W. G. Owens — Meteorite from Central Pennsylvania. 423 



Art. LIU. — A Meteorite from Central Pennsylvania y* 

 by Professor Wm. G. Owens. 



The meteorite which I wish to describe at this time was 

 found on or about the 25th of September, 1891, upon the 

 east side of Bald Eagle mountain, seven miles south of the 

 Park Hotel, Williamsport, Pa. At this point the mountain 

 comes down to the edge of the Susquehanna river, a road- 

 bed for the Philadelphia and Erie Railway having been cut in 

 the mountain side. Numerous transverse depressions occur 

 in the mountain side and some of these are filled with loose 

 sandstone, varying in size from a few cubic inches to several 

 cubic feet in volume. 



It was in one of these depressions, several hundred feet 

 from the railroad track, that some Italians, while getting out 

 stones for a stone-crusher, found in a bed of loose stones about 

 2 meters (6f ft.) deep, something which resembled a stone in 

 appearance ; it was covered with a fungus growth as were the 

 stones, but when picked up attracted the laborer's attention on 

 account of its weight. He showed it to the superintendent who 

 tried to break it and failing attempted to cut it with a cold 

 chisel, when it proved to be soft iron. After this it was again 

 lost but soon after found. When, several weeks later, the owner 

 of the crusher, Mr. George S. Matlack, class of 1870, came to 

 the works it was given to him and he, realizing its value, pre- 

 sented it to this University. It weighs 3*3 kilos (7 lbs. 1 oz.) 

 In shape it resembles in general outline a human foot. The 

 flat face, corresponding to the sole, measures 16'6 cm (6|- inches) 

 long and 8 cm (3-g- inches) wide at the broadest place. From 

 the extremity of the heel it projects upward 14 cm (5-J inches) 

 ending in a point. The surface is covered with a reddish 

 brown iron rust. This easily scales off in many places, and at 

 several points this covering is so thin that the bright metal 

 shines through. It is pitted quite deeply in some places, and 

 very irregular in outline. On the projection above the heel 

 there is a cavity about l'5 cm (f- inches,) deep entirely burned 

 out and almost opposite a core which has been only partially 

 consumed. 



There are several surfaces upon it which would seem to 

 indicate that the objects which it struck in falling were flat. 

 So even was the surface corresponding to the sole of the foot 

 that when it was cut for etching not more than 2 mm (■£$■ in.) had 

 to be removed to get a surface of 32 sq. cm. (5 sq. in.). 

 At the front there is also a surface of much smaller extent, 



* Read before the Chemical Society of Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa. 



