New-York tribune., 1904-10-02

rick Il was placed a truck and drawn by
thirty horses 20 the entrance of the Museum of
Natural History. The neteorite VIII remain on
the truck until to-morrow morning. when Il viii
be placed on q concrete pedestal under the arch
OF the museums entrance. The weight OF the
naeteorfte IS .hirty-siz tons.
The route taken BY Thomas AcLaren. the cen
tractor. in moving the nieteorire was along FIf-
tsrh-st and Eighth-ave. TO the museum. In
clu6iEg the tine FOR Se~ stops the great mass
was carried In less than an hour.
BREAK JACKKNIVEs on IT.
A patroIruan. a half dozen nurse girls. some
small boys and several officials Of the museum
greeted the aeroIite on arrival Hardly had the
trucEmen unhitched their horses when the
heavenly body was covered with ambitious boys.
al eager TO dig out piece o. the metal as a
souvenir. Jaclknives we're broken by the dozen,
HISTORY OF THE METEOR.
This interesting object had been observed ~
Pesry In the vicinity Of Cape York Greenland.
IN 1895. shortly before his return from his third
Arctic exploring expedition. He brought with
him AZ that time several smaller ones. but made
special trip 70 the North IN 1896 70 secure the
other. It was deposited al the navy yard on the
arrival Of his ship the Hope. and has remained
there ever since
Concerning the origin OF the specimens found
near Cape York there was some question for
year or two. Only a short tine before Nor
densk1old had discovered similar masses much
further to the northward. he believed them 20
be meteoTites. Foreign experts declared, how
ever. thai the metal probably came from ter
fsstrial source, because IL would rot stand all
ne tests which are prescribed. That BELIEF was
Strengthened afterward when basaltic rocks.
which resemble lava and represent volcanic ac-
0F,-f -raFr
where Nordenskjod saw the iron. For this
reason scientific men felt some suspicion about
the stones from Cape York
SIM their characte- was vincicated at last
Ihey had the glossy exterior which results from
hnsion when flying through the atmosphere. and
me peculiar pitted surface which is characteris-
nc o. true naeteorte Then. too the proper
uoh of nickel and carbon combined with the
HOA conIoTned closely with established prece-
oeAI The most convincing evidence Was the
las' 10 be obtained. If such "A specimen Is OF
ceestla origin II viii exhibit still another trait
a small hit of surface being ground clean. the
use of nitric acid win bring out a peculiar net
work Of lines called the "widuannstattian fig
ursE Samples from the huge mass were put
% ne hands Of several experts in America and
Eufope-arnnng them specialist in the British
AuseuEn who had condemned the Nordenskjold
fons'-and Peary's own theory was fully con-
hrzned.
Il might not be safe 70 affiru that this enor-
nous aeroIite is the largest known but II IS
Probably true that its character has been attest
e more satisfactorily than that OF any other OF
su size From time inlmemOrial travellers have
tad remarkable stories about the existence Of
aage masses OF iron fn remote parts Of Mexico
Noncerning the general truthfulness Of these
-~Fratives there can be no doubt but the belief
NAT the objects IN question fell from the skies
has not been sufficiently substantlated 10 Justify
Popular acceptance. The vast majority OF gen
The meteorites which survive the ordeal Of
combustion while ayipg through the air weigh
only a feW ounces. only a few exceed thar Ity7it
n 1915 Sir John Ross. a captain and exniorar
~ the service Of the British Nav. found tbat a
certain tribe OF Esquimous in the region no,,
known as Meteorite Island. had iron polp,s -