The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-12-27
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
STARS FELL ON ALABAMA"

"Stars Fell on Alabama" which caused me to look
nm quaint old history entitled, Great Events ol
the Past Century" In this book there Is chaP'et
entitled. Sublime MeteOric Shower All over the
limited States" which of course, includes AiaOanla
and from it excerpts taken which may prove
of interest to my readers: Extensive ana mag
nifcent showers of Shooting stars nave peeh Known
70 occur at various places in modern times; put
the most universal and wonderful which has ever
been recorded is that of the 18th OF November
1888, the whole armament, over all the uniteu
States being then for hours IN merry commotloh'
..No celestial phenomenon has ever occurred IN
this country since the first settlement, when was
.iewed with such intense admiration by one class
in the community, with so much dread ana
alarm by another During the three hours OF us
continuance. the day of judgment Was believed TO
be only waiting for sunrise, and, long after the
shower had ceased, the morbid and superStltlous
still were impressed with the idea that the mai
dav was only week ahead Impromptu meetings
for prayer were held in many places, and many
other scenes of religious devotion, or terror, or
abandonment of worldly affairs, tranSpired, under
the Influence of fear occasioned by so sudden and
awful display. ...
"Rut though in many districts the mass of the
popuIation were thus panc-stricken, through fear,
as we'll as want of familiarity with the history OF
such appearances. the more enlightened were pro-
foundly awed at contemplating so vivid picture
of the apocalvptic image-that of the stars OF
heaven falling to the earth, even fig tree
casting her untimely figs, when she is shaken by
a mighty wind. In describing the effects of this
phenomenon upon the black population, a south
ern planter says:
81 was suddenly awakened by the most dis
tressing cries that ever fell on my ears. Shrieks
of horror and cries for mercy, could be heard
from most of the negroes of three plantations,
amounting in all to some six or eight hundred
While earnestly and breathessly listening for the
cause. l heard faint voice, near the door calling
my name. l arose, and taking my sword, stood at
the door. At this moment heard the same voice
still beseeching me to rise, and saying, %, my
God, the world is fire! l then opened the door,
and it is difficult to say which excited me most
the awfulness of the or the distressed cries
of the negroes. Upwards of one hundred lay pros
trate on the ground, some speeches., and others
uttering the bitterest means, but with their hand
raised imploring God to save the world and them.
The scene was truly awful, for never did rain fall
much thicker than the meteors fell toward the
earth; east. west, north and south, it the
same In word the whole heavens seemed in
motion.
"The display. as described in Professor Still
mans Journal, was seen all over North America.
Over this vast area, an appearance presented itself
far surprising, in grandeur and magnlticence, the
loftiest reach of human imagination. From two
o'clock until broad daylight, the sky being perfect
ly serene and coudless, incessant play of daz-
cling brilliant luminosities was Kept up in the
whole heavens. Some of these of great mag
nitude and most peculiar form. One, of large SIZE
remained for some time almost stationary in the
zenith over Niagara Falls, emitting streams Of
light which radiated in all directions. The wild
dash of the waters, as contrasted with the fiery
commotion above them, formed a scene of I'M
equaled and amazing sublimity. Arago computes
that not less than two hundred and forty thou
sand nleteOrS were at the same time visible above
the horizon at Boston,
! "TO form some idea of such a spectacle, one
must imagine a constant succession of frebals,
resembling sky rockets radiating in all directions,
! from point in the heavens the zenith, and
following the arch of the sky toward the horizon.
They proceeded to various distances from the IA
! dating point, leaving after them a vivid streak
of light, and usually exploding before they dis
appeared. The balls of various sizes and de-
grees of spendor; some were points, but
others were larger and brighter than Jupiter or
Venus; and in particular appeared to be near
ly of the moons size.
! "Some of the larger meteors must have been
bodies of very great size. DR.. Smith, of North
Carolina and other persons in various places, saw
a meteor whihc appeared to be as large as the
full moon. If this body were at the distance of
one hundred and ten miles from the observer, it
must have had diameter of one mile; if at a
distance of eleven miles, its diameter was five
hundred and twenty-eight feet; and if only one
mile off, it must have been forty eight feet in di-
ameter. These considerations leave no doubt that
many of the meteors were of great size, though
it may be difficult to say precisely how large. The
fact that they were stopped by the resistance of
the air, proves that their substance was light; STILL
the quantity of smoke, or residuum, which re-
suited from their destruction, indicates that there
was quite a body of matter.
Although it is doubtful, from the want of
requisite data, whether the of the meteors,
or the height of the meteoric cloud, has been ac-
| curately ascertained yet the truth in regard 20
the latter may be Appropriated. According to the