The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-16
TODAY IN HISTORY
Remarkable Total Eclipse Of the Sun
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1910.

Simple and we'll known though the fact
may be. according To the explanations ot
astronomical science, that solar eclipse
is caused by the intervention OF the
moon between the sun and the carth
during the daytime. and that the erect
OF such jntcrposj;ion is to obstruct the
suns rays-ihc light being turned Into
darkness while the phenomenon lasts-a
total eclipse Is, without doubt, the most
sublime and awc-nspiring spectacle upon
which the eye OF man is permitted to
gaze
BY far the most remarkable eXhibi.
llon OF This kind was that which occurred
on June l6, 1906, when the sun In the
northern part of the United states was
totally eclipsed for nearly 1--WE minutes,
about half an hour before noon, the width
OF the moons shadow being about one
hundred and fifty miles, or about sew
enty-nye on each side OF the central line
This eclipse OF 1906 is regarded by aStron-
omers ~ the most memorable ever known
in the United States and that OF August
:, 1869. being the next IN grandeur and
interest.
Fortunately for the interests of science.
June 1G. 1906, was day OF remarkably
fine weather: scarcely cloud being. Yis-
ibl. In any part OF the heavens. The dark
ness was so lntonSc for this part OF the
day that n great number of stars were
TO be seen. Including Venus and Mars.
The Impressions made by such an ex-
hihition upon different minds are not the
least interesting points. James Fcnni-
more Cooper, the novelist, though but
youth at The. time OF the eclipse. was so
enthusiastic an observer Of the spectacle
that twenty-five years after the event he
wrote minute account Of what he saw
and how he felt during the wonderful oc-
currence.
During tho eclipse the MONDAY heat
began 10 lessen and something OF the
GOODNESS OF early evening was noticeable.
In Mir. Coopers narrative he says that
all nNing creatures seemed thrown into
state OF agitation. The birds were fut-
inrlncr no In, .,,,f .
they seemed 10 mistrust that this was not
the gradual approach OF evening and were
Undecided in their movements. Even the
dogs became uneasy and drew nearer
their masters. AS the light failed more
ana more with every passing second the
children came flocking TO their mothers
In terror. Many laborer left his em-
ployment TO be near his wife and children
as the dmness and darkness Increased.
Swallows were dimly seen dropping into
the chimney's and the fowls began going
to roost."
But though the eclipse Of 1906 was,
at least In the duration OF it's totality
meporable above all precedent. to Ameri-
can observers the total eclipse OF August
Z 1863. was destined to be more impor-
lant from scientific point OF view. and
TO I'LL more prominent place IN history.
on account OF the great progress In
astronomical knowledge and the corre-
spending improvement In all the instru-
ments Of telescope observation charac-
terzinS the lapse Of more than threescore
years.
Never was more extensive preparations
made by governments and men or science
TO have thorough observations of a solar
eclipse than at this time and never was
the weather more propitious for such an
event TO be noted in all its phenomena.
AS usual, on the occurrence OF such a
wonderful sight, some strange incidents
transpired. In his account OF the 1869
observations made by Professor Watson
at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Professor Tyler
the case Of a good man who
went around the town for days before
hand and denounced the impiety OF the
scientific proceedings going on-that the
astronomers were Profanely attempting TO
pry Into Gods secrets and that he had
yelled his sun in order to BATTLE them
The cloudy weather. which continued UP
TO the last day. seemed to give some sup
port TO HIS declarations, but, notwith-
standing his assertion that God would
keep his rain a-going and prevent the
use OF sSeir irrelisious telescopes, the day
cleared off with the utmost spendor. An
other local prophet announced that the
eclipse was a judgment upon the world
for its abomnations and that the path
Of its shadow over the earth would be
marked by utter blight.