Year: 1877

If Mr.. RICHARD PROCTOR, astronomer, be
an honest and trustworthy man, and
scientist who knows 50 hawk from hern-
the celestial regions, in comparison with
(which ordinary horrors would be tr1ttes.
According to A1r. RICHARD PRocTon, on the
evening beforelast Thanksgiving the people of
a star of the third magnitude in the constel-
lation of the Swan were deprived of their
next days dinners by conhagration Of such
vast dimensions that the efforts of the steam
ers, were unavailing. The fire ragged with
great violence for several days, and did not
subside until the whole institution was de-
stroyed The loss OF life, Of course, can
never be ascertained, owing to our defective
means of communication with that
particular quarter Of the swan where
tue late star was located. The
insurance losses are of little consequence, as
none of the insurance agerts are left to fur
nish the statistics, and the policy-holders are
ell gone. Probably more complete settle
ment of insurance atfairB and winding up Of
companies, SO as to be satisfactory to all con-
ccrned, was never known before. The poll
cies, policy holders, and companies all ex-
pired simultaneously, and no applications
will be made for renewals.
This disaster of itself wou1d not occasion
any particular anxiety upon our own some
what Insignificant planet. Our own insur-
ance companies had no risks there. We had
10 commercial relations with its people, no
Investments in its corner lots, no mortgages
on its property, no missionaries spread
ing our Gospel among its people, with
whose particular Gospel We are unacquainted
We should therefore have taken no vital in
terest in their conhagration, although we
might have had feeling OF regret that their
fire beat ours, and that feeling Of sympathy
for the late inhabitants Of the late star which
is common to al humanity. But Mr. RICH
ARD PROCTOR brings the calamity home to
our very doors in q practical-not to say
blunt and unfeeling-way, by showing that
the same conditions which produced the con-
fagration that sh1iveled up this star exist in
our own sun, and are liable at almost any
time to be set in operation, with results Of
combustion so dangerous to the integrity
Of the sun itself Us well as of our own
earth as to defy not only the combined
efforts of other fire departments but even Of
our own matchless one. The ruthless R1cB-
ARD thus dances on the edge Of the fiery
abyss


Ituppears, therefore, that there is nothn. in the
long-contnucd steadfastness Of our source
Of light to assure that he too. may not sudden
~ blaze forth With many hundred times his usual
lnstre tthc conhagraton being originated per-
chance, by some comet unfortunately travelling too
directly toward hiu.) Though he would probably
cool down again to his present condition III the
course Of u few wccke no terrestrial observers


would be alive at any rate. 10 note the fact though
the whole series Of events might afford subject Of
interesting speculation to the inhabitants OF worlds
circling round Sirius Or !Arcturus,


The despnir Of the situation is that Mr.
R1cHAsD PRocTon leaves us altogether in the
dark as to the time when this extraordinary
and interesting event may be likely to occur.
Judging by the 1nultitudinous areas of low
barometers and thermometers that have been
so 1ay'shly dealt ont all over the country
since last Fourth of July, we are in no i1,l-
mediate danger of being cremated at pres
ent; on the other hand, there is possibility
that we may be congealed and kept on ice
until the remotest time. If there is to be a
solar disturbance Of any sort, it will proba-
bly, happen because the solar stokers have
quit work for want of fuel, and the sun is
burnt-out Stag, with about as much warming
power in it Us there is ina cube Of ice. It may
be, however, that the present GOODNESS be-
tween the earth and the sun is only for the
purpose of getting & good ready. and that
even before spring sets in the newspapers
OF Arcturus and Sirius may be sell
ing extras giving sensational accounts
of our fire. Should sucn an undesirable
event occur, it would not be without some
slight consolation to parties having notes
maturing ninety days from now to the
afflicted people Of this whole country, as en-
phatically solving the problem as to the man.
ner Of counting the Electoral vote; and to
the pe>~ ae Of Chicago, as being an efectual
smasher Of the County Ring.


Our particular object, however, in alluding
to this unpleasant topic is to inform 4fr.