MISCELLAlfEOUS PAPERS. 399 



south 60° east. From here the fire-balls were seen to rise just barely 

 above the horizon, rest for a moment or move in a curve, then fall 

 back. This observer was not the farthest. 



They were seen from an upstairs window of the poor-farm at Gar- 

 nett, Anderson county, 56 miles distant in an air-line, south 27|° east. 

 Horizon toward Topeka elevated 2' of arc above a level. Necessary 

 height of fireworks, 2210 feet. This is a most astonishing thing, and 

 is what caused the question of mirage to be instituted. The reliability 

 of the observers had to be first established; then the chance of their 

 seeing something else, as shooting stars or fireworks at some inter- 

 mediate point, was considered and rejected ; finally the question of 

 mirage was considered and established beyond question. The con- 

 ditions were favorable : A clear sky ; a lulling of the wind to about 

 one to two miles per hour; a slight frost; temperature 24° to 28°; 

 rapid radiation from the earth and consequent settling of the cold air 

 into the valleys. Under these conditions there surely was mirage ; 

 though it could not have been known or noticed except under the 

 peculiar combination of circumstances that then prevailed. The ac- 

 counts of these observers were confirmed by numerous other letters 

 received from Lyndon, Quenemo, Pomona, Williamsburg, Waverly, 

 and Lebo, from 30 to 48 miles distant. 



Greatest distance southwest was at Ottumwa, 6 miles northwest of 

 Burlington, Coffey county, 52 miles distant, south 5' west. Horizon 

 toward Topeka elevated 2' of arc. Necessary height of fireworks, 2034 

 feet. This is another case that shows the effect of mirage. This 

 place happens to be in the same end of the oval of vision and is 

 governed by the same conditions as Garnett. 



Whether this mirage was of the pure refracting kind cannot be 

 told. A ball of fire may be inverted without changing its appearance. 

 It is probable, however, that to observers in Anderson and Coffey 

 counties, some low-lying, light, fleecy clouds, not visible at Topeka, 

 overhung Osage and western Franklin counties, and reflected the fire- 

 works into the lower counties. This is the more probable from the 

 statements of the observers, who were almost unanimous in saying 

 the fireworks appeared at a height of 2° to 3°. The fireworks were 

 not seen at Ottawa or Princeton, well within the circle of vision. 



A full description of this remarkable phenomenon may be seen in 

 the Topeka Daily Capital of November 19, 1899. 



This map shows the area over which the fireworks could be seen in 

 favorable localities. This area covers 6000 square miles, equal to 

 about ten counties. (Map not reproduced.) 



It is to be observed that the longest diameter of this oval (87 

 miles) lies precisely in the direction that the wind blew that night ; 



