The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-30
capital Chat.
Washington Gossip. Political and
otherwise, for the Readers
of the Globe.

The total eclipse of the sun, which is
arousiig such widespread interest among
scientists, will occur on May 2S next
The last eclipse visible in the United
States took place in 1885, but was only vis-
IDLE H. remote parts OF California and
Montana.
Since that time rapid strides have been
made in the Improvement of the appara-
tus used in the observation. Especially
is this true in the Photographic field,
which has undergone q wonderful de-
yelopment, and as a result of this some
remarkable revelations may be made con-
corning the sun and its nelghboring bodies
Particular interest is centered about the
theory of the existence of a planet be-
tween Mercury and the sun, which will
Goubtless be put to the test during the
coming eclipse
One of the greatest features of this
years eclipse will be the esae with which
it may be observed. Almost all the total
cclipscs which have occurred within re-
cent years have been only visible in
sparsely settled and, in some cases, mac
cessible localities.
The path OF the coming eclipse will
travel the states of Louisiana, Missis-
! sippi. Alabama. Georgia, South Carolina,
North Carolina and Virginia, cross the
! Atlantic, and passing over Northern
/
at the Red sea, In Washington and
every portion of the United States east
Of the Mississippi not directly in the
| shadows path, a partial eclipse of the
| sun will be seen.
The phenomena of a total eclipse Of
the sun are extremely interesting. There
| is nothing of special interest," says Prof
! Charles A. Young, until the sun is most
" covered, though before that time the
| shadows begin to look peculiar. Some ten
| minutes before totality the darkness be-
| gins to be felt, and the remaining light,
! coming as it does from the edge of the
sun only, is much altered in quality, pre-
| ducing an effect very like that of a CAL
| cium light, rather than sunshine. Ami
J mails are perplexed. and the birds go to
! roost. The temperature falls few de-
erees, ard sometimes dew appears.
'In q few moments, if the observer Is
so situated that his view commands a
| distant western horizon, the moons
| shadow is seen coming. much like q
| heavy thunder storm. 1t advances with
| almost terrifying sWiftness until it en-
| velops him. For a moment the air ap-
pears 10 CULVER, and on every white sur
| face bands or fringes, alternately light
| and dark, appear. They are a few inches
wide and from foot to three feet aparc,
i and, on the whole, seem to be parallel
| to the edge Of the shadow.
1.-The suddenness with which the dark
ness descends uron the observer is eX-
ceedingly striking: the sun is SO brilliant
| that even the small norton which remains
| visible up to within d very few seconds
| of the time of totaiity so dazzles the
| eye that ii is not prepared for the sud
! den transition. IN few moments now
ever, the vision becomes accustomed to
| the changed circumstances, and it is
| then found that the darkness is not really
SO intense. If the totality is of short
| duration there is not much difficulty In
reading an ordinary watch face, but II
the eclipse be of long duration, say five
or six minutes, it is much darker, and
| lanterns are necessary.
,..
In the various colleges and scientific IN
| stitutions throughout the world elaborate
| preparations are being made for the OBJ
| servation of the eclipse. The United
States government will have several sta
| tions scattered along the path of the
eclipse. Prof S. ]. Bron, director of the
! Naval observatory, will have the direct
supervision of the governmental obserVa-
tiors. These stations will be widely sep
arated, so that no stray cloud may pre-
vent view of the eclipse.
For some time Prof. Monroe Benjamin
Snyder, Of the Philadelphia observatory,
|
preparing for the eclipse. He has, in ad-
dition tc his other scientific work, made
a remai kable invention in q photographic
plate, by means Of which it will be posi-
BILE to take a picture of the entire heav-
ems at one snap of the camera. This in
vention is a great improvement on the
| square plate, which can only obtain re-
production of but comparatively small
part of the sky. Councils. however, have
failed to make an appropriation to enable
Prof. Snyder to utilize his apparatus,
which at present lies iGle and unused.
with scarcely any possibility Of its being
used on May 2S.
Mr.. soren Listoe. of st. Paul. United
! States consul at Rotterdam, sent recent
/ ly the following report to the state de-
partment:
1.-THE Rotterdam market for American
hard lumber was very good during the
| month of January and, owing to the
heavy demand frcm Germany. the export
trade to that country has been so lively
that Messrs j. c. & w. H. Leyenaar.
the leading importers of American lum-
Der, report their stocks practically ex-
hauSted.
"The local demand, particularly for
| logs has, however, left much to be de-
sired, but during the last few days 1t
looks as if the Holland trade also is i'm
proving. For the HSC OF prices given DS-
| low, 1 am indebted to the courtesy of
| the aforementioned firm. Quotations
a,e for logs per 1,O08 feet Scribner rule.
and fer lumber per 1000 feet board meas
ure."
OF walnut logs only a few parcels Of
small dimensions are on hand. Good
logs 16 inches and up to q or rs inches,
will bring $50 to $95; Is inches and up to q
or %, $110 to $115.
White oak logs. "a inches and up. from
| SAB to $45
White wood logs, rs inches and up, bring
from $40 to $42.
White ash logs are not In stock, and
shipments of good quality will be very
well received; price for logs, IA inches and
| up, $44 to $45.
OF hickory logs. a few cars would do
well; if good quality and with small
brown heart, they would bring $50
White oak boards and planks, l to 4
| inches, sell for SAT to $50.
Walnut lumber is in good demand;
! inch, $109 to $110; inches, S115 to $11S; 2M
| inches to inches, $122 to $125.
! Of satin walnut lumber all stocks are
| cleared, and the demand is lively; inch,
| $40 to SAL; IA to inches, $44 to SAG.
! Ash lumber, 1 to inches, $40 to S52
Red cypress, 1 to inches. $35 to $50.
4 "A otv