The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

Shooting Stars.
This electrical phenomenon was observed on Wednesday morning last at Richmond, and its vicinity, in a manner that alarmed many, and astonished every person who beheld it. From one until three in the morning, these starry meteors seemed to fall from every point in the heavens, in such numbers as to resemble a shower of sky-rockets. The inhabitants happened at the same hour to be called from their houses by the fire bell, which was rung on account of a fire that broke out in one of the rooms of the Armoury, but which was speedily extinguished. Every one, therefore, had an opportunity of witnessing a scene of nature, which never before was displayed in this part of the globe, and which, probably, will never appear again. Several of these shooting meteors were accompanied with a train of fire, that illuminated the sky for a considerable distance. One, in particular, appeared to fall from the Zenith, of the apparent size of a ball of eighteen inches diameter, that lighted for several seconds the whole hemisphere. During the continuance of this remarkable phenomenon, a hissing noise in the air was plainly heard, and several reports, resembling the discharge of a pistol. Had the city bell not been ringing, these reports would probably have seemed much louder. The sky was remarkably clear and serene, and the visible fixed stars numerous the whole night. We are anxious to know at what distance from Richmond this phenomenon has extended. Its hoped that persons who have remarked it in other places, will not neglect to inform the public of the particulars, as such information may add, in a great degree, to the knowledge of Meteorology.
Since writing the above, we have been informed, that several of the largest of these shooting meteors, were observed to descend almost to the ground before they exploded. Indeed, many of those which we saw, appeared to approach within a few yards of the house tops, and then suddenly to vanish. Some persons, we are told, were so alarmed, that they imagined the fire in the Armoury was occasioned by one of these meteors, and in place of repairing to extinguish the earthly flames, they busied themselves in contriving to protect the roofs of their houses from the fire of heaven.
This circumstance of the shooting stars descending within a short distance of the ground, is however, a fact highly important to be known : as it has been generally supposed, that meteors only proceeded in a horizontal direction, and never fly perpendicular upwards or downwards. Those which we particularly remarked, appeared to descend in an angle of sixty degrees with the horizon ; but as the smaller ones were so numerous, and crossed each other in different directions, it was only possible to ascertain with any precision, the paths of the largest and most brilliant.