Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-05-18
Excitement About Comet.

psroxyisms of terror With dire prophecy
that the end Of TIE world Is almost at
hand. Early this mornipg little bands
of supersiitious black men and women
coDgregstsd on the ttteeis and prayed
loudly for deliverance aud salvation. 10
several OF the churches 10 the vicinity,
where the negroes are even more super.
ct titus than here, special services are
being held 10 an endeavof TO avert By
prayer the calamity which all seem to
believe is certain to follow the contact OF
The earth with The tall Of Halley's comet
tonight.
The fear while general, has resulted 10
the development of marked denomIna.
tional feeling. Negroes Of one faith believe
that those OF hia faith alone will be saved.
As 9 result BiptIsls are urging Metho.
dssts TO come over and vice verss. Both
are using streBuous efforts to puuusde
non church members to "get religion"
snd their efforts are meeting with no
small success.
Marked evidence of the effect of the
comet on the morals Of the population OF
color was shown by the police court
docket this morning. Usually crowded
with men and women charged Nth
every variety OF petty offences. today
found this ccutt slmost empty. For the
present st least the petty thievery and
drunkenness has been done away With.
Negro saloons and resorts might Is we'll
close their doors, for there are no Gus.
toners.
All this, however, Is severely felt By
the whites, many Of whom were hard
put this morning to secure their break
fasIs.
Servants failed to put 10 their sp-
pearsnce, nor could any amount of cosx'
ing persuade them to retnrn to their
mental duties.
''Dee, honey, / got TO look after NAB
soul, an' I'm got no time for nothin'
eIse," Was the way one old nanny ex-
pressed herself when implored by her
mistress, q young Richmond society
woman whom che had nursed, 10 return
to work. And this seems to be the
general at Jude among the dsrkeys.
The more educated class Of negroes
are difgusted With what they tsTm "dem
fool csrryins' o." and have attempted
to rout superstition With many more or
less feasible arguments. Their efforts
ere generally futile.
New York, Msy 18.-Dr Harold
Jscoby, Rutherford Professor OF A'tron-
omy at Columbia University, writes as
follows for the United Press: "The
proof OF the pudding Ia In the eating,
and the proof Of astronomy 10 10 what
will happen tonight when the earth will
probably pass through the comets tall.
Astronomers have made their dednc.
tions as accuntsly as they knew how,
but everyone will have personal know
ledge OF the exsc! truth by midnight.
"The COMET can no longer be seen 10
the morning sky. Henceforth 1t will be
visible only 10 the Western sky In the
evening directly above the point where
the sun sets.
"Thls appearance will take place every
night for ak weeks beginning tomorrow.
The clesrness With which the comet may
be viewed will depend on the blackness
OF the skies. The moon, which will be
full by May "A, will interfere with the
view until that date. During the first
and second week 10 June, It is likely,
the CONT should be seen In all of Is
glory then 1t will gradually disappear.
"By the end OF June the comet will
have disappeared not 10 return for 70
years. The current visit bad ar0u,ed
the greatest popular interest and sstrono-
mers ex )ect ss a result there will be a
stimulus in the science Of astronomy
which will bear fruit Ia new discoveries
and inspire the young to follow HsIley's
example.
zone benefit has resulted from The
widespread discussion Of the visitor, that
Is the world has been rid OF much aoper-
stitiou touching the end-of.the'W world
problem.
WIlkesbarre, Pa, May 18.-Deter-
mined 10 die with their wives and child
rem 10 the event OF destruction OF the
earth today by Hslley's comet, thou
sands of miners 10 the anthracite region
refused 10 20 down the mines.
Boston, May 1S.-The mootsd ques-
ton about the competition Of the head
of Halley's comet will be settled soon,
according to Professor o. o. Wendell,
of Harvard. There has been consider
able dispute as t. whether the head Is
solid or gaseous.
"Wben the head OF the comtt passes
across the face Of the sum-" ssid Pro.
lessor Wendell, 'sny solid matter will
be distinctly visible. Observers 10 the
Orient should be able TO determine de- |
6nitely the composition OF the comet. |
expect no unutual phenomena as the |
earth passes through the comets unless
1t be reddish glow 10 the sky"
Harvard professors are unanimous 10
their declaration that the earth will
pass unscathed through the comets tail.
Professor Pickering declares there
need be no fear from the comet. "a
comet sppsan at lesst three times a
year," be said today, and HslleyS
comet Is no more bsleiul In effect than
any other"
Paris, May 1S-French Astronomers
have failed 10 reas.ure the public re-
gardIng the harmless nature of The
c, snogen gas in the tall OF Hslley's CO.
met, aud hundreds OF people today rsided
the chemists shops and bought their
entire supply Of oxygen gas, t, be u,ed
10 Offset the feared efieot OF the cyanogsp.
New York, Msy lS.-All day revival
services are in progress in negro ct urch
N the ives side, 10 the San Juan Hill