The San Francisco call., 1899-11-16
WATCHED AND WAITED
FOR FIERY METE0RS
TRICENNIAL SHOW CAUSED
GREAT INTEREST.
Clouds Interfere Somewhat With the
View, but Few Blazing Chunks
of Comet Tail Broke Through
the misty SKY .:.t 80

More than one. neck will. be sore and
stin this morning. From the conditions
II would appear that neclSs were never
intended, 70 crane or. stretch in the direc-
ton Of heaven. while the beings to whom
they belong Fazed patiently and anxious.
" for tricennial displays OF flaming frag-
rnen,s from the. tail OF a comet that
passes away its time buzzing aJont the
sun san. Francisco astronomers, both,
amateur and professional, and many OF
those who do not know the difference be-
tween astronomy and boarding house
stew, were out last night and during the.
small hours Of this morning watching for
the promised celestial demonstration. Tn
FooftOTss and other places OF vantage the
star eazers stood and waited and
watched The sidewalks were lined with
the curi9uS who forgot about sleep IN an
efldtayor 10 get a peep at the SHOW
Every old telescope in the city. was
busted and brought into use. while some
OF the Inexperienced thought that the me-
teoric shower was 70 be such {, brilliant
affair that they were afraid to look at it
with the naked eye. and they. passed the
early evening coating pieces of broken
glass with lamp black Clouds interfered
somewhat with the. sky fireworks. but
from reports received. the exhibition was
not a, total failure, ). j ..t--. p. -
in Iowa a lifo-sized meteor fell and
bored a 'h9le in the earth, fifty feet square.
This happened near Webster City. The.
meteor was q real warm article, for ac-
cOrding TO the telegraphed accounts it
was still seethfns and steaming the morn
ing after u had fallen, and II was impos-
sible Ia. ascertain its dimensions. -'-
Down at Lima. Peru, the celestial phe-
nomena.< was not noticed, bat shortly after
midnight Yesterday morning there was a
strong earthquake shock that answered
all purposes for those who were hunting
for excitement. This. was ACCOMPANIED
by rumblings from. the skies. The people
OF Lima and .Callao rushed To the streets
public squares and, the sea beach and lost
all interest in the meteoric shower.
BERKELEY, Nov. Is.-At the observa-
tory OF the. University Of California DR..
Armin .: LeiIscftueT. the director in
charge. had force: Of thirty assistants
on. hand to make, obserV2 tions upon the
phenomenon as soon as IL should appear:
Shortly after midnight the men began to
collect. and 10 get, their Instruments ia or
der. Fortunately the night Is very clear
so that everything is. favorable. for OBJ
taining the most accurate. records posi-
hle. The big shower IS expected to be at
it's brightest about. 2. oiciock. but. ohser-.
Vations are 10 be continued al, the -obserV<,
atory until 4 O'Clock In the m3ruing Ar
rangemenis for complete. Photographic
record have been carried .out.Qn an elab-.
crate scale and the result Of this work
may form a valuable contributfon to the
complete data connected with; the occur
renee Among other details. DIR. 3Leus-
elmer had arranged TO determine the den
sity of the swarm and the comparative
brilliance OF. the falling bodies. 3. -