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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1939-07-20, Page 3THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE WKJtSBAB, JULY »Oth, 1 »80 Many Offers Made For Chunk of Meteor Universities and Museums Want 88-Pound Piece FOUND NEAR DRESDEN / Fell From MeteOr Which Passed Over Tuesday Night Universities, museums and at least one private individual recently tele­ graphed offers to Dr, Luke Smith, Chatham'oil prospector, possessor for §4 of an 88-pound chunk of the me­ teor which fell Tuesday night on the farm of a Dresden district negro farmer. Last night, by long distance tele­ phone, Dr. Smith told the Free Press that he had permitted the meteorite to be taken to Torono for exhibition purposes for the next 10 or 12 days. There were “no strings attached” to the arrangements that had been made for the Toronto showing, he said, and during that time he would consider just what he would do with it. He said the meteorite would be returned to him in just the same con­ dition as when he purchased it .from Qan Solomon, the Dresden farmer into whose field the projectile fell after streaking over a major portion of Southwestern Ontario. The rem­ nant dropped in among his sugar beets burying itself six feet under tlie surface. According to Dr. Smith, universi­ ties and other institutions in New York, Chicago, Toronto, Detroit and Washington all had made inquiries and tentative offers concerning the slab — and it was learned the Uni­ versity of Western Ontario also was keenly interested. Mr. Reavely said no estimate as to its worth could be given until it had been considered as to mineral content. He said $6,000 had been paid for a meteorite found at Canin Diablo, Mexico. It was cut into slabs and sold, one portion of it finding its way to Western University. It had been polished and showed plain­ ly the meteorite’s internal features. Another, found in Saskatchewan in 1921, also had proved valuable. From the viewpoint of a collec­ tion, Mr. Reavely said, a slice was perhaps as good as the whole me­ teorite. He believed that he might be able to make a trip to Chatham to see Dr, Smith’s meteorite in about three weeks. The university, he was sure, would pay a reasonabel fee for at least a part of it, if it were found of any value. At Sarnia on Wednesday Alex Mac- Dougal, of Toronto, claimed to have found small bits of the meteor, in a field on the outskirts of that city. MacDougal said he saw the meteor as he was driving into the city, and saw white vapor rise from the ground where apparently pieces of it had landed. He returned some time lat­ er and dug them up. About a dozen or so portions were discovered. *‘I don’t know why I bought it,” Dr. Smith said at Dresden, “I thou­ ght it would be nice to have.” But 88 pounds of meteor wouldn’t be an attractive watch fob or a din­ ing room ornament. Professor C. A. Chant, director emeritus of the Dun­ lap Observatory near Toronto, esti­ mates a good meteorite of the size of Dr. Smith’s, in marketable condi­ tion, would be worth from §200 up. “Of course, if somebody makes me an offer, I might sell it,” Dr. Smith ventured. “Or maybe I will give it to a museum. One thing I would like is to have some geologist look it over to see what the minerals in it are.” Dr. Smith got the meteorite Wed­ nesday from Dan Solomon, Dresden district negro who was away from home Tuesday night when it plopped into his sugar beet field 200 yards from little where Mrs. Solomon and daughter were standing. their Bids Up to $500 iSmith said bids for the meteorite ranged so far from §200 to §500 — and expected others would be made between now and ihe time when it is returned to him from Toronto. Prof. Harold E. Reavely, of the geology department of “Western” said he would like to take a look at the meteorite with a view to ob­ taining perhaps a portion of it for the university’s collection. Biggest Remnant far Dr. Smith is possessor ofSo the biggest remnant of the meteor that frightened hundreds of South­ western Ontario residents as it hurt­ led earthwards, burning itself -up en­ route. Five other farmers in the Chatham-Dresden district dug me- terites from their fields Wednesday but none could compare with Dr. Smith’s. Mrs. Solomon wouldn’t let her hus­ band venture into the beetfield on 1 when we saw it first. si Tuesday night to see why smoke was" pouring into the air. He went out the next morning and dug up the specimen from its resting place six feet below the surface. All the neigh­ bors came over and helped Solomon get it out and Solomon was glad to take Dr. Smith’s §4 to get rid of it. Dr. Chant said he would pay §200 for the meteorite just on speculation The largest one he ever heard of in Ontario before weighed 27 pounds, though that couldn't compare with the 400-pounder found in Missouri, now on exhibition in the Field seum at Chicago. Mu- Badly Frightened “My little girl two years old, it first coming out of the northern sky,” said Mrs. Solomon, “I looked up and it was about the size of a baseball then, it kept getting bigger and bigger until it was about the size of a bushel basket, but it seem­ ed as big as a house to me, I start­ ed to run towards the field at the back of the house, I I intended to do. I to figure it out. “Then just when over me it stopped and made a noise just like a big rotten egg being bro­ ken, just a sort of hollow plop, then the thing shot off toward the west. Just about at the same time or may­ be a second afterwards I heard a terrible noise in the field, right In front of me. That scared me worse than ever and I turned and ran back towards the house. My four children were with me.” saw don’t now what was too scared it got directly Everything Shook “When my husband got back from town a few minutes later he wanted to go out to the field then, and see what it was, I wouldn’t let him. When the thing struck back in the field, everything around me shook, me too. The leaves were just swish­ ing on all the trees, then the tomato vines were waving back and forth, before the thing came along, there hadn’t been a breath of air stirring. I could see where it hit back in the field, there was greenish yellow smoke coming out of the hole. “The smoke smelled like sulphur. It smoked for about an hour and a half oi’ two hours. We both went back about 6 o’clock in the morning and there was a hole in the beet field about a foot across and about 18 inches wide. When we got back to the hole we- found that it had gone about six feet into the earth. Dirt was thrown back from the hole as far as 3 0 or 40 feet, it was still moist The inside of the hole was all white like ashes.” Solomon had to dig into the earth for the fragment and haul it out with a chain. It was egg-shaped about 11 inches in diameter the short way and 17 on the longer axis. It weigh­ ed exactly 88 pounds, 4 ounces. Black in color, it was deeply pit­ ted and charred on the outside, but solid in the centre, resembling gray granite with a metallic sheen. The surface was soft and could be easily crushed by hand. Charles Ross, publisher, of the Dresden News, helped .Solomon dig up his treasure and took the frag­ ment to Dresden. Meteorites — fragments of the flaming meteor — were picked up on the farms of Bruce Cummings and Henry Lozon, concession 9, Chat­ ham township. They have been de­ finitely classed as stony meteorites by Dr. Charles Evans, geologist of the Union Gas Company, London. The Cummings family saw the phenomenon, heard the roar it made and the swish of falling objects which prompted them to conduct a search in the spot where they heard them fall. They found one sample buried four inches in the dry ground of a sugar beet field. It had smashed two beets to pulp. The meteorite weighs a pound. Henry Lozon found his specimen in a field not far from his home, also buried in the ground four inches. It weighs more than four pounds. Dr. Evans said that the meteorites probably contain metallic iron and nickel in isolated .quantities and also pyrrotite. He said they belonged to a group of stony meteorites, but are lighter in coloi’ than would be or­ dinary expected. It was probable that the meteor originated from comet or had been deflected from meteoric train. a a BLANSHARD COUNCIL WILL CLOSE BASE LINE SCHOOL Blanshard Council has ruled S.S. No. (Anderson School) and S.S. No. 3, (Base Line) one school area. In S.S. No. 3 where there are only two pupils, the school will be closed and the scholars attend in an adjoining section. At the next election five trustees will be named to take charge of the joint area. 50 YEARS AGO July 18, 1889 The 12th of July was celebrated in Exeter and St. Marys. Stewart-Bennett-In Toronto, on the 17th instant at the residence of the bride's parents by he minister of Carlton street Methodist Church, Mr. J. A. Stewart, of the Bankrujt store, Exeter to Miss Sophia, second daughter of John Bennett, Esq., of Ann street, Toronto. On Friday the return match of the Goderich and Exeter ball clubs was played with the score of 19-30 in favor of Exeter. The Exeter team also won the challenge cup at God­ erich on July 1st. The Exeter play­ ers were; Messrs. Eacrett, F. Ander­ son, McDonald, Carling, Elliott, Bis­ sett, Tait, G. Anderson and Knight. Miss Clarke, of Butte City, Calif., spent several weeks in town with, friends. Mr, Walt Edgar, a former resident of Exeter, but now of Michigan, is visiting with friends. Mrs. Thos. Carder, and son Thos., of Portland, Maine, are spending a few weeks with Mr. and Mrs. Sam­ uel Buckingham, of Exeter. Mr. G. W. Dennis, who has some time been employed in this fice left town Tuesday morning take a position in Beeton. The barn of Mr. Thos. Bowman the 4th concession, of Usborne, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday night. The new buildings for the Blan­ shard Agricultural Society will be commenced in a few days, William Brown, of Kirkton, has been award­ ed the contract. Bank of Commerce staff is holiday­ ing at his home in Chatham. -Mr. Elmore Harness has returned home from Winnipeg and is barter­ ing with Mr. E. Willis. Mr. and Mrs. Percy Baker and two children, of Moosejaw are visiting relatives in and around Exeter.(, Mr. Gower, of Blyth, dispose!! of his house in Exeter to Mr. Wes. Par­ kinson last week. Mr. T. N. McCallum on Monday sold his residential property on Wil­ liam street to Mr. Samuel Beaver, of near Dashwood. Dr. Luther Gill and family, of To­ ledo, Ohio, motored here last urday and spent a few days their relatives. Sat- wit h 15 YEARS AGO July 17, 1924 for of- to on Wednesday last the Thames’ Park was formally opened. Ad- half, their have TO HUBON COUNTY FRUIT GHOWEBS The Huron County Fruit Grower’s Association cordially invite you and your friends to their first annual Picnic and Field Day, on Friday, July 21st, at Geo. Laithwaite and Sons, farm, on No. 8 Highway, near Goderich. You are requested to bring a basket picnic lunch which will be pooled and served on tables. The program will start at two p.m. and will include a trip through the orchard and reforestation block, for the older people. Sports will also be arranged for the younger people. 5.00 p.m. lunch on lawn, to be fol­ lowed with a musical program and the following speakers: Mr, Robt. E. E. Turner, Warden, Huron County; Mr, Ian McLeod, Brighton, former Agricultural Representative, Huron County; Mr. George Wilson, or Mr. Wm, Newman of the Ontario Farm Products Control Board, Parliament Buildings, Toronto, As this is the first Picnic and Field Day held by the Assocation, the of­ ficers are desirous of a good turn­ out. We trust that nothing will prevent you and your friends from attending this picnic on Friday, July 21st. “ to We will be looking forward seeing you at that time. 'Mrs. D. A. Smith, President James A. Sheerer, Secretary On Road dresses were given by Mr. Stanbury and Mr. Cameran and a prayer of­ fered by Rev. Dr, Fletcher. Several games of ball were played, the win­ ning teams being the Boundary boy’s team and the Caven girl’s team. Master Seldon and Jennie Buchan­ an, who have been here with their uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Rich. Terry, for the past year and a attending school, returned to home in the West, Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Enos Down, who just returned from an extended mo­ tor trip to Montreal and other places in Quebec, spent Tuesday and Wed­ nesday with Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Snell They were accompanied by Misses Emma and Pauline Down, of Lon­ don. Mr. Wm. Sanders, of the 3rd con­ cession of Stephen, had an old fash­ ion barn-raising on Monday after­ noon. The framework was done by Mr. Jas. Brintnell and his assistants. Mr. Frank Lutz, of Ganonoque, ac­ companied by his wife and daughter were pleasant callers on a number of friends in town on Friday. Frank is an Exeter Old Boy, but he left here over twenty-five years ago and this is the first visit back to the old home town. Mrs. J. N. Howard has moved with her household effects over the store . premises of Mr. C. L. Wilson,- Main street. i Mrs. Otto Brochem, of Chicago, *iand Mrs. McGee, of Wallaceburg vis­ ited with Mrs. Wm. Walker and the other relatives during the week. Mr. Garry Hoskin, of Strathroy, paid a short visit with friends Mon- They will visit with ' day. Over forty years ago Mr. Hos- ; kin was foreman of the tinsmith the jshop of the late James Pickard. 25 YEARS AGO July 16, 1914 Mrs. E. Follick and daughter Miss Mabel leave on Saturday of this week for Vancouver where they will visit the former’s son, Dr. E. R. Fol­ lick. Mr. A. Smith, whose reputation as a Shorthorn .breeder is exceedingly wide left Friday for Winnipeg where he willfact as judge for Short­ horns at the Winnipeg Exhibition. Mr. Norman Willard, second son of Mr. Hy. Willard, of town, was married on June 30th at Fernbank, North Mornington, to Miss Pearl Mc­ Alister. Mr. and Mrs. Willard left immediately for Saskatoon, Sask. Mrs. Brown and Master Oswald leave Thursday for Kilmarnock, Ayr­ shire, Scoltand sailing from Mont­ real on Friday. A model home, complete in every detail including an absolutely up-to- th’e-minute kitchen will be a feature of the Women’s Buiding which will prove to be universally popular and interesting at the Canadian National ^relatives*. Exhibition this year • Mr. M. E. Harrington, Here is a riddle: What is it hap­ pens twice in a moment, once in a minute and not once in a hundred years? The answer is a simple one: the letter “m.” Backache-Kidneys Most people fail to recognize the seriousness of a bad back. The stitches, twitches, and twinges are bad enough and cause great suf­ fering, but back of the backache and the cause of it all is the dis­ ordered kidneys crying out a warn­ ing through the back. A pain in the back is the kidneys ’ cry for help. Go to their assistance. Get a box of Doan’s Kidney Pills. A remedy for baekaehe and sick kidneys. "Doan’s” are put up in an oblong grey box with our trade mark a "Maple Leaf” on the wrapper. Refuse substitutes. Get1 ‘ Doan’s. ’ ’ The T, Milburn Co., Ltd., Toronto, Ont. at the Wedding Anniversary, Congratulations I 5c to 25c a.-.-Drop in and look them over. f of all descriptions for sale Times-Advoeate Office Birthday, Convalescent, Sympathy,