Title: On a stony meteorite which fell near Felix, Perry County, Alabama, May 15, 1900. Authors: George P. Merrill
The meteorite here described fell about 11.30 a. m. on May 15, 1900, near Felix, Alabama. For the details concerning the fall, as well as for securing the specimen itself, the United States National Museum is indebted to Mr. J. W. Coleman, who visited the locality and obtained the statements of eyewitnesses. These statements, somewhat abridged, are as follows: Mr. Robert D. Sturdevant, a farmer of Augustin, Perry County, said that while at work in his cotton field his attention was attracted by a loud rumbling noise sounding very much like thunder. It being a clear, cloudless day, he immediately looked up and saw the meteorite directly overhead. There was one very loud report, followed by two lesser ones, the appearance being compared to that of "a big piece of red-hot iron being struck with a hammer, causing many sparks to fly in all directions. After the explosion the smaller pieces popping off sounded much like a small stone or nail being thrown with great force, making a humming or hissing noise. The meteor seemed to be passing from east to west." The main mass of the stone, weighing about 7 pounds, was subsequently brought by a coloured boy to Mr. Sturdevant, who visited the locality, about half a mile away, and found that in falling it had made a hole about 6 inches deep in the soft plowed ground. Mr. Robert S. Browning, who was on Mr. Sturdevant's place at the time of the fall, stated that, "There was a rumbling noise, followed by three loud reports much like thunder or a big gun.'' He compared the appearance of the meteorite to that of "a big shovel of red-hot coals being upset." Mr. W. A. Kenan, of Benton, Alabama, some 25 miles from the place where the stone was found, stated that the report was heard in Selma, Montgomery, and Marion, the latter place being about 16 miles west of Augustin.
