The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-08-23
A wANDERER FROM SPACE
A Huge Meteoric Stone Alleged to Have
Fallen in Mississippi.

tox a we'll known citizen of Simpson
county, who owns an extensive farm at
Campbell's creek, about Is miles SOUTH
east of this place, came in town TINS
morning and told of a remarkable oc-
currence of huge meteoric stone when
fell near his house on the night OF July
81, Mr. MattoN says about ten O'CLOCK
at night he went into his barnyard as he
had been accustomed to do before re-
firing, to see that everything was llght
about his premises. The night was
somewhat cloudy, but not especially
dark. He had visited his stables and
harvard and was on the point OF re-
turning to his house when he heard a
peculiar kissing sound near, and at the
same instant luminous glow fell all
around him. as if the moon had sudden
" emerged from the clouds. He looked
I'D and Was almost paralyzed at the sight
of a brilliant ball of fire descending
through the air with the speed of light
ming, and having a commet like tail ex-
tending far up into the heavens.
The descent was only visible for sec
ond. but in that brief space he says he
suffered an eternity of unspeakable ter
ror. The ball struck the earth with a
dull report 800 yards from where he was
standing. 1t was some minutes before
he could recover the use of his limbs.
Then. running to the house he aroused
the family and several day laborers
about the place, telling them a comet
had struck the earth and they had only
few minutes to live, In short while
the whole plantation was up and men
and children were heard crying and sup
plicating heaven for mercy. Seeing
that nothing further happened, and
being a practical man, as soon as his
alarm subsidized Mr.. Mattox prevailed on
two or three men to accompany him to
the spot They could not get closer than
thirty feet on account of the heat and
noxious fumes of sulpher and gas which
the stone emitted. 1t gave out a ruddy
glow. which Illuminated the atmosphere
for some distance around, by the light of
which they could see the grass and twigs
all about in a circle fifty feet or more in
diameter, burned and singed to ashes
The stone sizzled and steamed and shot
out lets of steam or vapor from a thous-
and pores.
Mr.. Mattox and several neighbors Wis
tied it the next day, when he was able
to get closer view. BY daylight it
showed up dull, dingy black, and was
full of pores, which still shot out jets Of
vapor of an offensive smell, which al
most stifea one. The stone is
evidently embedded in the GROUND
for some distance, and shows
only about foot above the surface. Mr.
Mattox estimates it to be about the size
of hogshead, and says when he LEFT
this morning it was still throwing out {
strong heat, and it would require some
days to cool off sufficiently to permit it,
being dug out. AS Mattox is we'll known
in this community there is no doubt
whatever of the truth of his statement
The stone will be exhibited at Jackson
park as soon as it can be handled. Mr.
Mattox hopes to realize handsome sun
for it from some of the great ocieties in
tesested in meteoric collections. 1t is
certainly the largest wanderer from the
realms of space which ever found its way
to the earth.