New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
NETEORITES IN THE MUSEUM
FINE SPECIMENS IN THE KUNz COLLECTION
HOPING TO FOUND \ METEOROLOGICAL
DFPARTN FyNT.

DEPARTMENT.
One of the largest meteortes which has ever been
seen to fall on this earth from outer space is tom
poray in the collection of the American Museum Of
Natural History here. II Is dark mass of iron and
nickel and weighs 107 IL pounds. In shape It Is
Irregular approa hing roundnrss somewhat, like a
lump Of snow or clay which had been grasped for the
purpose OF moulding into ball. The same idea Is
suggested by the appearance OF the surface. which IS
pitted all over with lamentations that look like the
marks Of the thumbs and fingers Of some huge being
who had moulded the Of liquid metal and flung
1t at enemy In space. The metcOrite, with
eighty thee other specimens belongs to George +.
Kunz the IMMORAL expert OF Tihany's, who Is I'm
Paris with the Tiffany collection Of gems at the En-
position. The collection OF meeOrltes, which he has
offered 10 sell TO the Museum, IS the largest private
collection known, and has been picked up, piece by
piece by Mr. Kunz from different parts of the world
The Johnson County mecorlte. tho large one IS
called COTS its name from the place where It fell
Johnson County, Arkansas, o. March 81. 1856. Its
descent was or heard over area of nearly 100
miles and caused grea: alarm. The loud report was
followed by long-drawn kissing sound and came in
the middle OF a pleasant afternoon. The mcteorite
cut through the limbs Of tall pre within seventy
five yards Of the house of Christopher shandy the
Arkansas River His wife who at home alone
saw the limbs fall from the tree and when her husband
came back I'm the evening no found tho meteorte in
the ground about three feet below the surface II was
hot when they dug il out. In few days the accounts
of 1t were spread over the country and the meeorlte
was purchased and exhibited In different towns before
It was obtained by Mr. Kunz.
Many OF his other specimens have an equally IN
teresting history except that their fall was not r.
corded at the time with accuracy. One which came
from fancy County, No. Is almost round. Mr.. Kunz
obtained this I'm 1857. II found In 1857. 1t is
not of pure metal like the Johnson County stone but
is partly of Divine and other crystals. mctcorilo
IF twenty-five pounds shaped lilc an anvil was
found I'm Laramie County. Wyoming. a few years ago
by miners. Another of about pound was oh.
tanned OF a blacksmith in North Carolina. Sew
cral small pieces found in Jenny's Greek
WAYNE County. W. Va. in 1sS2,S3 Parts OF three
pieces which fell Dalton, Ca. were obtained by
Mr. Kunz, though the most OF them had been worked
into nails and hOrse,hocs by local blacksmiths but
from what remained It ascertalned that the three
pleces were parts of mctcortc which had OK
ploded before touching the earth. They had fallen
at distances OF fifteen or twenty miles from each
other
Professor Whitfield who has the collection I'm charge
hopes that the museum may secure it from Mr.. Kunz
With what tire museum now has II would make
good basis for meteorological department The
Smithsonian Institution has good collection OF meteor
ties, but the most complete numbering several hundred
specimens each, are those OF the British Museum, and
In Vienna. The museum collection has Fart
Of the Gloretta meteOftc. weighing fry three pounds
which found on GlOrictta Mountain. NeW-NeXco
In 1884. This like the Johnson County meteOrc +
almost pure alloy Oh nickel and now oil a silvery
hue, the fibre Of which IS much twisted.