The evening times., 1900-05-29
Weird ECLIPSE SCENES
COlOPed Virginians Leave Fields
Shouting and Praying.
Richmond Woman Dies From Apo
pleNy Caused by the Excitement
Cast Up by the Sea at Newport
News al the Moment of Totally.

RICHMOND. Va. May E9.-The solar
eclispe OF Monday was witnessed Lere by
thousands, of persons The colorel pIpl-
lation in jackson ward beeams ex ite1 over
the phenomenon and there were great
gatherings TO discuss it. Emma Hill. COL
ored. became greatly worked up nyer tae
sight. She became so excited tk2t an at
tack of apoplexy and paralysis re esuited,
from which she died last night.
A sermon delivered Sunday by Rev
John Jasper, the old negro preacher. whose
expression, DE sun do move,' has made
him famous, created a great. stir among
the colored people. At least 2,0G0 n groes
listened to Jasper's sermon cn this sIbjert.
His explanation of the exp. eted phencm-
enon only mystifed the coIoIed people all
the more:
"Jehovza arranged it in the beginning
of this visible created world. II tegan
when God creaIed the sun and moon and
stars; when He put them In their nab IT,
tions, when He gave them their orders
movement, until the command 10 cease
and this said the old man, with II
-aised to heaven, this is what Is coming;
this is obeying the orders OF God
In Richmond striking feature of The
eclipse was a short but brilliant raInbSy
on the west side of the sun. The phs-
nomenon was the more surprising as there
was not cloud to be seen in the sly.
SUFFOLK, Va. May 29.-Through
cloudless heavens and calm air the eclipse
Was seen here with all its grandeur.
Business was suspended and hundreds OF
persons with telescopes and smoked glass
stood on places OF prominence During the
period of tOtality there was hush, which
was broken only by the dazed 1utterins OF
birds and quiet sobS from some women
who were overcome by the weirdness of
the scene. a few stars peeped through
the darkness. Fowls seI.snt their perches
in confusion and beasts looked about in
mute surprise.
Women rushed from sCme OF the facto-
ries. wrung their hands and prayed Part
OF them could not return 10 work during
the day Girls at school screamed invol-
unfairly. Cool, dark air settled over the
earth and left a chilly sensation
Reports from the country near by state
that negro iaborers left the fields shouting
and praying. At one place hymns Sere
sung from platform A COW ran en- the
railroad track during the semi-darkness
and was killed.
Rev. Sam P. Jones. he evangelist and
lecturer, arrived here IN the evening He
-
MIR. Jones was asked 10 express briefly
some Impressions Of the phenomenon. He
replied
1T was an inspiring sight-the dark,
heavy appearance Of the atmosphere; the
beautiful little star so near looking mer-
rily on the mild face OF the sun. When
we remember that astronomers and math-
ematicians had calculated sixty years ago
the very moment and the very belt Of the
coli Il
heavens declare the glory Of God and the
ornament shows His handigork. Surely
this is science The crowds which saw
the total eclipse today will lock from the
other side OF Jordan at the next sight like
this one. l am glad ! saw the sight l am
glad l will never forget IL"
NEWPORT NEWS, Va May 29.-PrOba-
bly, 1900 persons saw the total eclipse at
Old Point The big hotels al the Govern
ment reservation were thronged with
guests and a large number OF persons went
down from the neighboTing towns. The
weather conditions were perfect, not
aeck of cloud showing in the sky.
From the time the shadow OF the moon
clipped a little piece out Of the sun until
( the eclipse was entirely past thousands OF
pieces Of smoked glass were held alcft
and thousands Of eyes were viewing the
weird and uncanny scene marking the as
Economical event OF the year AS the sun
entirely disappeared and the brilliant CO.
roma became visible, involuntary excIama-
tions OF admiration swept up from the
crowd Fol- the period OF totaIity a beau
tiful silvery, pearly halo hung around the
I obscured orb, while a streaner Of light
shot up above and two fell below the dark
I ened bali The times scheduled by the sci
entists were correct TO the second almost
Just before the period OF totality a trag-
! ic incident occurred which almost resulted
in throwing a number Of women into hys-
terics. AS the shadows were growing
| darker and darker a huge wave cast up
the dead body Of a man in front Of the
! Hygeia Hotel. The women near the point
screamed and even the men blanched
After the period of totality was pas; an
investigation revealed the fact that il was
the body Of George McGlone. a colored
oysterman who was drowned while crab
bing last Thursday. The uneanny condi-
tions existing when his mutilated body was
cast up caused the incident to make vivid
impression upon those who witnessed it.