* Astronomy

An aerolite of great size fell near St. Joseph Sunday morning. The residents were startled by a sharp, quick sound and a severe jarring of the earth. It was at first thought to be an earthquake, but a young farmer soon brought the intelligence that some great projectile had embedded itself in the woods near by. The neighbors went to the spot and found that the aerolite in falling had come in contact with a huge oak, and denuded it of many of its branches. Passing downward in a slightly slanting course, it buried itself in the earth to a depth of at least fifteen to eighteen feet. The sandy sides of the hole nude by the meteoric stone had caved in upon it, leaving it buried beyond sight. Several fragments of the stone lay scattered about, and the atmosphere about the place was impregnated with the smell of sulphur. The meteoric fragments were of a dull grayish and dark color, indicating a combination of obsidian tractile and pumice. They will be, brought to this city and sent to the Smithsonian Institution. The depth to which the aerolite embedded itself will involve considerable labor to bring it to light, but the stone will be dug out not only for scientific purposes, but also to satisfy the curiosity of the people. From the great orifice made by the stone it is estimated that it cannot weigh less than two tons.
Source

Alexandria Gazette, Volume 88, Number 138, 14 June 1887

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