Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-30
Ball Of Fire Is Seen 10 Fall IN
Mountains Northeast Of City
and Terrific Roar Follows
Immediately
WINDOWS RATTLE AND
DISHES ARE BROKEN
Force Of Explosion Greatest n
Northern and Eastern Parts
Of Town. Was Not Noticed
Further South,

ullll6l OUullli
The explosion of O. large mcleoric
hodv la the Sandia mountains north-
east off the city last night about 1:35
O'Clock caused u terrific roar which
larrod houses TO their foundations.
ratified Windows, shook dishes from
shelves and created a state Of mind
amounting almost 10 panic ia hum
dreds Of citizens OF Albuquerque.
The greatest force Of the explosion
was felt IN the neighhorhood OF the
University OF New Mexico and In the
northern part OF the city. but there
We're many Ia the southern section
who experienced alarm az lts occur
renee AZ first Il was thought that
the powder houses on the mcm had
blown up. or that boiler at one OF
the manufacturing plants had ex-
plodcd, but investigation soon proved
these theories 10 hc without founda-
tion
Immediately after the meteor fell
inquiries began to pour into the Jour
man office from people an over the
city asking what had happened. aud
from that time until nearly midnight
tho telephones were constantly busy.
10 WAS nearly an hour after the first
inquiry before any definite informa-
tlun could be obtained In regard to
the matter
The first authentic news Of what
had occurred came through teie-
phone communication from C. II.
Christ of the Matthews Dairy & Sup
ply 60 Mr christ happened to be
outside in the yard about 80 o'clock
and was facne ia the direction OF the
mountalns suddenly he saw what
appeared 90 be huge bah Of fire how
er for mumcnt Ia tho air az
point about midway between Pinon
canyon and the north end OF the
and then suddenly dart to
the earth In about the length Of
time that Il would ordinarily take
sound 90 travel the distance there fol-
lowed a dccp boom. which ratified
the floors to tremhle a few moments
later Mr. Christ noticed small flame
at the spot Whero the meteor foil.
Doubtless caused by setting fire 20
some of the dcnd timber on the noun
tain, but this soon disappeared
a substantially identical account II
the occurrence IS given by T. w Gil-
christ whose homo is southeast Of
the university Mr Gllchrst was IN.
side his house at tho Time but hap
pcned 90 hr facing n window which
looked m the direction OF the place
Wherr the meteor zen. Like Mr.
Christ, he saw tho ban Of fire dart 90
the earth aud several seconds later
heard tho feRerherutinn af the explo-
sion Mr. Giiehmsta account OF the
location whore the meteor Tell is the
same as thnt of Mr. CHRIST and SO
tiyidy was tine picture painted In his
mind chat Mr. Cilchrlst states thar
hc can walk without hesitation 10 the
spot
The meieoric visitation last night
b. the most startling one Of many sim-
.lar phenomena thut have BEEN ob-
served In Albuquerque IN the last few
weeks Although Il is not the season
of The year when meteou are expect
nd to fam with frequency an unusual
number have hccn observed recently
md they have been of unusual size
lud hrllancy A prominent citizen
last neht told Of such an occurrence
when, few nights ago. MS he was
lhaut 90 enter his front door the light
rom meteor flashed upon his front
porch with such binding brightness
hat ho az first nisook II for the
electric heodueht of high-powered
motor car
whether thtsc mcieorir dlstur-
Dances have any connection with the
recent volcanic eruption la Japan and
seismic disturbances in other parts OF
he world it ls hard to aay with an,
degree of certainty but there are
many who believe that they have A
slenr connection has been established
between tine Japanese disaster aud the
tidal Waye and storm which few
luys ago myaged the California coast
md ID iH not unreasonable tn suppose
That this remarkable frequency Of me-
.cora NJ n time when they ara not to
be- expected Is one of the manifesto
lions Of q general Worldwide up
neuval
Dr Charles r Kirk, professor Of
geology at the University OF New Mex
co. was greatly interested when told
ast night of the cause Of the explo-
aan. ana declared that ns soon as pos
lblc-pcrhaps today--he would head
o party of students in an expedition
20 search for aud examine the meteor
Dr Kirk has made n special study oe
netoofs and talked in most inter-
.sting manner about them.
According to Or Kirk. there are
wo general classes of metcors. known
as iron and stony In the iron me.
eors iron is found Ia lls purest form.
lnmiNed With oxygen. Nickel is also