Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-23
AURORA B0REAL|S
DISPLAY DAZZLING
Entire Country Brilliantly Illumi-
mated Last Night by North
ern Lights.
WIRE SERVICE INTERRUPTED
Telegraph Lines Put Out of
Commission From Atlantic to
the Far West.
WIRE SERVICE INTERRUPTED
fBv Associated Press


NEW YORK, March 22.-Aurora
borealis was attacked tonight with
spring fever. He kicked up his heels.
danced all over the sky and put tele-
graph wires out OF commission from,
the Atlantic seaboard TO the Far West
The wire chief Of the Western Union
headquarters tried to take the patients
pulse" but reported the company had
no instruments strong enough TO meas
urc the voltage In the electric cur
rents which swept across the heavens
Natures skylarking in the North
land made tclegraphy an impossibility
for fifteen mi.utes-a record in this
vicinity-and caused Il furry in news
paper Offices all over the country, when
news westward bound wos held UP.
Complete Tie-Up Results.
There were Interruptions IN tele-
graph service early in the evening,
but the complete tie-up came at s:45.
BY 10 O'Clock Western Union reported
!; was beginning TO recover some Of
its circuits. but realignment or bal
The american Telephone and Tele-
graph Company. which also reported
It's telegraph service was completely
had not interrupted it's local or long
distance telephone service. Cable term
inals were hard hit, while wireless ap-
paratus waged an UNEQUAL fight gainst
nature for command OF the air
There VIII be many a stiff neck in
New York tomorrow. Men. women and
degrees TO miss not flash OF the free
electrical display. Tho encyclopedia
lists various, types OF the phenomena-
area, rays. bands, curtains and coro-
nas--and there were stargazers TO be
found who so!emnly swore they had
detected every type.
Stnrgazcrs Are Numerous.
EiEh,hawks stalked the street or
wards midnight, staring at the heav-
ems. Riverside Drive and the parks
We're crowded until a late hour. while
along broadway natures lights de-
| ftatcd electric signs for supremacy
o: interest.
Many cities reported brilliant cleo
minutes At time.
Seen All Through south.
aurora borealis was visible in the far
south tonight, in some sections the
electrical display having been seen for
& she mrs, 1hsr,nH,on tine in gears. , In Columbia
lights were seen distinctly. and Mont
Somery. Ala, and cities in Tennessee
reported remarkable exhibition.
Z Throughout North Carolina and Nir-
sina great bands of light flashed
across the Skies, and in Washington
the display had the appearance of
heams from giant searchlights
The electrical discharge played
havoc with wire communications
throughout the South from early in
the evening until shortly before mid
night. the only lines escaping with
minor interruption being those run
ming South along the Atlantic Coast.
Great Display Seen Here.
Aurora borcalis was observed in
Richmond last night between s and $3.50
O'Clock. The manifestation, described
by United States Weather Forecaster
L. ~. Evans. as disturbance Of the
. magnetic relations between the earth
and the air was first noticed in the
north about S o'clock.
The display, which grew in intensity
as the minutes passed, gradually eT-
tended east and west. About o'clock
the phenomena became almost inviS-
hie To the naked eye. but Il few min
. utes later increased in its brilliancy.
The phenomena was observed all
over Richmond. and about fifty tele-
phone calls were received by the local
Weather Bureau seeking to determine
the cause.
pany reported interruption to its SER
vice in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific
Coast States, Winnipeg and points
West, including British Columbia, due
/ trouble with It's wires was suffered in
| Richmond.
ported trouble from the atmospheric
disturbance in the Rocky Mountain and
Pacific Coast States.
Messages for the territory affected
were received by the Western Union
subject To from two to three hours
delay on full rate messages and from
three to six hours delay on deferred
rate messages.
Petersburg, Danville Roanoke and
other Virginia cities reported dazzling
displays.