The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-08-27

LONG I'd WikneS9 one Of the mOSL mag.
nifcent sights the heavens have ever dis
closed before your eyes," said member
Of the astronomical force at the United
States Naval Observatory. 'Halley's
comet comes only once in lifetime, and
many persons are born, live and die with
out ever catching glimpse of its marvel
Gus dash Of fire across the skies. 1t was
last seen In 1885. and few persons now
alive can say they have ever witnessed it."
The comet in its full refulgence is not
due until 1910. but by spring it will prob
ably be near enough to be visible by
naked eye. In the past it has sPanned
the heavens almost FROM horizon to
horizon, covering as much as 1902 of
celestial territory, and standing out like
q great living thing of fire. It is now
somewhere off in space, but not yet
visible 10 astronomers. They confidently
expect someone to pick it up before the
end of 1909, and after that 1t will increase
in splendor and size until 1t reaches its
nearest approach to the earth, some time
next spring. after which 1t will disappear,
not to be seen again in rs years.
'Halley's comet has been visiting the
vicinity of the earth ever since 500 or 600
years before Christ" said the astronomer,
HALEY was an Engiishman, whose
name was given to the comet because be
was the FIRST to announce that this par
ticular comet came near the earth at
regular periods once every rs years. He
went over the records, and by a series of
computations found that what had pre-
viously been regarded as series of
different comets, was nothing more than
the same comet, and that this, the most
magnificent of them all, came around
regularly once every rs years. That
was during the latter part of the eight
teenth century, and HALEY announced
that this comet, would next appear in
1885. He never lived to see it come, but
his successors found that his prediction
came true.
'.The comets seventy-fve year journey
will bring it toward us near enough for it
to be seen early in 1910. 1t has never
before been photographed, because photo.
graphy was invented after 1885. Neither
has the spectroscope been used upon this
comet, this being another new invention.
The comet will FIRST be picked up some
where of in space by some Photographic
telescope. The moment it is found the
news will be flashed around the world.
There will be no trouble seeing it
with the naked eye. 1t will illuminate
the heavens.
eve. have calculated that Halley's
comet is now within the orbit of Jupiter,
said the astronomer, sand is rushing
toward the orbit of the earth at the rate
of million miles day. AS faint
nebulns object in the constellation Orion
it will no doubt be picked up in few
weeks. Celestial photography has it
already located in limitless space far
beyond the vision of the most delicate
telescope research. As the comet enters
into the orbit of our solar system it will
grow brighter every day until it becomes
visible to the naked eye-the most
spectacular object in nearly 100 years.
"There will be no danger of collision
with the earth. When closest it will be
about 2o,ooo,ooo miles away. 1t should
be brightest about next May
~
The manifest purpose of the Standard
Oil Trust to hold up acknowledgements oil
producers of Oklahoma and other West,
ern oil-producing States, by cutting the
price paid by it for crude petroleum, may
be prevented by the Government using
club provided by the Payne-Aldrich tariff
bill. Under the new law the Standard
is in way favored BY the placing of crude
petroleum in the free list, though the de-
mand for this meant to take advantages
away from the octopus. But by it the
giant monopoly seems to have been
placed in position TO make prices of
crude oil bought by it from independent
dealers to suit itself.
That it was not slow in taking adj
vantage of the concession granted by us
Congressional friends has been made
apparent by the complaint made by the
Indians holding oil lands under treaty
rights in Oklahoma, that the Standard
had reduced its purchase price for crude
oil from At to 80 cents barrel. The
Indians, who are wards of the Govern
ment and therefore entitled to protection
as such, have asked the Government
through the Indian Department, to COM
pei the Standard to respect their rights in
regard to prices.
Some of the oil undiscovered by Indians
have been leased on the royalty basis to