The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-22
The Heavenly MYSTERY.

Inc heavenly Rsystery.
The great and mysterious aerial vessel
that has thrown north Texas and many
parts of the country into state of ex-
citement and cOmmOtion, was first seen
sailing over Kansas, but the stories about
it did not excite much attention.
Since then, however, the mysterious
of the country, and Friday night last
reputable citizens in scores of Texas
towns had view of the aerial vehicle.
1t has Travelled over Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Louisiana
and other states, and everywhere has
excited great curiosity and in some
places provoked CONSERVATION.
On Friday night, April 8, the strange
light skirted over the northern border of
Chicago and could be seen, according to
the numerous reports of residents in that
neighbOrhood. A great crowd gathered
at the corner of Milwaukee and Oakley
avenues and gazed at the object, trying
to figure out to their satisfaction what
it might be. 1t was an "arship" for lack
of better name to designate it by, but
most were skeptical about the identity
of the manifestation" 1t was said the
object looked very much like balloon,
but the 'red light was plainly discern
ible. Many of the people mounted the
roofs in the neighborhood and all the
field glasses in the vicinity were called
into play. Among those who reported
seeing the lights were Max Christianson,
1852 Milwaukee avenue; Joseph Star
veitch, 1880 Milwaukee avenue; George
Nicholson, 1880 Milwaukee avenue; l..
Wickert, clerk in Keats drug store, 1889
Milwaukee avenue.
1t passed over Chicago. going eastward
and disappeared about 12:45. 1t carried
a strange green light, which was seen by
thousands of people.
Professor G. w. Hough of Dearborn
observatory, Northwestern university
took an interest in the "airship" rumors
and advanced the opinion that the
strange light was caused by the effect
of the atmosphere on the star Alpha
Orionus, which is of the first magnitude
and is in the constellation Orion. 1t
rises early in the evening and it's course
across the heavens is about the same as
that of the moon. In Chicago it is first
visible about Z o'clock this time of the
year. 1t reaches the zenith, he says,
about the time when the mysterious phe-
nOmenOn described as an "airship" was
seen that night. The professor says the
star is unusually bright in clear at
mosphmere and appears to be close to
t"e S"i'n ihe s'oi Siauuaiiy uoaPpcuiS
during the evening, and as it grows dim
mer the effect of the atmosphere causes
it apparently to change color.
On the same night that thousands of
people in Chicago saw the 'airship"
red, white and green lights high in the
heavens warned the citizens of Evanston
that the Kansas airship was ailing over
that suburb The lights were first OBJ
served by Robert Lowen. jewelers.
clerk, living at 1875 sherman avenue. 1t
was "a few minutes after . o'clock, and
nundreds OF Evanston people saw the
hight. ~
Of q o'clocL II WIS coon h,, r,anu ,oo,, ,I,'
1t was visible about ten minutes and
then disappeared behind some trees.
At Wausau. Wis, on the same night
what was supposed to be an airship was
seen passing over that city about 10
o'clock. Lights could be distinguished
from dark object far ND in the heavens.
which had the appearance of being
shaped like an egg. 1t was viewed there
by at least fifty persons
On the same night a large number of
people at Scion, Ia, saw the mysterious
visitor, and on the same night at 2:O5
it was seen at Marion, Ia, by the night
operators of the Western Union Tele-
graph company and others. 1t appeared
to be about 500 feet above the ground.
The outlines were distinctly visible
against the sky. The ship gave out two
bright lights of an electric glow.
At Mount Carroll, ILL.,. hundreds of
people, about $50 o'clock, saw the
strange visitor. 1t came from the north
east, and when opposite Carroll changed
its course and went due west at most
terrific speed. 1t appeared to be oblong
in shape and carried a red light. In
length it appeared to be about 10 feet long
and some two or three feet high. Many
people saw it in various parts of the city.
7, Texas.
~,
Inc strange craIL seen az man! points
IN NOrtn anu has. nena a III aiday nisi. mas