Arizona Citizen

In recent numbers of The Washington Chronicle some interesting articles have appeared on the discovery, transportation and presentation to the Smithsonian Institution of a great meteoric stone, which has been generally designated the "Irwin-Linsa Meteorite," but which will in the future be known under the name of "The Tucson Meteorite."

As appears from articles in The Chronicle, Dr. B. J. D. Irwin, of the United States Army and now at West Point, discovered this aerolite in 1857, lying in one of the by-streets of our village, half buried in the earth, having evidently been there a considerable time. As no person claimed it Dr. Irwin, having devoted much of his time during the preceding three years to the collecting of specimens of natural history for the Smithsonian Institution, determined to secure for the national collection at Washington this fine specimen of meteoric iron which he had found hidden away among the rubbish of an obscure alley in Tucson, which no person claimed, and which was there looked upon simply as a curious but valueless object. In his correspondence with Prof. Baird, the doctor communicated his intention of forwarding and presenting it to the Institute. Many army officers and others in Arizona at the time looked upon the idea as impracticable, owing to the difficulty of transporting such a heavy mass over the bad roads of the country. Dr. Irwin however persisted in his praiseworthy design and under his guidance and with the assistance of several parties the stone was finally safely landed in Washington. Mr. Palatine Robinson, near whose house it was, assisted in getting the stone sent to Hermosillo. Mr. Augustine Ainsa, who was engaged in the business of freighting and lived at Fort Buchanan or in the vicinity, in this Territory, conveyed it as far as Alamito, Sonora, whence, after vexatious delays of months and years, it was conveyed, free of expense by Mr. Santiago Ainsa to Guaymas and thence by the Flint and Folly steamship company to San Francisco, where on its arrival it attracted much attention.

The Meteorite arrived in Washington in November 1863, was placed on exhibition and became the great object of attraction in the Smithsonian Hall.

There having been some dispute as to the original label on this valuable stone, by which it became known as the "Irwin-Ainsa Meteorite," the matter was lately submitted to Professor Henry of the Smithsonian Institution who has finally given his decision by having a new label placed on the stone, which reads: "The Tucson Meteorite, presented to the Smithsonian Institution by Dr. B. J. D. Irwin U. S. Army, and transported from Tucson, Arizona, to Washington, free of cost, by S. Ainsa, the Flint and Folly steamers, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and the Panama Railroad Company."

This remarkable specimen of meteoric iron will probably constitute one of the chief attractions in the Smithsonian display at the National Centennial Exhibition.