Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22

PROF. EMERICK's LONG SEARCH FOR FALLEN
MKrEoR AND HIS ACCIDENTAL SUCCESS.
The finding OF the great erolite which was
seen by many persons in Independence town.
ship, Washington comfy, Pa. on the night OF
September 14th, is told at length by the Pitts
burg Dispatch. About month after the ero-
lite was seen and was said to have fallen, Prof.
Jonathan limerick OF William and Mary COL
iege began searching for IL. His search led
MN into Butler county, then into Allegheny,
ana, although he decided that IL the stone fell
any where IL must have been near Claysville,
ne examined very infinitely all that region OF
country lying contiguous TO Claysville, extend
ing MS researches north and south OF that
point Tor about six miles, and also spent some
time In wandering Through that part OF West
Virginia lying adjacent TO Washington county.
On the 18th of this month the savant was re
varied by finding the huge stone on the farm
OF MT Frederick Miller, about two miles north
nigh hill, which is heavily tmbered with oak,
ana was deeply imbedd in the soil and almost
concealed from view by the dead leaves the
wind had blown over il. The discovery was only
an accidental occurrence. The professor being
wei acquainted with the geological strata OF
a s'ei, trennsyIvania, was engaged In locating
the discharge OF this duty stumbled upon the
spot where the immense 9rolite lay. 1t re
CURED three men several days TO unearth the
monster. 1t had penetrated the earth until il
came In contact with stratum OF limestone,
when this sudden check of its fearful velocity
caused IL To break into many pieces OF all sizes
ana shapes yet when the earth was removed
from around Ii, il still preserved its original
shape, SO that the professor WAS enabled To have
a photograph made of ii, and IL only fell TO
pieces " hen the specimen hunters tackled IL.
Prof. limerick states that there are only Is
Observation-Disclosures cases in which arolites
nave fallen I'm the United States during the last
W years. Besides these there are POI the date
OF whose fall is reasonably well determined.
Ihere are also "A Instances of erolites i'm
winch the date of fall is not given authorita-
lively. Add 10 these SO Masses which from
their peculiar composition, are believed To be
&rolites, though the date of their tall is not as
certalnable and we find the entire number OF
@roiites which have fallen TO be about 43O.
Prof. limerick says this stone will weigh per-
maps 200 tons, being considerably heavier than
lore ialen On an analy sis it was ascertained
That there was in its composition chromium,
nickel, aluminium, copper, magnesium, tin
ana other metals and metalloids.
1t contained 81 per cent of iron which may be
readily worked. This indicates that the stone
Is not OF terrestrial origin, for while iron ores
are abundent in nature, iron in the metallic
state Is exceedingly rare. Ii also contains In a
small quantity substance called schreibersite
a composition which has never been found ex-
cept In Rrolites. Its specific gravity is ..4l2
ABOUT twice that OF the Gurnsey. Ohio, erolite,
which fell on the LIST of May, 1860. The eleva-
uon oil The 9rolite was computed To be about
o. miles above the earth's surface, and its pa tn
was nearly horizontal The length of its visible
path was about $50 miles, and 1t moved from
northeast to southwest. The time of its flight
was estimated between 5 and 10 seconds indi-
eating velocity OF not less than 1 ) or 20 miles
per second.