[From Rxxxxsx to Daily]
A Blazing Crowbar Falls To The Earth.
A Sawing Machine Treendexed by a Meteor While Being Worked by a Young Lady?A Beaufluong of the Boes by a Torrecces Correspondent.
To the Editor of The Times.
Villaldama, Mex. Oct. 25.?As per required, I am including this letter. The reason for my long silence is that nothing of sufficient importance has occured to warrant a letter; but yesterday one of the most extraordinary natural occurences took place here that ever came under the purview of any citizen of this place. Before reciting it I wish to say that, though this is a meteor story, it is not of the Mulhetton character; as any citizen of this place will testify, should any one be anxious enough about its authenticity to write concerning it.
Just on the outskirts of town there is a family of five (father, mother, son and two daughters) living in an adobe house, with a thatched roof. This is characteristic Mexican home, and it is quite a happy family. Yesterday morning the father and son went out to their work, leaving the old lady and daughters at home attending to the household duties. After the work incident to getting breakfast ready and the home cleaned up, they sat down to their sawing. One of the girls was at the machine, and they were all singing as happy as birds. The sky was as clear at this particular time as the sun-blessed clims of Italy ever was. Not a sign of any impending danger was present.
Suddenly the ladies were startled by a wonderful noise, as of something passing suddenly through the air. The noise lasted for two or three seconds, when it ceased, and they were transfixed with the most extraordinary sight that ever human eyes gazed upon. Through the leaf of the sewing machine at which one of the young ladies was seated, was a flaming brand, similar in shape and size to a crowbar. Upon examination it was found to have passed through the roof of the house, then changed its curve to a right angle, with its apparent line of entrance and struck the leaf of the sewing machine, making a hole through it about two inches in diameter. It then entered the rock floor, going into it about one foot and a half.
The ladies immediately sent to the field for the mean of the family. They made haste to come home, and were as much surprised as were the women at the strange object. The question as to how to get it out of the machine without being burned was a serious one. They got two pairs of tongs and succeeded in getting it out. But imagine their surprise when, upon attempting to remove the tongs from it, they found it impossible. The tongs seemed to have become part of the heavenly visitor, and they have not as yet been disclosed from it, and, strange to say, every piece of iron that touches this indescribable brand adheres so closely to it as to seem to become a part of it. Any other metal that comes in contact with it immediately slips off as though it were greased, and neither, apparently, sustain any damage by the proximity.
It has now been thirty-six hours since this strange meteor, as it may properly be termed, struck the earth, and it is, to all intents and purposes, as hot as when it first reached here, and emits the same strange, red glow. As before said, any metal except iron receives no damage by being touched to it, but wood, paper, or, in fact, anything have metal, that has yet been experimented with, seem to melt and disappear as if in a vapor, immediately upon being brought into contact with it. Only one substance seems to have say affect upon it, and this is water. When that was poqre upon it, it seemed to melt away and go up with the strange that addended from it. It was upon diminished that, while being down not ... it th the lsldkslx, it would entirely destroy it. It cannot be arches, and, caught be houffles with departeds naty iron ...
It has been thrown into the yard, where it still lies, and at night is of sufficient brillancy to read by at a distance of 100 feet. This is one of the greatest curiosities that has ever visited the earth, and should be bought by some naturalist.