BROADHKAD — METEOR OF DEC. 27, 1875. 351 



At Graham, Nodaway County, it was seen passing eastward- 

 ly, and a few minutes thereafter a rumbling sound was heard. 



The Savannah (Andrew County) Republican states that 20 

 minutes past 9 p.m. it flashed across the sky for a moment with 

 an illumination nearly as bright as day, but only for a moment, 

 then disappeared in the S.S.E., and that it apparently came from 

 the N.N.W. It exploded just above the horizon 5° to 12°, and, 

 three minutes after, a noise was heard resembling the discharge 

 of a battery of cannon. Many saw it at this place and they gen- 

 erally unite in the above statement, and also say that portions 

 were thrown off two or three times. 



The St. Louis Globe- Democrat says, it seemed to start from 

 the zenith, suddenly changed its course, darted in an eastwardly 

 direction, bursting like a sky-rocket, and several minutes later a 

 low, rumbling sound was heard resembling distant thunder. 



Stephen Sale, at corner of Main and Franklin streets, St. Jo- 

 seph, between 9 and 10 p.m., the night being clear and bright, 

 observed a meteor with a nucleus and long tail immediately over 

 him, passing horizontally from N.W. to S.E., exploding and 

 emitting sparks like a sky-rocket, then disappearing, the train 

 apparently brighter for awhile and then vanishing. The duration 

 of the illumination was about thirty seconds, the light white and 

 bright as noonday. Three minutes thereafter a noise was heard 

 resembling the discharge of heavy guns, followed closely by a 

 succession of rumbling reports sufficiently heavy to jar the win- 

 dows of houses, and lasting probably ten seconds. 



Thomas Crawford and Arthur Kirkpatrick, of St. Joseph, 

 occupying different points of observation, substantiate fully the 

 above account of Mr. Sales, with the following exceptions and 

 additions : — Thomas Crawford says it passed from N.W. to 

 E.S.E., and continued in view three or four seconds; first ap- 

 pearing red, then blue, then white and bright like a lamp, and 

 that the illumination was so intense that one could easily see to 

 pick up a pin from the ground. The nucleus was apparently 

 one-half the size of the moon, followed by a fiery sheet; sparks 

 like coals were emitted, and a rushing sound was heard> resem- 

 bling distant thunder. Arthur Kirkpatrick gives the course about 

 85° S. of E., and says the nucleus was apparently four times as 

 large as the sun, and occupied 30 seconds in passing, exploding 



