played by comets in the
com plex machinery of the universe we
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

which gently sloped
seaward from the high
lands must have been
covered with a sub
tropical forest of giant
trees and tangled vines
teeming with animal
life. This state of things
doubtless continued
through many thou
sands of years, but ulti-
mately a change came
over the fair face of
nature more complete
and terrible than we
have language to de-
scribe.-Popu.Gr Science
Monthly.
We see that the the
ory OF a catastrophe
accompanying or caus-
ing this change of cli-
maj e is advocated. This
delightful climate was
not confined TO the
present TEN perate or
tropical regions. 1t ex-
tended to the very
shores of the Arctic Sea.
In North Greenland, at
Atane-Kordiuk, in lati-
tude 70 degrees north,
at an elevation OF more
than 1000 feet above
the sea, were found the
remains of beeches,
oaks. pines, pop ars,
naples, walnuts. mag.
nolias, lines and vines.
Tee remains of similar
plants were found in
Spltzbergen, in latitude
70 degrees So minutes.
-AmericGnAntiQua
II is not 10 be pre-
sumed the fora was
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

remains of the mammoth, tropical animal,
are found so perfectly preserved has forced
upon the scientific world the belief that catas-
tronhe occurred at the time of their DEATH
'It is remar Kable that nowhere in the great
plains of Siberia do any traces of glacial action
appear to have been observed. Consequently
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

affirmed the impossibilitv of success OF
such process, and denied the purity of
the metals. But the assay instantly dissi.
pated their doubts, and they acknowl-
edged, with amazement, that the metals
were entirely pure, and gave official GER
TIN ates TO that effect. Detailed accounts
similar to the above might be multiplied
by the score, if one desired to 90 so. In
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

glacial. These events
must have been sud-
den, instantaneous and
without gradation.-
CUvIER.
+" The most violent
commissions of the solid
and liquid elements (of
the earth) appear them
selves only the effect
due to a cause more
powerful than the mere
expansion"
1t is ad mitted then,
by these authorities
that 1t was a catastro-
phe which caused The
sudden change of cli-
mate, and possibly il
was a change of the
axis OF rotation.
Much more in she
same vein might be
given, but the above
seems sufficient.
II, then, te axis of
the earth has under.
gone a change there
must have been a
former equator, and
If so where was it and
what evidence have
we that it existed?
We know that to-
day the mot persist
emily active voIca-
noes are in the trop-
les, where associate
phenomena OF earth
quakes are most fire.
quent.
We know that this
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

SO largely composed of penumbral area,
1t Is less conspicuous than some smaller
group in which the umbra was large, but
1t may be still seen with colored or
smoked glass by those who are possessed
OF keen sight. On account of the inten-
sity Of sunlight. noon is not the best time
to take such an observation, the morning
or afternoon hours being more favorable
tor distinctness. Rose O'HALLoRAN.
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

we find the great river deposits with their
mammalian remains, which tell of a milder
Climate than now obtains IN those high lati-
tudes, still !ying undisturbed at the surface
The Great Ice Age.
II they had not been frozen as soon as killed
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

should be the case upon a revolving
sphere like the earth, where the tendency
OF fluid interior to force an exit would be
greatest, and where the greatest strains
upon the crust would be produced.
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

putrefaction would have decomposed them,
and on the other hand this eternal frost could
not have previously prevailed in the place
where they died. for they could not have lived
In such temperature. 1t was, therefore, at
the same Instant when these animals perished
that the country they inhabited was rendered
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

about the present site of New York were eov-
cred with noble trees and with dense under
growth of species for the most part different
from those now living there, and that these
were the homes and feeding ground of many
kinds of quadrupeds and birds which have
long since become extinct. The broad plane
The San Francisco call., 1896-09-20

carried into the polar regions. 1t must have
been overwhelmed by the "great winter"
What caused the great winter? II astron-
omy is to be telieved the sun has not
cooled materially since oaks. pines and pop
lars came to grace the earth. The fact that the
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-06
MnncN Talklng.

An Ohio politician who had been In con-
ference with the Republican managers al
the National headquarters yesterday nap
pcrfd aftcrwarc 10 drop into the HOff-
man House where he met a strenuous
su.rCrter OF silver coinage who "hangs
ont" ut that hostelry, named 'Markio'
MAYER Owing 10 his liliputlan build. Mr..
Mayer is known in the TenderlOin as
little Markic." \ political discussion
broke out between the latter and the man
from Major Ncl<inlcys state. which re-
suited i'm "A bet on the presidential result.
IN bet you $3.50 that Mckinley is the
next President Of Tia Unibad tStates "
said the Ohio man.
"Vhat odds viii you give me?" asked
Mayer
Two to one If you dare?" was tine re-
ply Of the Buckeye politician.
won't you say three TO one?"
Eyes" swcrod the OhiOan. as quick
as "a flash: make IL three 10 Cne. Any
thing to get a bet out of YOU" and he
produced a big roll Of bills.
Mayer scLlTied around AMI got 500
which he staked against the Ohio mans
81 900.
The latter offered TO repeat the bet in
larger or smaller amounts at the same
odds. with Mayer or any of the bystand-
ers. but he found no takers.-New York
Tribune.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-06
Lnstice Inhn'. Court.

The tough gang Of bad boys on Third
street has again come into collision with
the authorities. Willie Depriest and Jo-
seph Phaup were before Justice Crutch-
field Yesterday on the charge Of stcning
Easter Bradley. a cOlored porter, at the
corner OF Third and Main streets some
DAYS ago as published at the time.
Bradley was badly hurt ana Dr. Lyme
of the city ambulance had to take three
stitches in his head. A thifd boy, oscar
Wcisirer. who was charged with being
a participant in the attack was absent
and the case therefore had TO 20 over Tor
a week.
Justice Crutchnod announced that
reputable gentleman had told nm That
the attack upon the hoy was unpfoVoked.
II is likely that he will deal severely with
the boys.
James Jones was sent 70 jail for ninety
days for being drunk.
Paul Jones. George Washington ana
Andrew Jackson were all prisoners III the
Police Court yesterday morning
Paul is negro and was jailed because
he has been keeping a woman witness
away from the court. Iaul VIII stay Ia
Jail until the woman shows up;
George Washington Is yailer boy
who had a fight. The complainant ala
not show up and George went lree'
Andrew Jackson is q white man VINO
claims TO live in Houston, Tex lie was
drunk and let 20 when he promised 10
leave town.
Buck Spottswcod (colored) was charged
with assaulting a colored woman. put the