The record-union., 1896-11-19
THAT MYSTERIOUS LIGHT,
Was Il an Air-Ship or a Will-O the
WiSp?
Stories That are Floating Around
Concerning the Supposed
Floating Visitor.

Regarding the aerial visitor that
passed over Sacramento Tuesday even
ing, and which was described at the
time as being a pure white light of
about double the power of an electric
arc light, many queer stories are told.
Whether the light was meteor, or
attached to a BALLOON, or whether it
was a genuine flying machine, is not
positively known, though ninety-nine
out of 100 men in the city regard the
matter in the light of a huge hoax. The
stories told by some of the parties who
saw THE light follow, and the reader
can pay his money and take his choice:
r. L. Lowry, who was formerly in the
employ of the street railway company
in this city, but who has been absent
for some time and only recently re-
turned, says he was near East Park
and saw the apparatus when it was not
more than fifty feet from the ground.
He declared that the machine was
cigar-shaped and was operated by four
men who sat aside the cigar and moved
as though they were working their pas
sage on a bicycle. He stated that the
machine was fitted with wing-like pro-
l-hcIS dIltI Tic Ol lllOSe Oh dIl
ocean steamer.
T. P. De Long, whose residence is not
mentioned in the city directory, said he
saw the light and heard voices, but
couldn't hear what was said.
Daniel Curl, a horse trainer, is au-
thority for the statement that he not
only saw the light, but heard someone
suggest that they go UP higher
+. f. Briggs, a motorman on a
G-street car said he saw the light and
called attention to it. His passengers
requested him to stop, which he did
He heard singing which appeared to
come from the direction of the light, and
seemed to be waited down in gusts.
Nj. F. Shelley, a motorman on a
J-street car, saw the light and heard a
voice shouting orders.
c. Fl. Lusk, Secretary of the street car
company, noticed the light. He said it
Lad an up -and-down and side-to-side
motion.
G. c. Snfder, foreman of the street.
car barn, saw the light, and gave it as
his opinion that it was an aerial ma
chine of some kind.
Frank A. Ross, Assistant Manager of
the street railway company, said he had
talked with many persons concerning
the matter. and, having seen the light,
is fully assured that it was some kind of
flying machine.
Thomas Allen stated very seriously
that flying machine, the invention of a
citizen of Sacramento, actually did as
cend from the vicinity of Oak Park, and
that four men, among whom was Nat
Liebling, ascended with it, The ma
chine, he related, was fastened to the
earth with a cable, which broke and LET
the aerial wonder float away. 1t would
not, owing to a defect in the steering
apparatus, be guided, and sailed around
at random. First 1T made for Suisun,
but after having accomplished half the
journey veered around, once more
passed over the city, and is now at a
point near Arcade Station, ten miles
northeast of this city,
1t puzzles one to understand how the
machine could have started from Oak
Park, which is southeast of the city,
and passed over from the northeast TO
the southwest, and it is also puzzIing
TO know how Nat Liebling could have
taken such q wild, wild ride. when he
was seen near the Postoffice only two
hours later.
There are other puZzling things also.
but the average citizen will choose what
he wishes, and the burning question still
Is, What was it?''