The age-herald., 1900-05-29
Liqhts Were Burned in the City and All Nature
 Took on Scky Hue

eclipse came with startling precision-in spite of a miscalculation of seconds, and while the period of totality lasted, nature appeared to stand still in awe if not in fear of the manifestation.
 The first perception of something beyond the ordinary came to Gainesville and vicin- ity in the shape of gray, pearly light that Streamed down when the suns sphere was half obscured, diminishing gradually as the crescent of the visible surface narrowed The shadow bands, denoting the coming or the total eclipse, were clearly perceptible against a white surface in the increasing gloom for fully three minutes before the rays were entirely obscured. These shadow bands strangely coming from the northwest were watched with peculiar interest, and first were seen a series of small wavy shad- ows falling against the white surface, quickly growing larger and more dense and coming in rapid succession, until as the moment of totality arrived a great wave of gloom, enveloping everything in nature, shot by to the southeast.
 It was noted by many that the birds in the trees, chirping merrily only moment before ceased their singing. The intense stiffness was broken at once by a breeze that seemed to spring up from nowhere and which none of the local weather prophets could explain. The time of dark ness in which everything was obscured to such a degree that a man would fail to distinguish his friend across the street, seemed long to the ordinary observer but to science, unreasonably short.
 From all points in this section comes the news of perfect day for the eclipse with no cloud to obscure the phenomenon.
 Generally speaking, the observations taken by the astronomers today were confined to three separate lines of work:
 The old method of telescopic observa- tion; viewing of the eclipse with the naked eye, and the photographing of the phe- oft fnf ty today began in the Pacific Ocean, just west of Mexico. It passed eastward across Mexico, and entering the United States near New Orleans, proceeded in a north eastery direction until if left the con tinent close to Norfolk, Va. Then it crossed the Atlantic, touched Portugal and after ward passed across northern Africa, leav- ing the earth finally near the northern end of the Red sea.
 InTo.aliiyP tn
 In this country the cities of New Orleans, Mobile Montgomery, Raleigh and Norfolk were in the totality path.
 Besides these cities the path of darkness, including thirty other towns which are large enough to have their names on the map Few, if any, observatory parties were located at the large cities for the reason that they lacked the altitude, and an unobstructed view for any distance was not to be found. The higher altitude gave
 
 mosphere, and at this season of the year less clouds are generally found, especially in Alabama, Georgia and North Caro- lima.
 While the eclipse was visible all over the country it was only within a path of fifty five miles in width, extending from New Orleans to Norfolk, that the obscuration was complete It will be readily seen, therefore that a difference of five miles in this belt makes a difference of one-fifth in the matter of time in which the obscu- ration may be witnessed, and position near the central line of totality increased in geometrical proportion to the stupend- ous grandeur of the phenomenon.
 Government Approp iation
 The United States government appro- priated literally for today's great work and observation parties were established at three places in the south and at Tripoli. in Africa, by the naval observatory. Pro- lessor Smithson J. Brown, United States astronomical director, is in charge of the naval parties in the south, which number sixty persons Professor Browns head quarters is at Gainesville, Ga. The prelm- mary work, such as selecting a site, erect ing tents and installing the instruments, was in charge of Professor Milton Upde- graff
 carload of costly and delicate ap- paratus was placed in position, the null titudnous details were completed and the assistants drilled to perfection a few days ago. Three large buildings were erected on prominence at an altitude of 1000 feet. A large scaffold was put up and tent pitched. In one of the large buildings is the polar axis upon which were mounted various cameras and photographic tele- scopes The telescope is revolved slowly by means of a clepsydra, or water clock. Two equatorial telescopes for visual ob- servation of the corona were also placed in nOSifiOn in this buil6inp TTnon no fold the large hotograph-heliograph with 6-inch .enses and forty feet focal length was installed. There is, of course, dark room where the plates will be developed and on this particular branch of work de- bends the preservation of the records of the all-important event.
 Party from Naval Observatory
 A branch of this naval observatory party was stationed at Griffin, Ga., few miles away, in charge of Professor C.. A. Hill. Professor Hills temporary observa- tory is on the state of Georgia's experi- ment farm, two miles and half from the center of Griffin. This is also a high point. Both to the east and the west the country is open and afforded a splendid view, not only of the eclipse itself, but the shadow as it approached from the west could be distinctly seen for miles. The sta tion was selected for the express purpose of making "spectroscopic analyses" of the
  ular the work of the Griffin station diff fered widely from that at Gainesville.
 The third government station was To- cated at Pnehurst, N. c. Professor A. N. Skinner was in charge and his work for the most part was of the same character as that performed by the Griffin observa- tory. Professor Skinner mas been on the ground for two weeks or more, his chief work being to superntend the erection of one of the largest cameras ever construct axr- bers of the observatory staff, and a num- Der of distinguished specialists, among them Dr. Chase of Yale.
 The eclipse station of the Cabot observa- tory was located at Siloam, Ga. The party was sent out from the home of the obser- vatory, Oakland Cal, by Professor James Dalber, noted astronomer of San Fran cisco, and a member of the Royal Astron- omical society of London.
 Prof. Charles Burkhalter, in charge of