Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867Various
Science
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867
Various
California Academy of Sciences -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
It is stated by several persons who have visited Southern
Arizona, among whom Dr. Horn may especially be mentioned, that
it is universally believed, and vouched for by apparently
trustworthy explorers, that there are many large masses of
iron near the summit of the range next east of Tucson. This is
called on the latest map of Arizona, (that published by Mr.
Gird) the “Sierra de la Santa Caterina.” Whether this is the
same as the “Sierra de la Madera,” mentioned by Velasco, as the
locality of “enormous masses of pure iron, between Tucson and
Tubac,” I have been unable to ascertain.
Dr. J. B. Trask saw, in August, 1849, a large mass of meteoric
iron, at the village of Rio Florida, partly buried in the
ground at the corner of the plaza. This may, perhaps, be the
same mass mentioned by Mr. Bartlett, as existing “at the
Hacienda de Concepcion, on the road from Chihuahua to Rio
Florida.” Dr. Trask, however, has a distinct recollection that
the mass he saw was at the village of Rio Florida, and not at
the Hacienda.
Dr. Veatch saw, in 1849, a large mass of iron at Santa Rosa,
Coahuila, which was then in use as an anvil, at a blacksmith’s
shop, and was informed that many pieces of native iron had been
used there for various purposes. The mass which Dr. Veatch saw,
was of about the size of an ordinary anvil. It was said to have
been brought from the mountains northwest of the town. This
statement corroborates that of Schott, in the Mexican Boundary
Report. (Vol. I, Part 2, page 34.)
It is a remarkable fact, considering the abundance of meteoric
iron near our borders, that no meteorite, either stony or
metallic, has yet been found within the limits of California.
The piece of iron from Honcut Creek, found by Dr. Trask,
and supposed to be of celestial origin, proved, on careful
examination, to be ordinary cast iron. A fragment of the mass
was referred to Professor Brush, and pronounced by him not to
be meteoric. The existence of a piece of cast iron, in the
locality where this was discovered, is not easily explained.
In connection with what has just been said of the existence of
meteoric iron in California, it should be added, that Dr. J. G.
Cooper thinks that he observed some small pieces of native iron
on the Mohave River, a little above its sink. By accident no
specimen of this supposed meteorite were saved, so that it is
not possible to say that Dr. Cooper may not have been mistaken.
The attention of explorers in that region is invited to this
supposed locality.
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