Wandle Mace Witnesses the Meteor Shower of November 8, 1833

On the night of November 8, 1833, Wandle Mace was conducting a test of the first street-sweeping machine ever made and used in New York City, which he had constructed for Mr. Kidder. This trial was made late at night when the streets were deserted, and the sweeping machine worked perfectly—sweeping the street quite clean and gathering up the dirt and carrying it off. Mr. Kidder, a sickly consumptive man, could not expose himself to the night air due to his health and greatly regretted that he missed what was to become a famous celestial event. As described by Wandle: 'As near as I can describe its appearance it was as a snowstorm appears when the snowflakes are large, but not very close together and falling slowly, but instead of being flakes of snow was stars. Thousands of bright meteors also shot through space in every direction and some would burst making a loud report, having long trains of light.' Arriving home, Wandle called the attention of his wife to the remarkable celestial phenomenon, and together they watched the stars fall until daylight obscured them from their vision. This great meteor shower of 1833 was one of the most significant celestial events of that century and was witnessed by Wandle Mace and recorded in his autobiography as a memorable sign in the heavens.