[meteorite-list] NPA 08-04-1977 County Backed in Rock Battle, Old Woman Meteorite

[MARK BOSTICK]

Paper: Montclair Tribune
City: Montclair, California
Date: Thursday, August 04, 1977
Page: 10

Nation's second largest meteorite

County backed in rock battle

     San Bernardino County has enlisted the support of several Western 
states in its legal battle to keep the nation's second largest meteorite 
discovered in the county's desert area, from leaving California for 
Washington, D.C.
     County supervisors were told Monday that the Western Association of 
Regional Councils has endorsed the county's bid to retain the Old Woman 
Meteorite.
     The association, which represents councils of local governments in 
eight states acted upon a motion by Supervisor Dennis L. Hansberger, this 
year's president of the Southern California Association of Governments.
     If the county wins its suit against the federal government for 
possession of the three-ton meteorite, it will agree to loan the meteorite 
for display in the West's major museums, Hansberger said.
     Furthermore, the association urged Congress to amend the Antiquities 
Act "on the basis that it results in cultural and scientific discrimination 
against the people of the western United States." Hansberger said.
     Under the 1906 law, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management claimed 
possession of the meteorite and turned it over to the Smithsonian 
Institution, which plans to ship it to Washington.
     The county's request for a preliminary injunction against the 
meteorite's removal from California will be ruled upon this week in U.S. 
District Court in Los Angeles.  The meteorite is now at the Barstow office 
of the Bureau of Land Management.
    Hansberger and Supervisors' Chairman Robert O. Townsend of Chino also 
reacted sharply to a Smithsonian proposal that would leave California with a 
fiberglass replica of the nickel-iron meteorite, plus a slice or two of the 
rock, if the Smithsonian wins the court battle.

(end)

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com