METEORITE FROM ALGOMA, WISCONSIN
The meteoric iron which is here described was plowed up in the spring of 1887 on the farm of Mr. Henry Runke, about
4 miles west of Algoma post-office, Ahnapee Township, Kewaunee county, Wisconsin. The man who was guiding the plow
noticed the heavy metal as it was turned up by the plow from the depth of but a few inches. Mr. Richard Runke,
son of the farmer, was present and reports that the hired man placed the object upon a large stone and struck it
a number of blows with another stone used as a sledge, in an attempt to break it. The evidence of this maltreatment
it bears in a series of dents, especially upon its convex surface (a, figure 1; see also plate 3).
Subsequently it was vigorously attacked with cold chisel and hammer. A curiosity merely, the Algoma iron remained
about the farm on which it was found until March of the present year (1902), when Mr. Richard Runke, now a graduate
of the University of Wisconsin and teacher of science in the Madison High School, brought it to the writer for
examination. On being told that it was a meteorite and of considerable scientific value Mr. Runke very generously
presented it to the university.
The spot at which the meteorite was plowed up can be located within a few feet, because of its proximity to a large
pile of boulders upon the lot. Mr. Runke has made some search in the vicinity and has also made extensive inquiries
among the neighbors, but as yet with no positive results. As will be .shown below, there was reason to think that
fragments might exist in the vicinity and the search was continued with the aid of dial compass and dip needle,
but without success.
Size and Shape
Instead of the usual irregular form or the paraboloid shape of some oriented meteorites (Hraschina, Allegan, Long
Island), the Algoma iron is almost unique in having a discoid or shield-like form. In the surface of greatest extension
the outline is roughly elliptical, with major and minor axes 25 and 16J centimeters. From a thickness of about
2i centimeters near the geometric center the disc varies irregularly, generally to smaller values and locally even
to a knife edge at and near the circumference. The convex surface in the plane of the minor axis of its outline
and its normal has a radius of curvature of about 21 centimeters and the concave surface a considerably larger
value, about 32 centimeters. The two broad surfaces are spoken of as the convex and concave surface respectively,
because the former invariably recedes near its margin (though concave at one place and in one plane near its center).
The other surface is more nearly concave than convex, and in one plane (that of the minor axis and the normal)
is distinctly concave.
Weight and Specific Gravity
When brought to the university, the Algoma iron weighed a little less than 9 pounds, or somewhat more than 2 kilograms
(weighed with a spring balance). A small slice, in the widest place less than 3 centimeters in width, was sawed
from one end, and due to a misunderstanding of instructions a saw-cut was made, running partly through the meteorite
at a greater distance from the end (see plate 4). After suffering these losses the main meteorite mass now weighs
3,716 grams.
A block weighing a little over 39 grams, polished on two sides, after boiling in water for half an hour and cooling
to room temperature, was weighed in the water, and then, after drying, in air by the suspension method. The result
obtained for the specific gravity was 7.75.
[Source: Bulletin: Volume 14; By Geological Society of America William Herbert
Hobbs; Publ. 1903; Pg. 97; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
