| dc.description.transcription | DEPORT, Texas, Trip of 1938, July 3-4 W. A. Gifford had not found any more meteorites, and apparently his brother Jess had not. Sid Williamson said he had recently sent the 12 oz. one to Nininger, who offered $5.00 for It; I believe he sent one or two smaller ones along, and Marvin Betterton no doubt sent his offer of this spring, probably at least two or three small meteorites to Nininger. In view of this offer and dealings, I offered 40 cents an ounce for future finds. Williamson (Roy’s father) gave me one small chip he had; a slightly larger piece that the younger son had his mother was keeping for him as a curiosity (1 oz?). Williamson suggested I see Joe Wright (Thomas Wright's boy) about a peculiar rock Joe had found a few years ago, but I got the wrong Joe Wright when I went south of Rugby (past Cotton's place) to see him; there are 2 Joe Wright's. Ask BIll Edwards at Rugby. Sid Williamson also said that John G. Wright, whose Paris address is 150 S. Main, said there to be a small hole on the Fuller farm, about 1/2 mile south of the Shadowland store and on the left side of the road; could be a meteorite craterlet? The first house to the left going S of the store is now occupied by L. L. (Lonnie) Miller and R. L. Fincher, to whom I talked; address R 2, Deport. A piece of artificial iron sent in 10 days later was apparently from this Mr. Miller. Jess Woods, colored boy on John G. Wright's place (just E of the house) had a meteorite of about 11 oz. which he had found on the Fuller farm (south of the barn?); I bought this for $4.50. Next morning he had a smaller one estimated to weigh 1 1/2 oz. for which I gave 60 cents —probably found at about same locality, tho he refused to say. At the Betterton house south of Shadowland on the right towards the new highway I got from Marvin Betterton one flat piece (Thurmon Franks)* and one small irregular piece ? (Edna Betterton): 5 small ones* (2 flat, 1 round, 1 curved, 1 square, Finis Gifford) Rt. 1, Deport; and 1 from Ruth Franks, c/o Marvin Betterton. Of Finis, the curved and square ones were found farthest east; his round one and Ruth Franks’ ? piece were found near Betterton farm. J. D. Donaldson, R 2, Deport, lives at Bogata, and from him I obtained a small hacked fragment plus a melted piece. It was found S of the ry tracks and the finders broke it on the rails and melted the little piece with an acetylene torch. He took me to James Rhodes (at his father's house, just S of ry tracks). Marvin Betterton had previously told me that Rhodes found most of his just across the road from Betterton’s on the old Earl Allen farm, now owned by John G. Wright just of W of Williamson); Betterton thought a 12 pound piece found by Rhodes had sold for $50, but this seems to have been found much farther N, as will appear from narrative below. *These 6 not mets ? these 2 meteorites James Rhodes confirmed the place of find of many of his meteorites as being on the Allen farm. The 8 pound piece was found about 1927 and later thrown in the cistern, from whence it was rescued when the cistern was cleaned out. It was used as a “shot put" for a while. In 1931 he sold it, apparently thru Nininger, and was to get $8 a pound, but actually finally got the personal check of Charles Palache for $50. This piece undoubtedly went to Harvard. Rhodes sold a piece of about 1 pound to Peter Zodac. The piece the U of T has is a separate and additional piece found not far from where the 8 1b piece was picked up. He sent one piece to the U. S. Mint at Denver and never got It back. He also let Mr. L. H. Collier of Hobart, Okla., have a piece of about 3 lbs. and a few ounces, but never heard any further from this pseudogeologist. Is apparently the same man (or was it an assistant?) that the Betterton’s had recalled as "old man Hollett”. Here I obtained a meteorite of about 12 02. from Weldon Betterton--the first found on "this farm", about 300 yds. SW from the house (where Rhodes, Sr., lives). A small round melted piece obtained from Weldon was apparetnly [apparently] not a meteorite. Rhodes said he found all of his meteorites on the same 22 A block (Allen farm); the original big one in a drain ditch. He thought the Bureau of Public Roads had a map of the district (U.S. Agri. Dept.). He reported that "old man" (' W. P. Evans (parego flend?) had once found a meteorite on the railroad right of way which he sold for $10; other confirmed this story. Rhodes thought the course of the original meteor must have been towards the E of N. His route is R 1, Deport. I heard that Ben Fuller (owner of the "Fuller farm" to the east of Shadowland-- lust how far east?) used to find many of the irons In his youth, but none in recent years; he lives in Deport. Donaldson took me to Raymond Kilgore, who lives on the farm owned by Mrs. R. C. Kimball; Raymond had given Mrs. K. a 3 oz. met. he had found a few days previously, but when I got it from. her and checked it it was not a met. There is lot of artificial iron in a field just SW of the Kilgore house. Jess Kilgore, Route 3 W and S of Deport, had a piece of what seemed to me to artificial iron. Donaldson took me to Harvey Morgan at the Rugby store, from whom I got 4 meteorites which he had found while working in the west side of the field just E of Wright's land--down by the creek. Donaldson had heard of a meteorite falling near the wife of Dickson Hale while she was washing last Jan (1938), but when we talked to Dickson, at Rugby, he knew nothing of the matter. See Harley Massey at the hdw. Store in Deport who wither told Donaldson of this or was present when it was told about. Wesley Epps in the store at Rugby told of a big fireball which was seen within 200 yards of the Jim Gifford place near Rugby In 1898--apparently fireball only. I talked to Mr. Baughn in Deport and the fireball he saw in the spring of 1882 began alt 30 degrees in the NW, went about overhead and exploded with a flash and spreading at alt 45 in the SE at 8 p.m. on a starlit night; he heard the noise but recalls no train. Angles estimated but approx. correct. Next morning I talked to H. H. Dickson east of Deport on the old road, just W of the creek; the day before I had talked to two tenants in the first house just E of the creek (both on S or right side going E). Proceeding along this road, the next house is Marvin Betterton’s, where the road turns; then comes W. A. Gifford's and the store. Turning at the store and going on to the highway, the last house on the left is D. R. Slaton, whom I Interviewed. He works land both S and N of the tracks but has not found any meteorites. M. S. Latham, Route 2, Deport, went with me N of town. We had heard that Archie Slaton had found a 12 lb. Meteorite on the Cal Reed farm, which he sold for $25, and while we missed Slaton went on to see Malcom Johnson, now on that far. According to S. S(pencer) Burchnell, Claude Smith was living with Slaton at the time, and two pieces were found one was lost on the place (in or near the yard) and is presumably still there. It must have weighed several pounds. The 12 pound piece is apparently the one which went to the U. S. National Museum. I believe that Mollie Slaton, sister in law of the D. R. Slaton mentioned above, either is now or was on the Cal Reed farm. This farm is about 2 mi NE of Deport and joins “Billy Thompson’s” place. At the Wm. Skeen farm, just N and perhaps a little W of the Cal Reed place, I talked to the tenant C. E. Cawvey and also Tom Garrett. From this point the Deport water tank is about S 19 W, Shadowland is S 23 E with Rugby 1 or 2 degrees E therefor, and Bogata water tank § 38 E. Tom Garrett thinks he knows of a met. in Ark. he will try to find. His father, W. M. Garrett, is on farm E and perhaps a little N of Skeen place, a SW Life Farm rented from Smith, and has never found any meteorites. He formerly lived at Smithville, Okla., and says Star was or is Postmaster there; he recalls J. L. Hesperling as being quite a searcher and prospector for zinc in that region and thinks the Moore at Zaffra is his partner. He recommends G. Huse Johnson at Smithville or Hatfield, Okla. Claude Smith, the son-in-law of Mrs. Slaton, said the meteorites were found SW of the house on the Reed place. Ben fuller recalls "Bruton Lake" (no one else names It) as having been perhaps an area of 100 acres at one time, tho his definite recollections seem to date from a time when the water covered only 30 to 40 acres; it covered land now owned by the Nobles boys (worked from town) and Corry Bell’s land (no one living there). It was originally undrained, but a drain was cut artifi- | |
