The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-29
1t Was a Spectacle Of Awful
SubIimity.
ALL NATURE HUSTLED IN SILENCE
The Young Day Dies and Livid Twi-
light Falls. Pale Stars Flash Out
the Ghostly Dusk. Many
Visitors Here From
Distance.

The people of the South yesterday
witnessed what is unquestionably one
of the most impressive of all natural
phenomena--a total eclipse of the
sun.
1t was a sight that they will not
again in ID lifetime. perhaps. have
another opportunity to see. And GER
tainly they will never see it under
more favorable circumstances.
No eclipse in the worlds history
ever occurred under finer seeing con-
ditions. The sky was clear through
out the path of the totality, only
Il few CIRCUS clouds being reported
anywhere. Cloudy weather existed on
both the north and the south sides
of the track. but save a slight hazi-
ness here and there. they never ven
tured upon the course OF the black
shadow.
Observers and Instruments thlckly
dotted this path. Negatives and
drawings were made in abundance,
and the record of this eclipse will be
one of the most complete ever Sc
cured.
At Wadesboro and Pinehurst some
of the most distinguished astronomers
in the world were assembled to view
the eclipse and make record of it. And
at places all along the path of total
ity great numbers of people assembled
to see it.
In this city the hotels were crowded
with people from far and near-New
York New jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland. Michigan. District of CO.
lumbia, Virginia. South Carolina. Can
ada. There were also people here
from many sections of this State.
Many of them viewed the eclipse
from the tops of tall buidings-the
dome of the capitol having an espec-
tally large crowd upon it, Others
went out to the a. and NJ. College. the
Fair Grounds or the Federal cemetery
from all of which fine views of the
whole heavens could be Obtained.
The streets were lined with people
gazing through smoked glass as the
darkening sun and groups were gath
cred in the parks and other public
places.
But no matter where they were. to
all alike the sight was wonderful and
impressive.
The first contact occurred at 1:3S
the minute predicted by the as
tronomers. Beyond dark nick in the
southwestern edge of the moon. grad
ually growing larger. little effect was
noticed as the moon stole across the
face of the sun. The light was not
perceptibly dimmed. and birds and
animals detected no change.
An hour after the first contact birds
were still singing in the trees and
animals went about as usual. Then
the haZineSS increased. the western
sky grew from deep blue to black
and an uneasiness came over all life.
Horses raced along the streets as If
anxious to return 20 their stalls. bird
songs died away and crickets chirped
in the grass. There was a chill in
the air. Darker and darker grew the
atmosphere and fowls went to roost.
Five minutes before the total eclipse
strange. wavering lines of light raced
across the sky and pe-shadow
bands the astronomers call them. re-
sembling nothing so much as waves
of darkness circling in upon you. 1t
is Il curious and beautiful light effect
not vet fully understood.
Some of us have. perhaps. stood on
lofty hill and seen far away the