Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-09
SAW STAR SHOWER.
Venerable Pennsylvania, Recalls Fall
of Meteors In 1888.

Henry Bott, who spent the summer
at his former home in Seven Valley,
devotes his leisure hours to writing
up the recollections Of his early
days. He was born in West Man.
chester township in 1918, says the
York (Pa.) Dispatch.
What is known to astronomical
science as the falling Of meteors'
in 1888 was witnessed by Mr.. Bott
at his paternal home in West Man
chester township. Other meteoric
showers have since occurred, but
none so striking as the strange phe-
nomenon Of 1883. Even though 1t
caused great excitement, there were
no disastrous results. Meteors are
luminous bodies, but most Of them
are Of phosphorescent substance.
The following is Mr.. Bott's descrip-
ton of what he saw 76 years ago:
It was on the old homestead farm
where the writer was born and rear
ed, in West Manchester township,
York county. On the night of the
twelfth and morning of the thirteenth
November, 1888, while the sky was
cloudless, and the air clear, sudden
ly the heavens became a scene never
to be forgotten. From the constel-
lation Leo meteors began to shoot
out in all directions for the two
hours between 4 and in the morn
ing. 1t was estimated that a thous-
and meteors a minute flashed and
expired; it grew lighter than noon
day. Crosses of fire and balls Of fire,
some of the appearances larger than
the full moon, swept all around the
heavens, explosion followed explosion,
sound as we'll as sight, and the air
was filled with uproar. All the lumi-
naries Of the sky seemed to have re-
ceived marching orders. The heavens
were garlanded with metoric display
from horizon to horizon, and every
thing was in combustion and confla-
grafton.
Many brain that night gave away.
1t was an awful strain on the strong
est nerves. Thousands Of people fell
on their knees in prayer, saying, lis
the world ending, or is there some
great event for which all Heaven Is
Illuminated"
For eight momentous hours the
phenomenon lasted. East west, north
and south it looked as though the
heavens were in maniac disorder. AS
tronomers, watching that night, said
that those meteors started 1900 miles
from the earth's surface, and moved
with ten times the speed Of cannon
ball. That night will be remembered
by me as long as live.
This is what a planter Of South
Carolina said of that nights scene: Il
was suddenly awakened by the most
disastrous cries that ever fell on mans
ears. Shrieks of horror and cries OF
mercy 1 could hear from most Of the
negroes on three plantations, amount
ing in all to about seven or eight hun
dred. While earnestly listening for
the cause, l heard faint voice at the
door calling my name.
II arose, taking my sword, and
stood at the door. At this moment l
hear the same voice still beseeching
me to rise, saying, o, my God, the
world Is on fire. then opened the
door, and it is difficult to say which
excited me the most, the awfulness of
the scene or the distressed cries of
the negroes. Upward Of one hundred
lay PROSTATE on the ground, some
speechless, and some writhing with
bitter cries, but most with their hands
raised imploring God to save the world
and them. The scene was truly aw-
full, for never did rain fall much fas-
ter than the meteors toward the
earth"
But the excitement thus described
by the southern planter ran among
the whites as we'll as among the
blacks, among the intelligent as among
the superstitious. The spectacle ceas-
ed not until the rising sun Of the No
vember morning eclipsed it, and the
whole American nation sat down ex-
hausteG with the agitation OF a night
to be memorable until the earth ITSELF
shall become a falling star.