The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1896-11-24

your readers, is nothing more than an
airship, and of this fact l am perfectly
cognizant 1 think now that I am re-
leased of my obligation of secrecy,
which l have kept for nearly three
months, as the experiment in aerial
navigation is a fixed fact and the pub
lie or few of the public at least, have
seen it's workings in the air.
In the latter part of last August Twas
hunting in the Tamalpais range OF
mountains, between the high peak and
Bolinas Bay. I wounded deer, and
in chasing it I ran onto circular
brush pile about ten feet in hight in a
part of the mountain seldom visited
even by hunters.
l was somewhat astonished, and my
curiosity prompted me to approach it,
when l encountered man who sang
| out: What are you doing here and
what do you want?" l replied that
L had wounded a deer and was chas-
ing it He said that they had been
camping here for a month or so and
had not seen a deer, but If you think
your deer is in the neighborhood l will
| assist you in finding it as we need a
little meat in camp"
This man went with me and in less
than 500 yards found my deer We
carried it into the brush corral. And
what a sight-a perfect machine shop
and an almost completed ship. l was
sworn to secrecy and have kept 1t till
this moment. Six men were at work
| on the aerial ship" 1t is this ship
that a few people have seen at night
on it's trial trip. 1t returns to its home
before daylight and will continue to do
so until perfected Yours,
WILLIAM JORDAN.
WHO CAN EXPLAIN?
| 1t is not at all strange, perhaps, that
| persons who have not seen the brilliant
| light that is supposed to be carried by
| the airship should continue to scout
the idea that there is really such a
thing in existence But those who have
seen the light (or lights moving
through the darkness only a few hum
| dred feet above the ground, and nave
| watched it for an hour at time, have
| ceased to believe in the toy balloon or
jack o. lantern theories.
| And there can be no use in denying
! the fact that a dark object has been
seen just above this bright light This
much can be proven by reputable per-
sons in this city. 1t therefore remains
| for someone who scouts the idea of an
airship to explain by what other agency
these manifestations could be made
possible
| 1t must be either supernatural or nat
ural Gncluding scientific). The first
| r &c IF imnr0h1
to remove it at once from controversy.
| If some freak Of nature, it should be
possible of explanation. The only other
| theory left is that mans ingenuity has
again-as it has often done-startled
the scientific world, this time by per-
fecting a continuance that will float in
! the air.
In the light of the results of expert
ments made in recent years, can 1t be
safely said that this is impossible?
There may be no airship, as so many
| persons contend, but will they please
explain why there cannot be?
AERIAL RHYME.
| In the absence of the springtime the
| airship has began to stir up the rhyms-
tiers, and all sorts of ''odes" may now
| be looked for. The first has arrived. 1t
| was received by a prominent business
| house yesterday, and is alleged to have
| come from one Of it's customers, but
more liHely it is the product of some
/ one connected with the house. Here
it is:
| | seed it, / seed it!
Away up in the air,
| And the gooseS and the duckses
| Stopped in their flight to stare
| AT the aerphone, or balloonephone,
A sailin round I'D there
I seed it! I seed it!
| Twas a funny-lookin' sight,
A sailin' round about the stars
| With its incandescent light
| Sashaying first with Jupiter,
Then dancin' round the moon,
| An bowling to Andromedear-
Was the electrified balloon.
| L seed it, / seed it,
| And friend of mine will swear
| That he too seed the new masheen
| flynn round up there.
| He's way up in astronomy,
| An never tells a lie,
| An knows the name of all them things
| 4 shinin in the sky.
He seed it, He seed it!
| And he's man you cannot fool,
! Cause he always was a studyin'
| When he used to go to school;
| And he says 1t amt comet,
J Or a meteorick stone,
| Or some ole durn-fOOl planet
| A-goin' it alone.
| He says the times a comm,
And comm pretty soon,
| When every one'll be a-ridin'
| In an aerephone balloon.
| I seed it! L seed it,
| It's as sure as gospels truei
| 1t amt going to be SO long
| Before the air you travel through;
| And balloon trains will be runnju'
| From Bombay to New York,
| And customers a comm
| From Milpitas and from Cork;
| And when they read the papers
They'll read 'em in the skies;
| So, get ready for conditions
| When you have to advertise
| TO the nations of Liberia
Or a Siberian loon
| It will take high advertisin'