[meteorite-list] 1842 Newspaper Article, Meteorite drops water on man?

From: Mark Bostick <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:52:12 2004
Message-ID: <OE93rCTceORjyGDpVa900015d3b_at_hotmail.com>

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Hello All,

Me again. Just about to go outside and watch for meteors, thought I =
would share the latest article I found first. Kind of a strange =
story...

Mark Bostick "The Big Collector"



Newspaper: The Experiment

City: Norwalk, OH

Date: Wednesday May 4th, 1842

Brilliant Meteor. - The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser of the 11th inst. =
says: -About haft-past two o'clock this morning, a most brilliant meteor =
shot athwart the sky, a little to the south and west of this city. When =
first seen, it was at an elevation of about fourty-five degrees, nearly =
in the southwest, and thence moved rapidly to the northward, till it =
reached a point to the northwest of the city, when it bust with a load =
explosion, resembling the blasting of rocks, succeeded by a heavy =
rumbling sound for some moments. The meteor was very large, and its =
light was like that of day. The sky was perfectly clordless at the tume. =
In the fore part of the evening, there was quite a brilliant display o =
the aurora borealis.

The Buffalo Unionst adds the following:=20

The meteor which we mentioned in our paper as having been witnessed in =
this city a few days since, appears to have been very generally =
observed. The last Westfield Messenger contains a very long and able =
article on this subject. The editor says:

"On Monday morning last, about 3' o'clock, we were awakened by a sudden =
and extremely brilliant light which shone through the window of our =
sleeping apartment. On opening our eyes, we had a momentary glimpse of a =
vividly luminous body or trail, which almost instantly passed out of =
sight, and was gone. We were convinced it was a large meteor, and =
expected an explosion. We waited from three to five minutes, when a =
report burst through the welkin like a piece of heavy ordnance standing =
within a short distance. There was nothing in it like thunder, but a =
perfect resemblance to the sound we have named. It shook the house =
sensibly, as it did others, - in one instance jarring a tooth-brush from =
the window to the floor. Its direction was northerly, and the explosion =
took place probably, over the lake.

The light emitted was nearly as bright as day-light at meridian. The =
shingles on distant houses were distinctly visible. Mr. Sexton our =
post-master, was at the time of its passage, assorting the mail, having =
two candles to furnish him light; but the light of the meteor was so =
great as to make them appear like burning candles in full daylight.

The following rather startles our credulity, but we give it verbalism =
from the Messenger:

"Since writing the above, we have conversed with Mr. Horace Palmer, who =
was on his way from Dunkirk to this place, when the meteor appeared. He =
was two or three miles from Dunkirk, when he appeared to be instantly =
surrounded with a most painful vivid light, proceeding from a mass of =
florid or jelly-like substance, which fell around and upon him, =
producing a sulphurous small, a great difficulty of breathing, and a =
feeling of taintness, with a strong sensation of heat. As soon as he =
could recoverm from his astonishment, he perceived the body of the =
meteor passing above him, seeming to be about a mile high. It then =
appeared to be in diameter about the size of a large steamboat pipe, =
near a mile in length. Its dimensions varied soon; becoming first much =
broader, and then waning away in diameter and length untill the former =
was reduced to about eight inches, and the latter to a fourth of a mile, =
when it seperated into pieces which fell to the earth, and almost =
immediately he heard the explosion, which he says, was tremendous. On =
arriving here in the morning, his face had every appearence of having =
been severely scorched; his eyes were much affected, and he did not =
recover from the shock it gave his system for two or three days. This is =
really a marvellous story, but Mr. Palmer is a temperate and industrious =
man, and a man of integrity, and we believe that anyone conversing with =
him on the subject, would be satisfied that he intends no deception, but =
descibes the scene, as nearly as possible, as it actually appeared. =
Probably, however, his agitation at his sudden introduction to such a =
scene, caused the meteor to be somewhat magnified to him. Witnesses here =
speak of the sparks which were given off; probably one of these fell and =
enveloped Mr. Palmer. In addition to its light, Mr. Palmer states that =
its passage was accompanied by a sound like that of a car moving on a =
railroad, only louder.

At Salem, an observer stated the meteor to be "as large as a house"- =
rather indefinite, but proving it to have been one of extraordinary =
magnitude. It was noticed at North East, Waterford, and Sugar Grovem =
Pa.; Harmony, Chautaugue and other towns in this county. In Chautauque =
an observes describes it as six or eight inches in diameter, and half a =
mile long.

We learn also, that it burst about three miles beyond Fredonia, or about =
eighteen from this place. The report is, that a fragment has been found, =
a foot or more in diameter, but we know not the original authority of =
that statement.

If it did burst where it is represented to have done, and it was seen =
here untill it exploded, its elevation mist have been about thirty-five =
miles. Its course is represented by all to have been northeasterly.

In 1812, a large meteor bust in England, and discharged more than 3000 =
stones to the ground, some of them weighing twenty pounds. The =
remarkable stone which fell in Connecticut twenty-five years ago, in day =
time, weighed near a ton. It was bright and luminois, but did not =
explode: and rushed to the earth with such force that it sunk three or =
four feet beneath the surface, making a tremendous jar.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D2>
<P>Hello All,</P>
<P>Me again.&nbsp; Just about to go outside and watch for meteors, =
thought I=20
would share the latest article I found first.&nbsp; Kind of a strange=20
story...</P>
<P>Mark Bostick "The Big Collector"</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Newspaper: The Experiment</P>
<P>City: Norwalk, OH</P>
<P>Date: Wednesday May 4th, 1842</P>
<P>Brilliant Meteor. - The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser of the 11th =
inst. says:=20
-About haft-past two o'clock this morning, a most brilliant meteor shot =
athwart=20
the sky, a little to the south and west of this city. When first seen, =
it was at=20
an elevation of about fourty-five degrees, nearly in the southwest, and =
thence=20
moved rapidly to the northward, till it reached a point to the northwest =
of the=20
city, when it bust with a load explosion, resembling the blasting of =
rocks,=20
succeeded by a heavy rumbling sound for some moments. The meteor was =
very large,=20
and its light was like that of day. The sky was perfectly clordless at =
the tume.=20
In the fore part of the evening, there was quite a brilliant display o =
the=20
aurora borealis.</P>
<P>The Buffalo Unionst adds the following: </P>
<P>The meteor which we mentioned in our paper as having been witnessed =
in this=20
city a few days since, appears to have been very generally observed. The =
last=20
Westfield Messenger contains a very long and able article on this =
subject. The=20
editor says:</P>
<P>"On Monday morning last, about 3' o'clock, we were awakened by a =
sudden and=20
extremely brilliant light which shone through the window of our sleeping =

apartment. On opening our eyes, we had a momentary glimpse of a vividly =
luminous=20
body or trail, which almost instantly passed out of sight, and was gone. =
We were=20
convinced it was a large meteor, and expected an explosion. We waited =
from three=20
to five minutes, when a report burst through the welkin like a piece of =
heavy=20
ordnance standing within a short distance. There was nothing in it like =
thunder,=20
but a perfect resemblance to the sound we have named. It shook the house =

sensibly, as it did others, - in one instance jarring a tooth-brush from =
the=20
window to the floor. Its direction was northerly, and the explosion took =
place=20
probably, over the lake.</P>
<P>The light emitted was nearly as bright as day-light at meridian. The =
shingles=20
on distant houses were distinctly visible. Mr. Sexton our post-master, =
was at=20
the time of its passage, assorting the mail, having two candles to =
furnish him=20
light; but the light of the meteor was so great as to make them appear =
like=20
burning candles in full daylight.</P>
<P>The following rather startles our credulity, but we give it verbalism =
from=20
the Messenger:</P>
<P>"Since writing the above, we have conversed with Mr. Horace Palmer, =
who was=20
on his way from Dunkirk to this place, when the meteor appeared. He was =
two or=20
three miles from Dunkirk, when he appeared to be instantly surrounded =
with a=20
most painful vivid light, proceeding from a mass of florid or jelly-like =

substance, which fell around and upon him, producing a sulphurous small, =
a great=20
difficulty of breathing, and a feeling of taintness, with a strong =
sensation of=20
heat. As soon as he could recoverm from his astonishment, he perceived =
the body=20
of the meteor passing above him, seeming to be about a mile high. It =
then=20
appeared to be in diameter about the size of a large steamboat pipe, =
near a mile=20
in length. Its dimensions varied soon; becoming first much broader, and =
then=20
waning away in diameter and length untill the former was reduced to =
about eight=20
inches, and the latter to a fourth of a mile, when it seperated into =
pieces=20
which fell to the earth, and almost immediately he heard the explosion, =
which he=20
says, was tremendous. On arriving here in the morning, his face had =
every=20
appearence of having been severely scorched; his eyes were much =
affected, and he=20
did not recover from the shock it gave his system for two or three days. =
This is=20
really a marvellous story, but Mr. Palmer is a temperate and industrious =
man,=20
and a man of integrity, and we believe that anyone conversing with him =
on the=20
subject, would be satisfied that he intends no deception, but descibes =
the=20
scene, as nearly as possible, as it actually appeared. Probably, =
however, his=20
agitation at his sudden introduction to such a scene, caused the meteor =
to be=20
somewhat magnified to him. Witnesses here speak of the sparks which were =
given=20
off; probably one of these fell and enveloped Mr. Palmer. In addition to =
its=20
light, Mr. Palmer states that its passage was accompanied by a sound =
like that=20
of a car moving on a railroad, only louder.</P>
<P>At Salem, an observer stated the meteor to be "as large as a house"- =
rather=20
indefinite, but proving it to have been one of extraordinary magnitude. =
It was=20
noticed at North East, Waterford, and Sugar Grovem Pa.; Harmony, =
Chautaugue and=20
other towns in this county. In Chautauque an observes describes it as =
six or=20
eight inches in diameter, and half a mile long.</P>
<P>We learn also, that it burst about three miles beyond Fredonia, or =
about=20
eighteen from this place. The report is, that a fragment has been found, =
a foot=20
or more in diameter, but we know not the original authority of that=20
statement.</P>
<P>If it did burst where it is represented to have done, and it was seen =
here=20
untill it exploded, its elevation mist have been about thirty-five =
miles. Its=20
course is represented by all to have been northeasterly.</P>
<P>In 1812, a large meteor bust in England, and discharged more than =
3000 stones=20
to the ground, some of them weighing twenty pounds. The remarkable stone =
which=20
fell in Connecticut twenty-five years ago, in day time, weighed near a =
ton. It=20
was bright and luminois, but did not explode: and rushed to the earth =
with such=20
force that it sunk three or four feet beneath the surface, making a =
tremendous=20
jar.</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Mon 12 Aug 2002 11:02:47 PM PDT