Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-28
Interesting Phenomenon Observed by
Many Parties Of Scientists.
M'KINLEY A SPECTATOR
Observations in the TotaIity Belt
Were Completely Successful.
THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT

| ficent spectacle presented today in total
| eclipse of the sun had many most dis
| tinguished observers in this city and vi
| cinity. Comfortably seated in luxurious
| arm chair on the quarter deck of the
dispatch boat Dolphin> lying in the harbor
| off Lambert's Point. the President of the
| United States viewed the inspiring phe-
nomenon. Mr.. Mckinley was supplied with
a combination Of blue. green and red glass
| through which the encroaching shadow of
| the moon was more clearly visible Tee-
| scopes and marine glasses with colored
| eye pieces We're provided, and. with the
| assistance of these. the President had every
| opportunity afforded him for observing the
various phases of the eclipse. He was
| wonderfully impressed with the glory Of
| the corona when the totality at its
| height. The President was mute during
his observation. He was thrilled. as were
| the others of the distinguished party
| aboard the ship. with the grandeur of the
| phenomenon. and words were wanting even
in the executive vocabulary.
The silence the Dolphin's decks was
| but momentary however. for Jack Tar was
| unable to restrain his emotions for long.
| He did for the few moments of the total
| phase but when a glorious burst of sun
shine appeared from behind the black ball
| suspended in mid d-heaven a moment before
| the sailors sent up lusty cheer.
Members of Presidents Party.
With the President on the Dolphin were
| Mrs. Mckinley, the Secretary of State and
| Mrs Hay, the Secretary Of War and Mrs.
Root. Miss Root and Master Edward Root,
| Gen. Russell Hastings and Mrs. Hastings.
| Col. Webb Hayes, DR.. Rixey and Secretary
| Cortelyou. Commander Switzerland and
the senior officers of the Dolphin were
| gathered about the President and aided the
| executive in his observance, their scientific
| and astronomical knowledge being invalu-
Lob ,oo6. 6.ar 60 fharl nd hnS
| total eclipse before and he prepared the
party for the different and wonderfully in
| teresting features.
| Secretary Gage Of the treasury. with Sem
| ator Fairbanks and a party of Washing
| tonans. is here on the light house tender
| Holly and Viewed the eclipse from navy
yard mooring.
The National Geographic Society. 300
| strong, arrived early this morning on q
| specially chartered steamer. the Newport
! News. The steamer was equipped with all
| sorts of telescopes, specterScopes. photo
| graphic instruments and astronomical APP
paratus. The deck resembled an observa-
| tory, and, in fact, the ship was nothing
| short of a floating observation station.
| The Washington scientists also took up
station just off the navy yard. the party
| in charge of Messrs. Henry F. Blount c. }.
Bell and E. w. Parker, the long distance
| excursion committee. After trip to Fort
Monroe the ship yard at Newport News
and a short sail to historic yorktown, tne
Geographic Society begins its homeward
Journey Their observations and photo
graphs will be developed and worked out
after the return to Washington.
Other Observers Who Were There.
In this city proper the main observing
parties We're stationed at the local weather
bureau, on the Citizens Bank building and
| on the Monticello Hotel. At the former
station were Prof. Willis l.. Moore OF
WASHINGTON chief of the United States
weath bureau: Prof Herbert l.. Rice,
oh, nf A
at the naval observatory In Washington.
and a party of fifty from the Hartford
Comm Scientific Society. On the Monti-
cello roof were Prof. Pickering and party
of scientists and students from Harvard
University, H. c. Warren of Princeton,
Mansfield Merriam. w. G. Franklin and C.
l.. Thornburg of Lehigh University and a
detachment of the Yale party in the field.
Directly on the Atlantic ocean at Cape
Henry, Va, was located party from
Washington, under Prof. Alfred j. Henry.
| Prof. j. j. Gray, the local weather OBJ
server was assisted by Mr.. Sam. Mosby Of
the Washington bureau.
AS at other stations along the belt of to-
tality fifteen-minute observations were
made on all Instruments. that the me
teoric conditions might be calculated eX-
actly. 1t was found from these that the
normal rise of the temperature was check
ed during the approach of the eclipse, and
that in the half hour period before and
after the total phase drop in the temper
ature of one degree and half was regis
tered.
Weather Was Perfect.
The weather was perfect not cloud
fiecking the horizon. The first contact was
noticed here at 7:40:59; the totality began
at S:J2:33 and lasted one minute and twen-
ty-six seconds, or until S:53:59 The last
vestige of the moons surface disappeared
at 10:15:05.
a feature of todays eclipse was the total
absence of shadow bands streamers Of
lights and shadows usually accompanying
such phenomena and occurring just before
and after the total phase. These shadow
bands are an unknown quantity to science
as yet and great preparations had been
made for their observance To this eXtene
the observers We're disappointed.
Mr.. Alex. Graham Bell, president Of the
Geographic Society, is a prominent observer
in this city. The yachts and parties at
Old Point and Newport News came to thia
city to view the eclipse, as these points
were barely in the belt
There were cruises to the capes by
the President or others, as anticipated by
some correspondents.
1t was expected President Mckinley
would view the eclipse from the weather
bureau here, but he decided at the last
moment to remain aboard ship. 1mme-
diately following the total phase the Doll
phin dropped down the harbor to an am
chorage in Hampton Roads. An effort will
be made to have the President go ashore
at Fort Monroe this afternoon, and in an
ticipation of the hoped-for acceptance Cox
Guenther, the commandant, has ordered g
special full QreSS pdTaue ne TTtsiueuI
leaves for Washington some time tonight
and will arrive tomorrow afternoon:
A telegram received at the White House
today stated that President and Mrs MEG
K,nley and their party had greatly enjoyed
their visit to Fortress Monroe and that tho
trip had been a successful one The tele.
gram said that a fine view OF the total
eclipse had been secured on Lamberts
Point The presidential party visited the
battle ship Kearsarge yesterday the
Dolnhin with the party on board, will start
back to Washington today, reaching here
some time tomorrow
PRESIDENT SEES THE ECLIPSE.
Grand SpectacIe Viewed From the
Dolphin at Old Point.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
FORT MONTROE, Va, May 2S.-Four OF
five thousand people. including several thous
sand guests at the hotels. watched the