The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-24
LARGEST METEORITE.
1t Weighed Fifty Tons and Was
Broken Up with Dynamite.

Chicago Special.
Prof. Henry A. Ward. of this city, who
has returned from a visit to Mexico, an
nOunces the discovery there of the largest
meteorite on record This gigantic messen-
ger from the skies, which is so big. says
Professor Ward. that it would cost $4,000
to bring it to the sea coast weighs about
fifty tons.
The announcement of this discovery has
been made by Professor Ward to an acad-
envy of science. His account before the
academy was the first presentation Of his
discovery to the scientific world. 1t was the
intention of Professor Ward to prepare
paper fully describing and setting forth
the important topic for the society, but as
it was not ready he gave instead an in
formal account.
Professor Ward stated that he had just
returned from a visit to the West Indies,
South America and Mexico and that while
in Mexico he found what he went after-a
giant meteroite.
You know how many meteorites have
been found in Mexico?" he said. ''Why,
they are so large and of iron formation is
what puzzles. Some have said it is due to
some special attraction of the minerals in
Mexico. but this hardly seems possible to
me, owing to the rapidity with which the
earth revolVes, and If meteor were at
racted TO given spot, the velocity of the
earth 5 momentum would throw it far from
this point Of attraction.
ITO me ii seems likely that the explana-
ton Is the dry atmosphere of the country
the meteor is not worn or decOmpoSed.
Still, 1t is an interesting question what has
caused this meteoric fall which has no
parallel elsewhere. The same question
might come up in regard TO the construction
OF the meteOrites, which are all of iron,
there having been only two or three of
stone found. In Arizona and Kansas the
meteors found are all of stone. 1t is very
puzzling- The Mexican government has
been very liberal in bringing together these
meteorites, which are grouped before a
building in the City of Mexico, and hand
somely mounted, some $4,000 having been
appropriated for this purpose.
Il had heard a rumor of a very large
meteorite in the country bordering the gulf.
These rumOrS were so uncertain that they
made search for it very tempting, so
having a month at my disposal deter
mined TO set out and try TO settle the ques-
ton once and for all in regard to the exist
ence of this meteorite."
Professor Ward gave a very interesting
account Of his expedition in search of the
mammoth meteorite. The first thing he did
was 10 hunt up a photographer to accom-
pany him, and this matter gave him some
difficulty, since he was afraid he might not
find any one in Mexico willing to undertake
the expedition. But after finding his man,
They made the journey partly by rail,
then along the seacOast and the volcanic
region, disembarking at Colima and tray
cling by mule around the volcanic noun
tain of COlima. He described this volcano
emitting sudden and silent explosions
of vapor which rise in the air like a flower.
He Travelled about ninety-five miles from
the coast, and finally found the meteor1te
about which so many rumors had reached
the scientific ear, some declaring 1t was as
large as a ship. 1t was found in Guilt
waited cornfield.
Professor Ward engaged some twenty
eight Mexicans TO dig it out for him, paying
them 20 cents a day, which was double their
regular wages. 1t took them a day and a
half to dig around the mass and expose its
base. 1t rested on solid rock, and had not
this rock interviewed ii would have diSap-
clared- There was absolutely no soil be-
tween IL and the rock on which II lay. All
the surrounding soil had undoubtedly come
in since the meteor fell, and If this were
so II Will carry its fall very tar back in the
past, the speaker said.
Professor Ward gave the size as thirteen
| feet one inch in length, six feet four inches
thick and five feet four inches WIDE and
| the probable weight as fifty tons. The out
| side was we'll preserved, the absence of
moisture in the atmosphere preventing de-
| composition. The pittings were finely dis
| tributed all over II. There was one large
crack. BY using small sticks of dynamite
Professor Ward was enabled to separate
| several large specimens of this meteOrite,
! which he declared to be beautiful i'm forma-
| ton. The great mass Will probably never
| be removed. He estimated ii would cost
/ something like $4,000 TO get it to the sea-
| port.
| But the discovery, says Professor Ward.
| is an exceedingly valuable one, in settling
| once and for all the existence of this me-
| teOrite, and is of special interest to scien-
| lists. IL was stated by Professor Dodge,
president of the academy. that Professor
| Ward possesses the largest collection of
meteorites ever got together by one in
/ dividual, though the latter says 1t ranks
fourth in size in the world.