Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1899 — Reached the Southern Terminus. [ARTICLE]

Reached the Southern Terminus.

Yesterdsy Thursday, Dec. 21st, is the date of the winter solstice for the year 1899 That great celestial locomotive, the sun, will r (ached the extreme southern terminus of the line, and remaining in the round house a few days, to oil up, rest and perchance cooloff, it will take the back track northward for another six months steady run. This is popularly supposed to be the shortest day of the year, and on the latitude of Pittsburg, Penn., which is practically the same as Rensselaer, the sun rises at 7:21 and sets at 4:36; the day’s length being 9 hours and 15 minutes. This is as short as anybody wants it to be and as short as any other day in the year, but is no shorter than Wednesday was, nor than Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, will be. By Tuesday the machinery will be oiled up, and perhaps cooled off a little, and the sun will begin its six months home run, and that day will be one minute longer than today. And as “the days begin to lengthen the cold begins to strengthen.”