Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-14
LOCAL NEWS.

elk c.-.-A- AtA
HIsFoRr or sToNB.-As numerous inqul-
fles are daily being made relative to the "Ainsa
Meteoric Iron Masu,p now atfha smithsoninn In
stitution, we give below brief aeeount Of its his
tory. Itoriglnally came from Tucson I'm Arizona,
and derives its name nom Mr.. Jesus NJ Ainsa who
FIRST rendered II accessible for scientific investiga
ton. The nrolite was discovered BY The Jesuit
Missionaries in the mountains near Tucson called
the "sierra Do Ia Madefa.r tHall u fl ihay
Al early as the rear mas, Don titan Bautisia
Ana, Governor Of the Western Provinces (El Capt.
tan de las Provincias del Occidcnte, ordered n 10
be removed from the mountains. II was his inten-
tion TO transport It to SPAIN but the attempt was
abandoned on account OF the difficulty which would
have attended its conveyance to San BIAS, at that
time the nearest port OF entry
The asrollte was therefore left ~ Tucson, and
attracted for more than hundred years the Atten-
ton Of scientific men who visited that country
Since the acquisition of Arizona By the United
states u has been mentioned In The oelsl repotta
OF Government agents. 80 n {i5-'
by a singular coincidence, Augustin Alnsa, the
great grandson Of Don Juan Bautista ANA, under
took In 1860 to transport tho aeroite and present
II to the Smithsonian Institution. with great dim
Guilty II was taken as far a. the Ynigo hacienda,
where II remained until May, 1900, when Jesss d.
Ainsa, In a visit to sonora, took II to San Fran
cisco, with the intention Of Forwarding n to the
Smithsonian Institution. ..H '1lafs1Q GirI
II lay upon the steps OF the Cus,Pm House At
san Francisco for some time, and the pub
llcgaze. II was there photographed very admirably
by Mr.. Watkins, the Californian artist, that an
exact representation might he secured In case II
should be lost by wreck oreapturedb by Confederate
priyatecrs while on Its way to Washingtop. II
was shipped on the Panama steamer, whichsailed
from San Francisco on the % Of last August and
arrived at the Capital about six weeks, ago. ~
II weighs 1000 pounds according 70 tho statement
OF lfr, Alma. II ring-ahapod and une-fourth Of
It was buried in the ground at Tucson In order 10
support II in q convenient position for use as an
anvil The greatest exterior diameter Il 10 inches;
least exterior diameter is % inches. The geateIt
width OF Its central opening 10 osJf inches It's
least width Of central opening II % inches. The
width OF the thokest part OF the ring i7 inohes
width Of narrowest part az inohes. 7ai y 1'r..
The mass contains a large pei eentage Of awhite
almost transparent licious mineral having a
yitreous 1ustre, which may be eliyine. Additional
particulars OF this mass, well no OF the 'Carle-
ton masH," which was discovered near the same
place, and 10 supposed TO have fallen about The
same time, win be found In the "Proceedinga Of
the California Academy OF Natural sciences, from
whence we CLEANED the shove. aaaE
... ....nI... ----- . -----'n s|H.fI .. 20
DoUaILs MISUNDERSTANDING had occasion
to visit this hospital recently, we have concluded
70 give short sketch OF ~ for the perusSl Of our
readers. II ia situated on the corner OF street
and New Jersey avenue, and was formerly the
residence Of the late .senAtof Douglas and other
Senators. II IL by far the hnest building devoted
% hospital purposes in the city, and a. hospital
has a splendid reputation, which 10 due to the
skillful management Of the present surgeon-In-
charge, Assistant surgeon W. Thomson, US A.
OF Philadelphia, whose many acts Of kindness to
those upder his charge will be gratefully Iemsm-
bered BY many soldier from the loyal Staten long
after this "oruel war IL ovcr.p fTfa Tts-li.e1i1
The Hospital is divided into nine wards, four IN
the main building and ive in the barracks connect
ed with the main building, each OF which contains
so beds, not including the attendants rooms. hi.
The medical gentlemen eonAe Jted with the In.
stitution are VIM. =. Norris, Assistant Surgeon,
U. s. Al DR.. Letterman, (brother OF the late Med
ieAl Director OF the Army of the Potomao,) now
absent account Of sickness, to the great regret
OF all In the hospitals Jas Carlos carvAiio, and H.
Gibbons, jr. Geo. p. HAnAwalt 10 the Executive
Steward, and has been Tor long time connected
with the hospital. ...4.......
His abilities and fGithfulness In tn discharge OF
his duties have won for him the confidence and
respect Of his HuperioTs and his care and kind at
tention the affection Of the attendants and the
patients. steward II. NJ. Bacon Ia the able and
efficient commissary steward, and steward ,.
Burghausen, tAssiHted by VIM. NJ. Burchar1,) has
generous and Anable department., hA' won the 70
speet OF all visitors, As well aS those connected
with the hospitalj andhH friends would delight TO
see him ho1ored with better position than the
one he now fills. Company X, 18th Invalid Corps,
Capt. H. D. Norton, ID Lieut.. =. RSni, arc now
stationed at the Hospital.
Captain Norton, as military assistant to the
surgeon-in-oharIe, controls the military DEPART
ment OF the hospital. First Sergeant L. l.. Dorr,
OF this comp'ny, formerly Of company D, Thir-
teenth Massachusetts volunteers, and for long
time clerk IN the hospital 10 chief clerk, and has
charge OF the ONCE, and Sergeant o. M. Lane dis
charges the duties OF wardmaSter in a manner
satisfactory TO both ofieers and men, and nothing
that can promote the happiness and comfort Of the
patients iS neglected in the hospital, and many a
sick and wounded soldier will bless the day that
made sergt. L. an inmate Of Douglas hospital.
The Sisters OF Mercy have charge OF the culinary
arrangements and the dispensing OF medieines TO
the sick, and well and faithfully do they perform
the duties they have chosen to assume. a'
A LARGE HEAD.-Rufus Stanley, a colored
brciklayer, was arrested Monday evening about o
o'clock by olOer sebold, Of the seventh precinct,
upon thy charge OF stealing three hats from the
store OF James T. Davis on Pennsylvania avenue
son OF Mr. Davis saw him while In the act Of
stealing and had him arrested. Stanley had the
hats on his head, and was Immediately taken
before Justice Johnson who committed him to jail
for court.
REBEL 0FFIoBRs SENT OPP.-Fourteen con-
federAte officers, prisoners Of war, among them
Captain ]. 8. Lee, nephew Of Gen, Lee, were sent
hence Tuesday, by railroad under gusrd, for con
hnement in Fort McHenry, at Baltimore, They
have been mostly In the Old Capitol prlSOn for