The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-09-15
WAS STUNNED BY A METEOR
a. S. GAFFORD WAS TOO NEAR
THE AERIAL FTREBALL.
Displayed the BFiIIlancy Of An EIec-
trio Headlight and Burst With
Loud Explosion.

A 5. GaffOrd OF VOltaire township
will never forget the train OF heavenly
fire that caught him in its electric
air and left him almost unconscious
within the evening shadows OF his
own door. And the terrific explosion
that instantly followed will long re-
mind him OF the ancients' conception
Of an angry deity, or possibly the
crack Of doom.
But it was not the wrath Of the
heavens god, nor GabrieI's trumpet
note, but a frisking meteor that pros
trated Mr. GahOrd at about 9 o'clock
Saturday night
He had spent a strenuous dag pillow
ing fireguards and back-iring at
home, and fighting the prairie fire to
the east which last week started from
the railroad and threatened to over
run a large stretch Of territory in the
northeast part OF this county The
FIRE had been put out with difficulty
during the day, and Mr.. GaffOrd was
resting at home from his sore labOrs.
At about o'clock in the evening
he went out TO see if there were any
signs OF fire. And just as he step
ped from the house the heavens turn
ed as light as day. He saw the ap-
preaching streak Of light and turn
ed toward the door, calling as he did
so to the rest Of his family to come
and see the meteor.
His hand had hardly reached the
dOOr-knOb when he sank down over
come by an electric shock He re-
gained himself in a moment, but for
half an hour he was pale as a ghost
and his sight was very much affect
ed, everything appearing 10 him in an
ashen color.
Mr.. GaffOrd, in speaking of the
phenomenon, said that the meteor ap-
peared TO be twenty-five yards long,
its course lying from northwest to
southeast The nucleus was wildly
bright and as il shot by il looked as
big and bright as an electric head
light on a locomotive. From that, the
brilIiancy diminished to the tail, dis
playing blue and yellow in beautiful
tints. 1t is estimated by Mr. GaTord
that the explosion OF the meteor hap
pened about two miles east of his
house. but he was unable to find any
fragments or violence TO the earth in
his search for souvenirs the next day.
The material in the meteor was doubt
less almost entirely burned when the
explosion occurred.
Mr.. GaffOrd was a telegraph opera
tor years ago, and IN speaking Of his
experiences with electricity, said that
only once before had he been so seve-
rely shocked, and that happened in a
peculiar manner He was out in the
country with his brother after a hard
rain. and the ground was muddy
along the telegraph poles. BOylike,
he was anxious to know what stations
were being called up On the line, 50
he crawied up a pole and got cpnnec-
tions with the ground by having his
brother hang on to his feet with one
hand and sticking the thumb OF his
other hand in the mud The currents
OF electricity in dots and dashes"
could then be felt and he could read
the calls The thunder storm was
still in progress away to the east, and
the lightning happened to strike the
wires; "and then it was concluded
Mr.. Gafford, y got one OF the big
gest and closest calls that ever went
over the WIRE