The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-10-31

Prof. George r. Merrill, curator OF
the department o. geology of the Ma.
tional Museum. who II engaged In
making a chemical analysis OF the
specimen known as Ardmore meteorite.
has recently issued statement con-
corning a stony meteorite which fell
near Felix, Perry county. Ala. on May
Is. 1900, says the Washington Times.
This meteorite has many points Of re-
semblance to the Ardmore meteorite,
which latter stone contains an element
SO difficult of classification as to lead
many scientists to believe that Prof.
Merrill is on the point Of discovering
a new mineral. Prof. Merrill. however,
does not share this belief, thinking that
under further examination the bafhins
constituent will prove to be known
quantity. For the details concerning
the fall Of the Alabama meteor. as well
as for securing the specimen itself, the
National Museum Is indebted to ]. w.
Coleman, who visited the locality and
obtained the statements of eye wit
nesses. Prof. Merrill describes the gen.
eral appearance Of the state as follows:
So far as can be learned-a part of
the Information being obtained by Mr..
Coleman from negroes-the state at the
time of the explosion broke into three
pieces, the largest OF which was the
one brought to Er. Sturdevant, and Is
said to have originally weighed about
seven pounds, as already noted An
other small piece was found, but has
disappeared. and the third, if such
there was, was never found. The stone,
az obtained By Mr.. Coleman. was
broken into i've pieces. which weighed
altogether 2,04c grams. 1t is about
thirteen centimerers In its greatest
length by nine IN breadth, and about
the same thickness. ami was covered.
except where broker. by a very thin
black crust. nowhere more than half .
millimeter in thickness. The color on
the broken surfaces il dark smoky
gray. almost bi.rk. It Is very dne
grained. with numerous small dark
chondrules. not more than one or two
miflimeters In diameter at most, and
with no metallic iron visible to the
naked eye. The mass is quite soft and
friable. and resembles in general way
the stones of Warre1ton, Warren coun-
ty, Mo-, and Lance, France, more close
ly than those Of any locality with
which the author is acquainted. The
color is. however, darker than is the
Warren county stone, and the chon-
dritic structure more pronounced than
in that Of Lance. 1t is. moreover uni
formly gray in colcr. and not speckled
with white, as is the last named. I'm
der the microscope the stone is seen at
once to belong to the chondritic type,
as Is indeed evident m close inspection
erals are Divine, augite and enstatite
with troilite and naCive iron, the sill
Gates occurring i the form of chon-
drules or associated in more-or less
fragmental part ",e;;. embedded in a
dark opaque or taintly translucent
base, which is irresoivabla, so far as
the miscroscope Is concerned. The
structure is pronouncedly fragmental.
and the stone belongs beyond question
to the group Of tuff7"
After a careful and minute investiga-
ton into the micrcs opic structure OF
the specimen Prof. Merrill determined
the neurological composition to be as
follows: Metal. 3.O4 per cent; troilite,
Ats; chromite. LIT; graphite. 0.36; SOL
uble silice'e (olivine in part), 1880; in
soluble siiscate (enstatite and augite in
part), 1907.