Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 167, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1911 — Biasing Meteor Seen in The Sky Sunday Evening. [ARTICLE]

Biasing Meteor Seen in The Sky Sunday Evening.

A falling meteor was witnessed by a number of our citizens last evening at about 8 o’clock, and many of them thought it fell near here, but they were probably deceived in the distance, as the same meteor was seen in Chicago and at other points. The Tribune has the following account of the event:

A fiery meteor sped across the sky over Chicago about 8 o’clock last night, throwing out a great light and filling thousands with awe. From Lake Bluff on the north to Jackson park on the south the big fireball was seen as it shot through space, trailed by a long, fiery tail. Tire meteor was the most luminous seen in Chicago in years. The meteor was not seen at. the Yerkes observatory at Williams Bay, Wis. Director Edwin B. Frost said the sky was cloudy until after 8:30 o’clock, and that it probably could not have been seen there, if the sky had been clear. The meteor is believed to have burst in the air while passing over Chicago. Residents of Lake Bluff first reported that they had seen it coming from the northwest and traveling towards the southeast. Chicagoans who saw it, say they believe the fireball exploded in the air. ; h

North shore residents who saw the meteor say it appeared to be traveling in a straight line. This is characteristic, according to* Director Frost. Some of those who saw it say it seemed to be going about as fast as a skyrocket Director Frost says the usual speed of meteors is about twenty-live miles a second. Harry S. Bunting, of Lake Bluff, was one of the first to report the meteor to the Tribune. “I saw it at 8:04 o’clock,” said Mr. Bunting. “It was speeding across the sky in a straight line and seemed to be about 500 feet in the air. I saw it go half way across the horizon and disappear in the direction of Lake* Forest The meteor seemed to be about half the size of the moon and was white with heat. A tail which I would estimate was between 300 and 400 feet long trailed behind it. The fire ball was so near to the ground that I could see the combustion. It appeared just at dusk and lighted up the whole sky.” Residents of Lake View who saw it say the fireball .was white and was followed by a reddish fiery tail. Persons who viewed it at Claremont and Western avenues declare the meteor was only 300 or 400 feet above the earth.

“From the description I would imagine the meteor was unusually bright,” said Director Frost, of Yerkes observatory. “We did not observe it here. The sky was cloudy during the early evening and then it may be that we could not have seen it, anyway, it being so far away. Meteors usually burn up in the air, although they often fall to the ground. We have not seen an unusually luminous one here for a long time.”

George E. Murray has traded hit 160 acre farm in Walker township for a 240 acre farm in Union township b »- longing to Joseph Smiley, of Marion.

According to a new order just Issued from the office of the postmaster general at Washington, no adhesive stamps, or imitations -of stamps of any form or design whatever, other than lawful postage stamps, shall in the future be fixed to the address side of domestic mail matter. This affects Red Cross stamps.

Considerable progress has already been made on the interurban right-of-way in Newton county. About twothirds of the right-of-way from Thayer to Roselawn has been cleared of timber paralleling the Monon track on the east side. This will necessitate the Interurban crossing the Monon track in the vicinity of Roselayrn.

The Chicago & Western Indiana railroad, through judgments entered in condemnation proceedings in Chicago courts, completed the acquisition of * all property necessary for its proposed new passenger station on Polk street, Chicago, to replace the old Dearborn street station. The judgment entered on the verdict returned by a jury, which had been hearing the case since July 5, aggregated $199,587, and affects three lots on Federal street, south of Polk street No definite decision has yet been reached by the directors of the road, however, whether to build on this site, as originally

proposed, or to adopt the plan President F. A. Delano of the Wabash railroad for a station at Twelfth street, when that thoroughfare is widened. It is said that property owners will appeal from the verdict.