The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-05
The Iowa Meteor.

A DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF TIE BODY.
Professor n. R. Leonard, Of the Iowa
State University, gives the following descrip-
ton and analysis of the meteor which re-
Gently fell in that State:
Visited the neighborhood where the me-
teor fell, and found there half dozen small
pieces, the aggregate weight Of which was
about nine pounds. I employed an enter
prising young man to search the district
which mapped out for him. In pursuance
OF our arrangement he secured the services
of q number of men and boys, and made 4
systematic search, which resulted in the find
ing of $50 pounds, of which have secured
141. Other persons have somewhere from
twenty-five to fifty pounds, and / know Of
twenty-five pounds more. suppose, there
fore, that the whole may have amounted 10
as much as $50 pounds. The appearance OF
the pieces Of the meteor is quite peculiar !;
there is no danger Of any one beng unable
to distinguish them at sight from any ter
restrial rock who is able to distinguish
beans from shelled corn. They are covered
on the outside by black coating formed By
the melting Of the outer surface in conse-
ouehce of friction with the air. In some OF
the fragments there is plain evidence of an
EXCELSIOR baying taken place while the me-
! teor was yet ia the air, and the melted mat
ter in these cases has apparently run over
these surfaces of fracture. In other cases
there are fractures where the newly exposed
surfaces are barely smoked.
The meteor seems TO have been composed
OF large number Of separate bodies grouped
around q central mass which weighed forty
| three and a half pounds. The largest piece,
unfortunately, was broken in falling. One Of
the fragments weighs sixteen pounds, and
another twenty, and the remainder OF the
nucleus is composed of small pieces. These
fragments were all found lying close to-.
gether. have had four of the most perfect
specimens neatly photographed, so as to
show their irregularities of form and thelr
peculiar pitted appearance.
| | have taken pains to secure a thorough
and careful analysis of the Iowa County
meteor. AS stated in 4 private communlca-
ton, l placed fragment weighing about
ten ounces in the hands Of our professor Of
chemistry as early as the 24th OF February
upon bis promise to furnish me the results
for publication. He has not yet reported !;
but fortunately Professor j. Lawrence
Smith, who is we'll known in this country
and in Europe for his numerous and Valua-
BILE contributions upon this and kindred
subjects, solicited the favor OF small part OF
| the piece given W Jul JiOlCSSoi' PioSt ~
it. and sent it to him on the 30th OF March,
aud he furnishes me with the following de-
| Examinations
analysts of Professor J. Laurence Smith.
Specific gravity of specimen furnished. Soi:
earthly matter, S1.64; triolite, 81; nickell'
ferrous iron. 1881. The nickel,terous iron
contains: Iron, 80 o.; nickel, 1875; cobalt,
81. together with traces Of phosphorus, sui
pbur, and copper.
The earthly partcontains silica, protoxide
of iron. magnesia, alumina, and soda, with
traces of lithia and potassium. This com.
position is quite similar 10 that of the Guern-
sey county, Ohio, meteor, which fell May l.
1860.
The worlds stock Of these meteorlc spe'
cimeus is by no means large. Its entire
store of meteoric stones up to A. u. lSOS
is the product of 261 known falls. and OF
100 stones whose character is undoubted,
| but of whose fall DO one was witness-mak.
ing total of 421 falls, some of which Welded
| less than half pound. The store oil mete'
ORIG irons is somewhat Larger.