“To the ordinary, everyday, dollar-chasing human being the advent of a meteor is always clothed In a cloak of mystery, a sort of sublime supernatural.”
“Coming from another world as it were and passing through space within the limits of this world’s attractive force is enough in itself to cause one to believe that things ‘do move’ outside and beyond our own little cooling ball of mud.”
“And when one of these meteors gets so close to earth that its original propelling force is overcome by the earth’s attraction and it fails with a dull but dazzling thud we all sit up and take notice.”
A meteor falling to the earth is not of so rare an occurence as an ordinary being would suppose, still, the falling of one is considered worthy of cable and telegraph tolls from one end of the world to the other and the news is sent broadcast.”
“Most extraordinary occurrences that happen through the agency of man grow tame and gentle and even pall and grow stale and cease to call forth comment in a short time no matter how thrilling and wonderful may have been the initial performance.”
“Not so with a meteor. It is always new, always on tap for separation, always a subject that the wisest of us know so little about.”
“The passing of falling of a large fragment of a meteor is a sight to be long remembered by those in the lucky zone who are fortunate enough to witness it.” (Evening Bulletin, Oct 23, 1909)
“When the steamer Claudine with the Congressional party on board was off Mahukona at 12:20 this morning. The ship appeared to be almost under struck by a meteor which fell into the sea something like three hundred yards in front of the ship.”
“The officers of the ship were almost blinded by the dazzling light and an explosion was heard, presumably caused by the meteor striking the water.”
“Territorial Senator Palmer Woods heard the explosion, thought comparatively few on board knew of the incident, the larger portion having turned in early to prepare for the first day in Hilo.” (Evening Bulletin, May 20, 1907)
“‘You bet that was a real meteor,’ said Captain Parker of the Claudine this morning in speaking of the meteor display which was exclusively reported in the Bulletin.”
“‘It seemed to fall right in front of the ship just as we were off Mahukona. The flash was blinding and the explosion was like the report of a sixteen-inch gun.’”
“‘I put in at Mahukona to take Palmer Woods on board. He was asleep in the Mahukona warehouse and the explosion aroused him so suddenly that he grabbed for his suit case and started up thinking something had happened or he was late for the boat.’” (Evening Bulletin, May 23, 1907)
The Claudine arrived in Hawai‘i in August 1890 and was part of the Wilder Steamship Company and later Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co.
She carried the Hawaiian annexation delegation to San Francisco following the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.
In Dec 1899 the steamer collided in darkness with the barkentine William Carson causing it to roll over losing all its cargo and crew personal effects.
Her regular service run was to Kahului, Maui where ‘Claudine Wharf” was built to accommodate inter-island steamships (now ‘Pier 2). She left service in 1928. (SOEST)
