Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-30
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.


eclipse began shortly before 8 o'clock
and lasted until few.minutes after g.
Whatever the astronomers may have
to say about it, scientifically, as free
show it was an unqualified success, ex'
cept many people Of Yorkville would
have been better pleased had they not
been quite so far from the centre OF
totality.
1t was an interesting hour in York,
Vile. Of all the thousands Of curious
people along the path of the great
shadow, from New Orleans to Norfolk,
it is safe to say that there were few
who exhibited a more intelligent ap'
probation than did the people of York
vile. There were no scientific appli'
ances here that rose above the dignity
of the opera glass or field telescope
but few were the individuals who did
not have proprietary or partnership
interest in a piece of smoked glass,
and, after all, this simple device proved
to be the most satisfactory aid to OBJ
servation.
The eclipse was not total here; but
it was so nearly so that to the ordinary
unscientific observer the difference was
small. Accute interest began when
the moon, like great black splotch,
began to eat into the northeastern edge
of the sun. From thence onward, un-
til the point of the fullest observation,
scores of people observed every stage
of the phenomenon. At about quar-
ter past the sun seemed to be almost
entirely covered, the smoked glass
showing in the southeastern quarter
only thin rim of silver light, appar-
emily no more than quarter of inch
in thickness. 1t looked as if where
the sun ought to be there was only a
black disk, the right hand edge OF
which was brightly FURNISHED.
But il was not necessary to observe
the heavens with smoked glass in or
der to learn that an unusual phenome'
non was in progress. Those who only
watched the things about them exper-
fenced developments equally strange.
From the brilliant mid.morning light
of an unusually bright day, there be-
gan to gather strange, uncanny dark
ness that slowly but steadily grew
deeper, denser more weird and unlike
anything one is accustomed to, except
it be compared in part to the condi,
tions produced by very heavy thun-
der cloud. This darkness settled
deeper and deeper, until almost of the
density of a midsummer twilight, and
then, after brief interval, it began to
lift as steadily and as surely as it had
settled, until finally daylight was re.
stored as completely as before the be-
ginning of the phenomenon.
A striking popularity of the strange
light that fell upon the earth was to be
seen in the shadows from the leaves on
the trees. Though at no time were
the shadows of the sun entirely OBJ
liberated, during the period of the
greatest observation they were notice
ably softened, and for several minutes
before and after, there was to be OBJ
served among the shadows of the
leaves, secondary shadows still softer
than the first, and appearing for the
most part in the form of small cres-
cents. These shadows attracted gen.
eral attention and amateur astronomers
explained that they were caused by
the moon, asserting that both the moon
and sun were casting shadows at one
and the same time.
Several close observers, during the
moments Immediately preceding the
period of the greatest observation,
stated that they were able to detect
the growth of darkness by shifts and
Jerks, as has been described by num-
ber of astronomers. All were on the
lookout for stars; but the reporter
has heard of only one man who claims
to have seen one. He is reliable.
Others were not so fortunate.
The usual effect was noticeable on
chickens. So far as actual intorma-
ton is obtainable, none went to roost
but in all parts of town they gathered
at their usual roosting places, and as
the light began to resume the normal
the roosters crowed around quite gen.
orally. Dogs appeared quite uneasy
for several minutes and the lowing OF
cattle was so marked as to indicate con-
nection with the phenomenon in pro-
gress.
But Notwithstanding the widespread
previous announcement Of the ap-
preaching phenomenon, many individ-
uals were strangely affected. The re-
porter heard of one lady in Yorkville
who was so frightened that she was
unable to think anything better to do
than 20 to bed. She remained until