Hello List,
Note the wrong year on the Iowa State press release below. I have copied it
as on the paper. The time and date, minus the year, off one year is the
same as the Homestead fall, so it appears to be an error, possibly on the
papers end). Kinda of a neat story..
Mark Bostick
Paper: The Daily Free Press (aka Manitoba Daily Free Press)
City: Winnipeg, MD, Canada
Date: Saturday, March 20, 1875
Page: 2
(From the Des Moises Register.)
A gentleman in this city yesterday, from the vicinity of Red Rock,
gives some incidents in the history of the big meteor. Two men from that
village were fishing in the river two miles from town, under the shadow of
an immense rock. Suddenly the place was lighted up with more than mid-day
glow. To the startled fishermen it appeared to rise directly from the
water. Terrified almost out of their wits, they hastily abandoned their
fishing implements, and struch out for their homes, "nor cast one lingering
look behind."
The meteor crossed the river on its Iuminois way, and next awoke the
fears of a farmer between there and Newton. The night was exceedingly cold,
and the farmer with three big daughters, was out caring for some swine that
hadn't lived long enough to enjoy a blizzard.
Each girl had a pig in her apron, and the old man had two in his arms.
Suddenly the screaming, blazing meteor appeared. Each damsel thought it was
some heavenly visitant, or something from that other place, and dropped the
pigs in prayerful haste. The paternal ancestor incontinently played
ostrich, running his head into a haystack, leaving the coat-tail part of him
to bear the attack of the Evil One. By the time the old man got his nose of
hay seed the meteor had passed, and the girls recovered sufficiently to
inform him of the fact. The aerial messenger was travelling so near the
earth at this time that it clipped off branches from the trees. Below we
give a letter from Professor Leonard, of the State University, at Iowa City,
giving a description of the fire-ball as it appeared to observers there, and
asking for full descriptions by those who saw it from other points:
Iowa State University
Chair of Mathematics & Astronomy
Iowa State , Febuary 13, 1874
Editor of the State Register
A very large and brilliant fire-ball passed this city at 10:30, Chicago
time. Its size apparently half that of the full moon, its course slightly
north of west. The fire-ball was accompanied by a long train of light. The
color of the ball was compared to that of molten iron, and its tail slightly
tinged with green. There were three separate explosions of the fire-ball
while it was in view, and after an interval of two or three minutes after
its disappearance a report which those who were indoors compared to the
noise of a train of cars, and those outside noticed something resembling
three discharges of blasts in the quarry. The concussion seems to have been
more violent to the west of us, and I entertain hopes that some of the
meteorite will be found within the limits of our State. I shall feel
greatly obliged to any of your readers who will furnish me an account of any
observation they may have made of this meteor.
Very truly yours,
N. R. Leonard
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