The times., 1897-09-26
WEIGHS ONE HUNDRED TONS
Pieces of This Huge Iron Bowlder
Used by Natives in Their Rude
a rt- History of the Curio-It
VIII BE Placed in the Museum at
Central Park.

In the interstellar regions, has ava kened
the deepest interest among scientists.
The Cape York meteurite VIII find an
abiding place IN the American Museum of
Natural History. 4 was secured for this
institution through the generous efforts OF
Morris K. Jesup. or course, there is an
interesting history in connection with this
great metallic body, which, for generations,
has rested in its fugid bed Ia the arctic
regions.
Half a century ago, when Ingefield re-
turned 10 England after exploring along
the northwest coast OF Greenland, he re-
ported that The natives in the region
OF Cape York tipped some OF their weapons
with a metal resembling iron. These
natives, when asked where they got the
metal, replied that 1T came from some
great stones. InglefieId became greatly
Interested in this Information, but his
efforts 10 locate the stones were futile.
Other explorers tried, but they also failed
Psary. during las second visit 10 north
west Greenland, was successful in locating
tEern near the north shore oT Melville Bag
and some distance east OF Cape lih. The
huge stones, AZ Prary suspected, were me
1eorites 4 extraordinary size. They not
onl s proved to bcT.trC and Undressing speti
mcrs but the lar geSt known Long befoEr
this discovery the natives tad adopted mod
eru weapons introduced by explorers aud
whalers and had 10 further need 81 the
big metallic rocks. Lieut.. Peary, there
fore. decided 10 brng them home
In 1895 De brought home the smaller
meteorites but while De was IN the act 0f
moving the largest one the Ice began 10
form on the bay, and, TO avoid being
caught in the ice and compelled 70 spend
~. ma
started for home.
one Of the purposes OF his visit 10 Green.
land last winter vas 10 secure the great
meteorite but before II was transferred to
Tie waters edge ms machinery broke down
and tie Uro jact was again abandoned Hr
brought home a specimen OF the giant
metaorite atOut the size OF a goose egg
Many people had discredited the news
brought nome 10y the exploring party that
tlas monster meteorite was genuine one.
NHeu the specimen was etched by the
nitric acid process It was found 70 be
perfect ana rare specimen with "A crystal
line structure all over IL. All doubt as %
the genuineness Of the meUeorite was dis
PEELED from this time on
The Cape York meteorite is IL feet long
and feet wide. From these measure
nleuts, allowing for Irregularities, the huge
mass must weigh in the neighborhood Of
100 tons. II is composed OF metallic iron,
8 small percentage OF nickeliferous iron and
two or three other minerals. The compost
ton is similar 10 that used in plate armor
on United states warships- A good idea
Of its construction and appearance can be
Obtained from the two meteorites found il
the Cape York district and presented by
Lieut.. Peary 10 the American Museum of
Natural History in 1895. They are now in
position In the meteorological department.
They are only terme small when spoken OF
IN relation to the big Cape York mcteorite-
The smallest tips the scales at l i 90 pOun dis
while the other weighs 5000 poun ds, it be-
ing the largest now on exhibition in the
United States
The former is egg-shaped, with a smooth
surface, and resembles in all appearances
a huge bowIder. The larger is the fine
and more interesting of the two. On tt
surface are the Jagged edges made 10y tn
stone hammers of the Eskimus, who, doubt
less for generations, have Clipped frag
rnents from these stones TO give hare
point to their knives ana harpoons. WheI
Explorer Peary discovered these three
meteorites they We're surrounded 10y g
countless number Of broken stone hammer
aud other implements used to chip Of
meteorites, which have not been touches
by the stone hammers Of the natives, shoV
a pitted surface, with fine crust, causes
by the heat developed in their passag
through the earth's atmosphere.
The second largest meteorite now o.
exhibition in America is the Ring meteor
tie. from fdexico Ii is four feet in di
amcter and derived its name from tn
pcculiarity Of It's construction. The Bri
ish Museum probably has the finest col
lection in existence Some OF them rang
from two TO five feet ia diameter tn
weight "f the one which they claim TO b
the largest on exhibition In the world t.
day is &, 73l kilogra ms. 1t VIII b
dwarfed by more than ninety tons b
the great Cape York meteorite.
Several fine specimens of iron and ston
neteuritcs are on exhibition in case l .
the meteorological department of the Amer
can Museum OF Natural History. One yer
fine one, a little more th n one-half of III
original piece from the desert Of Atacanla
Chile. is OF special interest as it conta in
unusually large quantities of fine dtssem
mated iron. The piece as IT now is weigh
ten and three quarter pounds. Anothe
specimen, a u iron one, from Berezna, Hun
gary, shows in sections the peculiar Wit
nannstattiaD characteristics of meteorl
iron.
These workings appear as bright ret
culated, angular lines, or a dark bacl
ground, and are developed on the polisl
Cd surface by the use Of nitric acid.
weighs about fifty pounds and fits pitte
and irregular surface shows plainly wheI
the meltsble portions were separated fro
IL bv the friction Of the atmosphere.
or the three kinds OF meteorites, thos
composed wholly Of iron, those having
mixture OF iron and earthy matter, an
those nearly or wholly OF stony materia
which arethe most common, the instttutio
has a large and valuable collection. Th
report that the Hope viii leave sidne
C. B., for this port as soon as coaled, lead
the officials OF the museum TO believe Tia
the big meteorite VIII be delivered If not
ing Unforeseen happens, sometime durln
the latter part OF next month.
II is doubtful whether it viii occupy
place alongside its smaller sisters In Il
niineraiogich department, on the thil
floor. The architects of the buidiT
contend that the structure could not safe
support a body OF such great weigh
The prize VIII likely find an abiding pIa
IN the basement with the sacrificiaI sto
Of Tizoc and other giant relics Of u
common size.