Science in Common Schools
[editorial]
E. P. Powell
1885
Science
Known as the Early Journal Content, this set of works include research articles, news, letters, and other writings published in more than 200 of the oldest leading academic journals. The works date from the mid--seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. We encourage people to read and share the Early Journal Content openly and to tell others that this resource exists. People may post this content online or redistribute in any way for non--commercial purposes. Read more about Early Journal
more »
... ntent at http://about.jstor.org/participate--jstor/individuals/early-journal--content. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not--for--profit organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. S CI 20 seconds, with a series of small north and south oscillations. My daughter, who was sitting in the second story of my house, at the same time (as proved by her mantel clock) felt the floor quiver, and heard the windows rattle. As the explosion, according to the New York papers, occurred at 11.13 ? some uncertain number of seconds, and as the seismoscope registered no other shock between 11.00 and 11.20, when traffic was resumed, there can be no doubt that we caught the explosion wave, which was much more vigorous than I had expected, at a distance of fully 50 miles. I suppose we did not get the beginning of the disturbance, which probably began gently and rose to a maximum like any other earthquake. The delay of 13 minutes at New York was very unfortunate, and caused the total or partial loss of many valuable observations. One cannot suppose that it was intentional; but it put all other observers at a great disadvantage, as compared with those of the engineer corps, who received a telegraphic signal from the firing key. The officers in charge, knowing of the elaborate preparations made for observations along other lines than the two occupied by their own men, ought to have taken great pains to prevent it. C. A. YOUNG. Princeton, N. J., Oct. 12. False report of the fall of a meteorite in western Pennsylvania. On the afternoon of Saturday, September 26, at a little after four o'clock, loud detonations were heard over a considerable area of western Pennsylvania, and circumstantial reports were subsequently given in the press of the fall of a large meteorite, which was described as being half buried in the ground and visited by numbers of people. On examination, these latter reports appeared to me to be unfounded, and I should have given the matter no further attention but for the numerous inquiries which are being addressed to this observatory with requests for specimens. To settle the question, I sent a competent observer, Mr. J. E. Keeler, to the scene of the alleged fall near the West Virginia boundary in Washington county. After an investigation on the spot, he finds that no meteorite has been found. A meteorite undoubtedly passed over, and was seen by Mr. Buckston and others to burst in a southerly direction from the town of Independence. The report, according to Mr. Buckston, was heard a minute or more after the explosion was seen, and from this and the apparent height at which he saw the meteor burst, Mr. Keeler infers that the actual explosion occurred twelve or fifteen miles to the southward, when tile meteor was still two or more miles above the earth. In spite of statements to the contrary, no fragments are as yet known to be found. 336 S CI 20 seconds, with a series of small north and south oscillations. My daughter, who was sitting in the second story of my house, at the same time (as proved by her mantel clock) felt the floor quiver, and heard the windows rattle. As the explosion, according to the New York papers, occurred at 11.13 ? some uncertain number of seconds, and as the seismoscope registered no other shock between 11.00 and 11.20, when traffic was resumed, there can be no doubt that we caught the explosion wave, which was much more vigorous than I had expected, at a distance of fully 50 miles. I suppose we did not get the beginning of the disturbance, which probably began gently and rose to a maximum like any other earthquake. The delay of 13 minutes at New York was very unfortunate, and caused the total or partial loss of many valuable observations. One cannot suppose that it was intentional; but it put all other observers at a great disadvantage, as compared with those of the engineer corps, who received a telegraphic signal from the firing key. The officers in charge, knowing of the elaborate preparations made for observations along other lines than the two occupied by their own men, ought to have taken great pains to prevent it. C. A. YOUNG. Princeton, N. J., Oct. 12. False report of the fall of a meteorite in western Pennsylvania. On the afternoon of Saturday, September 26, at a little after four o'clock, loud detonations were heard over a considerable area of western Pennsylvania, and circumstantial reports were subsequently given in the press of the fall of a large meteorite, which was described as being half buried in the ground and visited by numbers of people. On examination, these latter reports appeared to me to be unfounded, and I should have given the matter no further attention but for the numerous inquiries which are being addressed to this observatory with requests for specimens. To settle the question, I sent a competent observer, Mr. J. E. Keeler, to the scene of the alleged fall near the West Virginia boundary in Washington county. After an investigation on the spot, he finds that no meteorite has been found. A meteorite undoubtedly passed over, and was seen by Mr. Buckston and others to burst in a southerly direction from the town of Independence. The report, according to Mr. Buckston, was heard a minute or more after the explosion was seen, and from this and the apparent height at which he saw the meteor burst, Mr. Keeler infers that the actual explosion occurred twelve or fifteen miles to the southward, when tile meteor was still two or more miles above the earth. In spite of statements to the contrary, no fragments are as yet known to be found. 336 S CI
fatcat:scyusrlsz5gbdffgcgcmg5ksem