The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-29
MANY GRAINED THEIR NEcKS.
THE SOLAR FREE SHOW ATTRACT
ED ALL EYES.

of Eclipse, the Like of Which They
VIII Never See Again-The Day
Was Just Right and There Was
Nothing to Mar the EHect-savan-
nahians at GAINESVILLE Enjoyed
Their Trip and Got n Splendid
View of the Total Eclipse-Photog-
raphers Made the Most of the Az
fair.
! Never in the history of Savannah have
so many thousand people craned their
necks in gazing skyward and strained
| their eyes through smoked glass for the
| purpose of beholding a heavenly object.
| There may not be a rise in the market
price of glass to-day, but If the physi-
clans are not called upon 10 treat num-
| bers of sore necks there will be cause
| for surprise.
| The eclipse had been well heralded and
thoroughly advertised. There was no
charge for admission 10 the theater in
which the exhibition was held. and the
! audience was numberless. To a casual
! observer who passed through the streets
every man, woman and child seemed to
be out in the open, equipped with smoked
| glass or other protection for the eyes
| and searching the heavens in the effort
| to fathom the mystery to be witnessed
| there. Business men their way down
| town and children on their way to school
! stopped to gaze at the heavens. Many
| people left their beds earlier than usual
| in order 10 get the benefit of the entire
| performance. To the credit of the as
| tronomers 1t can be stated that the eclipse
/ came precisely on time and that every
thing happened Just as they had said it
! would. Best of all, 1t was bright, sun
! shiny day, and all who cared, and they
were many. had the pleasure of watching
| the phenomenon.
Had there been no notice given, 1t is
| probable that very few people in Savan-
| nah would have suspected what was TAX
| ing place. Old Sol is so regular and
| methodical in his habits that he is rarely
| looked to for explanation of the condi-
| ton of the atmosphere here below. From
the appearance of the heavens at the
| beginning of the eclipse the average citi-
zen would doubtless have taken ii for
| granted that the clouds were gathering
in the sky and that another spring show
er was expected. AS the eclipse pro-
| crossed, however, the peculiar subdued
| light which fell over the earth was very
| noticeable. The light had solt effect,
somewhat like an early summers dawn.
| There was a stiffness in the air, not so
| noticeable in the city, however, but the
birds seemed to realize that something
unusual was happening, and were less ac-
tive than usual. There was a percepti-
BILE chill in the atmosphere doubtless
due in part 90 the eclipse as in the path
of totality the chill was very decided dur
ing the eclipse.
Smoked glass was, of course, in great
demand. Prudent people, who had equip
ped themselves with large pieces found
that they enjoyed a considerable advant-
age over the less fortunate as they could
view the phenomenon without discomfort
and with less strain upon the eyes. Smok-
ed opera glasses were in common use
and many of the amateur photographers
found that an old negative furnished
very satisfactory medium through which
TO gaze skyward "A number of both the
professional and amateur photographers
obtained views, Many members of the
Camera Club photographed the phenom-
encn.
The crescent shape given the sun by the
partial eclipse from this point was very
easily illustrated by the simple process of
holding up a piece of cardboard with a
pn-hole through the center. the ray of
light penetrating the hole falling to the
ground in crescent shape. This further
demonstrated by using a handglass with
which a crescent of ligt could be thrown
in any direction. When the light was
thrown upon a sheet of white paper near
at hand, however, the crescent changed
to an oval The size and shape of an egg,
"a
colors from six to tvs I've inches in diam
eter, according to the manipulation Of the
glass.
The progress OF enlightenment and the
general increase OF intelligence was amply
/ lus'ra;ed by the conduct Of the people
generally during the eclipse. Had an event
of this kind occurred a generation or two
ago not all the forecasts Of all the as
tronomers would have kept the more ig-
norapt portion of the population, both
white and black, from regarding 1t as
some dire portent f,retel ing the VEN
gearce of heaven upon wicked earth
Ye tel day not even the negroes seemed to
regard the event with superstitious awe,
and everybody acceo ed 1t as simply an in
teres ing phens menon. curious only be-
cause of It's ra by. However, the younger
cope who Witnessed the total eclipse
will have something of interest to recall
to their Children years hence, as many
senerations wi pass before the like will
be witne ssed again.
The Savannahians who went to Barnes
Vile to witness the eclipse were thor
| oughly satisfied with what they saw Not
one of them was disappointed. The trip
was rather long for such a purpose but
no expression of regret was heard. The
phenomenon was regarded as we'll worth
, the time and money expended to get the
, best possible view of IL.
Col. G.. b. WhatleY was among those
who went up to see the sun obscured.
Among the others from Savannah at
GAINESVILLE were Mr.. and Mrs. ]. c.. Hale
and children. Mr.. c. D. Kline and Mrs. T.
d. Kline, Mr.. James Palen, DR.. w. f.
! Aiken. MIR. Mongin Nichols, Mr.. Dan Van
Wagner, Mr.. J. r. Seussy, Mr.. Clement
Saussy and Mr.. Fred Saussy.
Col. Whatley returned last night To a
representative of the Morning News he
gave a description of the eclipse as he
saw it at Barnesvile. at was a grand
spectacle" he said. II am glad went to
see it, and no one l heard express himself
seemed to regret the trip. GAINESVILLE
was crowded with visitors too. 1t was es-
timated that there were from 5000 10 5000
in the town
"A particularly impressive fea ture of the
phenomenon to me was the appearance of
the planet Mercury. This seemed to be
not very far distant from the sun, and
never did see star so clearly white It
was brilliant. looking as large and re-