Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-05-04
HISTORIC DARK DAYS
ONE THAT BROUGHT TERROR TO THE
PEOPLE OF NEW ENGLAND.
ts Was Friday. May 10. 1850. and In
Many Communities 1t Was Thought
That the Day of Judgment Was AT
Hand-A Brave LEGISLATOR.


That the Day of Judgment Was at
Hand-A Brave Legislator.
Friday, May 10, 1850, has become
generally known i'll history as the dark
day" and. although it has been traced
to natural causes. Its coming brought
terror TO many communities whose in
habitants, thinking the day of judg-
ment nj hand, made haste to settle
their affairs rs best they might before
the trump should sound
A Boston woman In the tumult Of her
fears sent II messenger to Rev. NIather
Byles, tradition says, to inquire the
cause OF such an alarming occurrence.
The minister claimed no special infor-
nation as to the unusual visitation and
replied- that he was "us much In the
dark about 1t as any of his parishion-
ers."
The darkness came on between 10
and IL O'Clock and speedily had become
SO dense that cundles were lighted IN
the houses. and men on the streets
could navigate only with lanterns. The
birds, having sung their evening songs,
disappeared. fowls retired to roost, and
cocks crowed. apparently dceming II
the darkness just before dawn.
In the Connecticut Legislature some
OF the more timOrous members, unable
to see one another's faces, sought an
adjournment. bur certain Mr.. Dnven-
port gained undying fame when he
arose and said:
MIR. Speaker. 1t Is either the day OF
Judgment or 1t is not. If 1t is not, there
is no need OF udjourning. II II is, de-
sire to be found doing my duty. l
move that candles be brought and that
we proceed to business"
The aren OF the phenomenon extend
ed from Falmouth, now Portland, Me-,
Ms far west as Albany, y. Y. and from
the northernmost settlements Of New
Hampshire south along the seuconst to
New Jersey. 1t varied In Intensity,
the darkness being greatest, according
to one writer, Dr.. Samuel Tenney of
Exeter, y. H., in the county of Essex,
In that state.
Although IIerschel asserts that no
adequate explanation OF the occurrence
has been found. other scientists have
accounted for the phenomenon upon
the supposition that fires In the dense
forests of York county, Me-, and also
in New Hampshire. which hud been
raging for two or three weeks with un-
precedented stubhornness and extent,
sent up enormous clouds of smoke ana
vapors, which. held in suspension over
the earth ut about the height of the
highest hIlltops. prevented the suns
rays from penetrating.
For several days previous to this
-"black Friday" the air had been full of
smoke and vapor and the sun and
moon We're abnormally red. The
clouds We're of unusual colors, and 1t
was observed that green objects took
on deeper green. verginS Into azure,
and that all objects usually white were
tinged with yellow.
"Objects appeared to cast shade In
every direction. and there were sew
eral coruscations in the atmosphere,
not unlike the aurora borealis but no
uncommon appearances OF electric
fire." says one writer. The vapors
were decidedly noXious. for after the
atmosphere finally cleared it was found
that many small birds had been suf-
located. Rain descending In some To-
cations was found to be black as ink,
and upon the surface Of rivers and 9TH
er bodies OF water appeared scum
which had the odor OF burnt leaves
This undoubtedly proves the theory OF
the forest fires.
The darkness lasted all of Friday,
and II Is recorded that when the time
for real darkness hud come 1t was
such as literally could be cut with
knife, equaling the Egyptian article of
old. One writer observed that a sheet
Of white paper held foot from the
eye was no more visible than q piece Of
the blacklist velvet.
poem supposed to have been writ.
ten about that time Is In part as fol,
lows:
or month Of May, the nineteenth day.
In seventeen hundred eighty.
Day turned to night-a doleful sight
And coused transactions weighty.
The whippoerwill sung notes most shrill,
Doves to their cotes retreated
And all the fowls. excepting owls.
Upon their roosts were seated.
The herds and fiocks stood still as stocks
Or to their folds were hying,
Alen young and old dared not to scold
AT wives and children crying.
The day of doom most thought was come
Throughout New Englund's borders;
The people. scared. felt unprepared
TO obey the dreadful orders
Philosophy, with curious eye,
While viewing the phenomenon,
Like all the rest, freely confessed
1t was most uncommon one
Soon 1t came out. to ease all doubt,
In space OF half minute,
ul, I'll, No a.,