The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-03-12
THE GREAT IOWA METEOR.
Recovery Of a Fragment that Fell
Near Homestead.

Professor n. r. Leonard, of the Chair
Of Mathematics and Astronomy, at the
Iowa State University, has had the good
fortune to secure a portion of frag-
ment of fhe meteor which fell near
Homestead. Iowa County, on Friday ev-
ening, February II. The exact locality
of its fall was the southeast quarter oi
Section 5, Township so, Range 9, west.
It was on the farm of Mr.. Sherlock
Some members of his family were re-
turning from a spelling-school at the
time of the descent of the meteor, and
saw, as they thought, three or four frag-
ments fall in the direction of their house.
Those of the family who remained al
home heard this fragment as it went
whizzing by, and thought that it had
passed over the house. They sought for
it the next day and the day following,
but in consequence of the deep snow,
did not find it until Monday, wher a
daughter of Mr.. Sherlock found it about
fifty rods northeast of their house. Pro-
fessor Leonard has visited the spot and
noted such items as were attainabIe.
The meteor struck upon the snow and
ice just beyond little slough that runs
through their pasture-6eld, making a
very slight indention in the ground, and
bounded northeast, distance of thirty
feet or more, up a slight declivity, and
came to rest upon the snow. 1t was ap-
parently warm when it fell, for, when
found, it was adherent to the ice and
snow underneath, so that il required a
smart rap to loosen it. Professor Leon
ard entertains the suspicion that the
place pointed out is not the first place
of striking, but that when the snow goes
off he shall find upon the other side of
the slough more decided mark or
impression where it first alighted, and
from which it bounded to the spot first
mentioned. This, Of course, is mere
conjecture, but it seems that the impres-
sion made upon the ground where it
first alighted should have been more de-
cided.
The weight of the entire fragment was
seven pounds, six ounces, though we are
sorry to state that before Professor l..
could'gain possession of it it had been
reduced to three pounds eight ounces, to
supply specimens, not to men of science,
but simply to neighbors or curiosity
hunters. This mutilation of the speci-
men is greatly to be regretted, and as it is
every way probable that with the melt
ing of the snow other fragments now
buried in the deep snow-drifts will be
found, the hope is entertained that the
press, and all who desire the advance
ment of science in this rare and deeply
interesting field, will use all their infiu-
ence to prevent the mutilation of such
other fragments as may be found, and
up OF the meteor among the different
museums or cabinets of the State, it
shall be collected at one place so that it
may be examined and photographed as
a whole-or as nearly so as possible
The specific gravity of the specimen ap-
pears to be near $50, its structure
strong, with some admixture of iron
The face of the fragment, which formed
part of the surface of the original
body, is covered with a comparatively
thick black coating, not perfectly
smooth, while that face by which the
fragment was Joined to the main body is
coated in like manner, but in less de-
gree.
The outer surface has the pitted ap-
pearance characteristic of such bodies.
Professor Leonard has placed sam
pie in the hands of Professor Hierichs
for chemical analysis, and hopes soon to
be able to announce definitely as to the
number and proportion of the different
elements it contains.