Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-25
A VISITOR FROM SPACE.
Captain Foley ON the Meteoric stone
Found In AnfeIOpe Valley.


Captain Foley contributes the following
regarding the meteoric stone found in An
telope Valley, near this place. The stone
is a true bill, as also the Captains descrip-
ton OF it:
EDITOR SENTINEL A very rare, curious
and interesting subject, the property Of
L. j. Morrison, is to be seen at the Parker
House. A visitor to our globe from the
realms Of space. A meteor, measuring
IL by IA and Is inches, and has a spherical
or globular shape. Its chemical compost
ton appears to be for the most part silicon,
with a small percentage Of copper, sui
phur, cobalt, and nickel and colored brown
from the peroxide Of iron. 1t will be an
invaluable assistant in adjoining Mr.. Nor
rison's valuable cabinet Of rare, beautiful
and costly neurological specimens. 1t
was found in Antelope Valley. The In
dians in that country observed it ap-
preaching the earth at night in the shape
OF a comet or falling star with a tail Of
fire. 1t struck on the hillside, f~rscturing
and assuring the mass a little, enabling
the eye to see some distance toward the
center Of sthe meteor. 1t bounded from
where it struck fifteen or twenty feet to
"heio ~ was lOuuu III U Lthbtu COuulblOu
next day. There are numerous records
and stories in all ages and countries Of the
fall of meteoric stones upon our earth.
As was natural with objects Of such celes-
tial and mysterious origin, meteoric stones
have always been regarded with religious
and superstitious generation. The holy
Kaaba OF Mecca and the great stone Of the
pyramid Of Cholula in Mexico nave the
same history. One constant characteristic
Of meteoric stones is the fused black crust
like clay or varnish with which the sur
face is coated. From the circumstances OF
this coating being very thin and separated
from the inner line by q sharply defined
line, it might have worn off after being ex-
posed to the climatology of Antelope VAL
ley for many years. And IL this is not the
case, then this meteor is an exception to
this constant characteristic of meteors, for
the color of this one is brown, and this
colorpervades the whole mass, being given
it by n of its elements, paroxide OF iron.
To account for the phenomena Of meteors
various opinions have been promulgated
in every age as to whence come those
celestial visitors to our world.
The nebular hypothesis shows as to the
genesis OF the recognized planets out Of
portions Of the gradually contracting
yaporous mass Of the sun the continued
discovery Of the hitherto unobserved
asteroids between the orbits Of Mars and
Jupiter the countless multitude OF comets
that are observed traversing our system
in all directions, undergoing appreciable
alteration, both Of consistency and orbit.
The discoveries that are being made by
the telescope show that matter exists in
the inter-planetary spaces in every variety
of form and condition, and that detached
masses are found revolving in an inside
pendant orbit, and giving rise to sporadic
meteors, and also connected systems form
ing rings or zones around the sun. The
intersection Of our earth's orbit by such
zones or streams would account for the
periodic swarms OF meteory. What causes
the luminous and ignited condition of
meteors? Terrestrial magnetism was at
one time suggested as the exciting cause.
The atmosphere extends, although in q
very rare condition, to a great hight, and
the ignition is believed to be caused by
the friction by the rapidly moving body
and the air. JOHN NJ. FOLEY.