, 1925-01-25

CHICAGO. Jan. 24.-(United Press)
TO the millions of persons through
but the northwest shadow band OF
tho eclipse, Il was like sitting in a
theater with the show going on be-
hind the curtain.
Only In two or three spots did
the thick. low hanging clouds part
for momentnry giimpses Of the shin.
mering glory Of the horizon. For
the balance OF the vas audience.
there was only a moment Of intense
darkness at the moment of highest
observation to repay for the trouble.
Scientists who had made elaborate
and expensive preparations to OBJ
serve the eclipse shared In the dis
appointment of the millions who
jammed roof tops. the lake shore.
the hills and the open country from
early dawn 10 long after tho hour Of
observation.
The world OF radio may make i'm.
portant gains as the result Of tests
made during the eclipse. The Zenith
Radio corporation announced It had
determined beyond doubt that the
suns rays reduce broadcasting pow
err by causing absorption OF the cleo.
tro-magnetic waves. Radio tests of
Northwestern university failed to
show this condition. but reports from
Iron Mountain. Mich, where radio
tests also were made. indicate find
ings similar to the Zenith Radio
company report.
Telescopes aimed at where the
should have been. at Iron Noun.
tain. Michigan. at Evanston, Ills,
and Bayfield,. Wis. failed to pierce
the view OF clouds and fog which hid
the heavens.
Astronomers from the University
of Chicago and University OF Mime.
sofa had worked for weeks preparing
to photograph the spectacle. At
Northwestern university. Evanston.
Professor Philip Fox. experienced a
like feilure.' He had attached a
spectroheliograph to his telescope,
to photograph the colors IN the spec.
treme during the eclipse.
At the Yerkes observatory, Lake
Geneva. Professor Edwin B. Frost OF
the University OF Chicago likewise
met with defeat. Photographs were
taken but they are not expected to
disclose anything more than a foggy
haze. At Bayfield,, Wis. Carleton
college acknowledged that the ele.
ments were ~victors.
Ono scientific discovery resulted
from the eclipse. Harold Gray, Of the
research department OF the Zenith
Radio corporation told the United
Press. This is that the SUMS rays
are responsible for the reduced pow.
er OF radio waves during the daytime.
Experiments to discover whether the
shadow Of the o over the sun re.
produced the effect Of night. were
successful. no said.
During the entire period Of the
eclipse, Gray heard the announcer
at WJAz portable station at Esca-
naba. Mich. broadcasting on a wave
length OF 26s meters. Ordinarily
II is impossible to get that distance
after sunrise.
THE test proves that the suns
rays absorb tho electromagnetic
wavo during the daytime" Gray said.
The shadow OF the moon created
hishe Sohuitions lncFe were times
when the reception was comparative.
ly light but we passed from totality
In Michigan through a belt Of com.
parstive light"
Tests Of the same nature at
Northwestern university were un.
successful It was announced. No
stations In the shadow belt were
picked up. while Louisville and Gin.
cinnati. below the belt came in per.
fectly.
Detroit was the only midwest
point which reported clear skies. At
st. Paul hundreds stood In awcd
silence while great ~oloudbanks lift.
ed for a few moments and painted
the canopy before them in marvellous
coiors. Then the curtain dropped,
and ended the panorama.