The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-05-21
IT'S ALL OVER
The Earth Makes Dash
Through Comets Tail.
NO HARM HAS BIN DONE
Millions Of People Sought Points
of Vantage TO View the Strange
Phenomenon Astronomers
Record Data.
No HARM HAS BIN DONE

Philsdelrhla May l9-I.ike thief
in the night tae tail OF HalleyS comet
stole upon the earth. greatly to the
mystihcation OF thousands OF Philadsl-
phians and millions OF other people
The majority of those who were
anxious 70 have a look at the rare
nocturnal visitor sought points Of van
tage far from the city's glare. The
dark places IN Paramount park. in all
the suburbs and along the main line
awoke with the unusual and animated
speculations OF enthusiastic and en-
bryonic astronomers
Even the real astronomers left the
city FOR the country. taking with them
telescopes as big as they could carry.
although they anticipated that the
larger part OF their observations
would De made with the naked eve.
Just the same he city was not desert
ed. as any enc could tell who walked
through the streets. Every house was
q root garden. On the downtown cor
ners men aud women assembled in
numbers. gazing up 70 the heavens.
looking tor all the world like visitors
from the rural districts guessing At
the height ot the tall Office buildings
Many motormen. seeing the crowds
collected on the corners. stopped their
cars 50 that the supposed passengers
might get aboard one car man on the
Market stree, lire ssil he had obsery
ed the same pheDcmenon In ths cutter
districts OF The city
Except fo9 a Few scattered clouds
the night gsas perfect for the presen-
tation OF the widely heralded pano-
rama Perhaps the moon was too
bright Il was fortunate that the earth
should have begun its dash at 1920
o'cloCk straight through the vast
noth.ngness. 1.G0e Ooo miles in extent.
just at n time when Luna was reach
ing its MAXIMUM
Interest Intense.
Intense interest was felt BY the as.
.ronomeTs and scientists Other comet
tails may have swept the earth. but
this Is the first time that IL was
known that such a manifestation Of
nature was az hand. The results oh
tained by observers and recorded by
delicate instruments will form the first
collection OF data and will be invaiu-
able 20 men who will take up the task
when the present generation Is gone
from the earth.
Uncle sam co-operated with the
scientific world. The United States
photographic Office had requested the
captains OF all sea vessels and all the
wireless operators TO keep careful logs
during the time OF the passage through
the tail. recording all electrical effects
and magnetic variations. Especially. It
was advised. a sharp lookout should
be kept for meteorites
Those who had PRAYED that the end
OF the world might be put on until
some future date. when Il would no
longer be their concern now have the
satisfaction OF feeling that their pray
ers have been answered False alarm
Il was as II some one had hit a noun.
tain with a veil
Nevertheless there viii be many
who will not feel safe until they End
themselves still enjoying life today
Looking at the phenomenon from
coldly mathematical point OF view. il
had been figured out in advance that
no danger was 10 be feared Those fig
ures applied only TO this visit