Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-02
BALL or FIRE LARGE As WASH.
Tus LIGHTS UP PORTIONS
OF FOUR STATES.
DLlNolNc GLARE AND
TRAIL OF FIRE FOLLOWS
Mstserie Phenomenon startlss Popu:
lace Within 100 Mile Radius-Win-.
dsws Shaken and Frightened Resi-
dents Moved 70 Praysr-Mistatsn
Fer Huge. Aircraft. -

Sioux City, June "A meteor which
and Minnesota for a radius Of more
than 100 miles from Sioux City shook
hovses and ratified windows in close
proximity to its trail at 9:15 o'clock
Thursday night. The display probably
never been equaled her efor many
years.
The ball of fire with its binding glare
and trail of fire and smoke appeared
from the northwest and crossed the sky
in an arc, disappearing in the north
east.
The display was seen in Omaha,
Neb.; Onawa, Ia: jackson, Neb., Da-
kota City, Neb.: Yankton, S. D.; YER
illion, S. D.; Hawarden. Ia; LeMars,
Ia; jefferson, S. D.; Hinton. Ia: Sioux
Falls, S. D., and at points in Minne-
sofa.
Directly Over City.
Sioux City seemed to be almost di-
rectly in the path of the flaming ball.
crest of the arc was slightly to the
southwark Of that place, while the met
cor appeared directly overhead at JEFF
ferson, 8. d.
Dwellings here were shaken and win
dows ratified. Residents tumbled from
their beds. People rushed into the
streets. Wild rumors were current
Probably the greatest excitement pre-
vailed In the bottoms, where the foreign
population is large. 1t was feared that
raid was being made on Sioux City
by enemy aircraft. Frightened persons
went into the streets and fell on their
knees in penitent attitude.
Woman Frustrated.
One prostration was reported. Mrs. III.
A Barr. 1918 Isabella street, was rid
ing in an automobile near Fifth and
Douglas streets when the night was
made as bright as day by the meteoric
display. Sheawas overcome with fright
and did not revive until after reaching
her home.
O. y Moore, 241s Nebraska street.
was one to rush from his home to as
certain the cause of the binding flash
of light which illuminated his home
and the disturbance which shook the
windows. He saw nothing but a thin
cloud Of smoke In the sky and heard a
slight rumble
F. II. Forrest. deputy sheriff, of Da-
kota CITY. Neb.. reported that his house
had been shaken by the meteoric vio-
lence and that many persons in Dakota
city. had been terribly frightened by
the phenomenon.
McDowali On Job.
34 Caw SMcDowall. met eorolog ist rush :
ed INTO his yard after the disturbances
and1GS able to perceive the thin cloud
Of smoke In the trail Of the meteor.
He did not know OF its widespread
scope, and concluded that there had
been "a weather disturbance and that
a remarkably strong bolt of lightning
was discharged from the thin cloud
in the sky. He heard several distant
claps for some time after the light dis
play.
Mr. Mcdowell at first was disposed to
discredit the meteor theory, but after
the messages began coming in from
distant points abandoned his thunder
cloud theory and assumed that the dis
turbance was due to a meteoric dis
play. -
David waltermire. who lives in a cot
tage at Riverside park. witnessed the
flight OF the ball Of fire as it swept
across the sky IN a huge arc. He said
it came from the northwest with in
creasing violence and brilliancy. The
missile was almost white at its fore
most point and the tail grew reddish
in cof6ras It dwindled to invisibility.
John Milton Jr.. superintendent OF
Maceland Park cemetery. reported that
he saw the fireball as it burnedra path
across the northern sky.
Large as Wash Tub.
W A. Pack. who lives in Coles adj
dition, is another who saw the display
almost in Its entirety. He said the ball
appeared as large as a wash tub and
when 1t was about to disappear at the
horizon, burst into bits.