THE METEOR OF DECEMBER 21, 1876. 43 



Garrett, Ind., December 21. — The people of this place are considerably 

 perplexed because of a very remarkable phenomenon which occurred this 

 evening about 9 o'clock. There was an explosion in the air almost as loud 

 as a cannon, and much sharper. The heavens became illuminated, and 

 many persons became alarmed and rushed into the streets. There was a 

 rumbling sound after the explosion, which lasted over five minutes. 



Jacksonville, III., December 22. — The grand and gorgeous meteoric 

 display Thursday night was the topic of interest here to-day. All who 

 had the good fortune to witness the sight concur in the opinion that it was 

 a scene of resplendent beauty and sublimity. An interesting fact, in addi- 

 tion to those telegraphed by your correspondent, is that the passage of the 

 blazing meteor athwart the heavens from southwest to northeast was fol- 

 lowed, first by a hissing sound, caused, doubtless, hj the cleaving of the air, 

 and then a rumbling sound like distant thunder, supposed to have been 

 caused by a rushing together of the air to fill the vacuum. 



Keokuk, Towa, December 22. — The meteor which passed over this city 

 last night was the most brilliant ever witnessed here. Its apparent path 

 was downward about forty degrees eastward, and it left behind a train of 

 light embracing all the tints of the solar spectrum blended into an illumi- 

 nating blue and purj^le. This train continued visible for more than a min- 

 ute, assuming a serpentine form in places while drifting into obscurity. 

 The height of the meteor when it passed here is estimated at twenty miles. 

 Soon after the flash a perceptible concussion was felt. At Laharpe, 111., a 

 distance of about forty miles from here, the detonation resembled the report 

 of a cannon, and it is thought that the final explosion occurred not far from 

 that place. The meteor threw (M" a large number of fragmentary lights. 



Burlington, Iowa, December 22. — A large number of citizens on the 

 street at 9 o'clock this evening witnessed the descent of an immense flaming 

 aerolite, which passed over the city in a direction east of northeast, and 

 probably went into the earth somewhere in Illinois. Its extraordinary size 

 and evident proximity to the earth were remarked, and its light was so 

 brilliant that many aver that newspapers could have been read by it. The 

 train that followed it was many-hued, as though composed of cooling parti- 

 cles of metal. It was seen also at Union ville, Missouri, and at Fort Madison, 

 Iowa. 



Dorchester, III., December 22. — The most wonderful displa}'' of a mete- 

 oric nature was seen at 8:45 last night. It appeared to rise in the west, and 

 was at its highest elevation about three-fifths of the distance from the 

 northern horizon to the zenith. It appeared as wide as the disc of the sun. 

 The trail was about thirty degrees in length, emitting in appearance sparks 

 and balls of fire. Time in view, about thirty seconds; disappearing about 

 fifteen degrees above the horizon in the northeast. 



QuiNCY, III., December 22. — The brilliant meteor of last night has been 

 the general theme of conversation here to-day. 



Louisville, Ky., December 22. — A telegram from Bloomington, Indiana, 

 to the Associated Press agent at Louisville, says Prof. Wylie, of the Indi- 

 ana University, distinctly saw, for three minutes, the meteor of last evening. 



Prof William Black, of Keokuk, Iowa, remarks': " The brilliant mete- 

 oric display of last evening was quite a remarkable event in the history of 

 the science in which the phenomenon is embraced. Ordinary shooting stars 

 are of frequent occurrence, i^o audible sound proceeds from them, be- 

 cause they are bodies of feeble density, and are generally dissipated or con- 

 sumed while yet at an altitude of fifty miles above the earth's surface. But 

 the spectacle of a dazzling detonating meteor, as the one of last evening, is 

 quite rare. 



