Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-23
Circles About Worcester,
!. O.
( 1000 Feet in the Air.
RweftuI Search|ight Plays in
s8,Faces Of The Crowd.
Identity a Mystery, But Aeronaut
~ 'TiIIinghast Is Away.

..f'.
j. Worcester, Mass, Dec 2o.-Flying
through the night at an average speed
Of 30 or 40 miles an hour, mysterious
: airship tonight appeared over Worces-
- ter shortly before 6 o'clock. lowered
over khe city few minutes, Gisappear-
eds aHd then returned to cut four cir.
cles above the gaping town, mean
while sweeping the heavens with Il
searchlight of tremendous power. The
news of it's presence spread like Wild
: fire and thousands thronged the streets
TO watch the liner Of the sky.
The airship remained over the city
for about Il minutes, all the time at
height that most observers set at
about 1000 feet, too far to enable even
r. its precise shape to be seen. The glar-
ing rays of the great searchlight, how
ever, were sharply defined by reaec-
e. lions against the light snow fal; which
was covering the city at the time. The
dark mass of the ship could be dimly
seen behind the light, which flashed in
all directions.
AT the time of the airship's visit.
Wallace f. Tillinghast, the Worcester
man, who claims to have invented a
marvellous aerCDlane capable of almost
incredible feats, wGs absent from his
home and could not be found in Wor-
ceSter
The visitor from the clouds was
first sighted over Marlboro at 1920,
about the same time that reports say
it has been seen on other nights this
week and last. The 16 miles between
this city and Marlboro it covered in
of ,o at
was first sighted by an employee of
prominent restaurant, who shouted out
the WIS of his discovery. The Is diners
in the restaurant, many of them prom
inent business men, deserted their
tables and rushed into the street.
Coming up from the southeast the
sky voyager veered to the west, re-
manned in sight a few moments and
then disappeared to the northwest.
Meanwhile the streets filled with thou-
sands of people, all with their faces
upturned In five minutes the search
light was again seen glowing in the
distance like monster star and the
ship came up, lowered over the city
short time and disappeared to the
southeast.
At $40 an eager shout from the
crowds announced it's return. Slowly,
it's light sweeping the heavens. it cir
cled four times above the city and
then disappeared for the night, head
ing first southeasterly and then to the
east.
Its searchlight appeared to the
watching thousands about the size Of
bucket
Although Wallace E. Tillinghast
1oiv fn hoy
. full aeroplane trips in machines of his
own construction. of which a score
have been made in the machine which,
it is believed, navigated the air over
Worcester and vicinity tonight it was
not until Dec. - that the story OF his
achievements became public. On that
day aeronauts and others were sur
, prised by the announcement that Mr.
Tillinghast had on Sept. made trip
in his areoplane to the statue of liberty
in New York City, thence to Boston
and back to his starting point in the
vicinity of Worcester a distance of
600 miles. without once alighting.
g, In connection with this statement MIR.
~ Tillinghast asserts that when near Fire
island one of the cylinders broke down.
the engines were stopped and two me-
p. chanics repaired the damage while it
remained Al minutes in the air with
out motive power. This statement is in
wide contradiction of all the establish
! ed record of the gravity of such ma
: chimes.
p Mr.. Tillinghast says that he will
make. his first competitive test during
the airship exhibit in Boston next sum-
mer He described his machine as be-
ing of the monoplane type. with a
| spread of Y feet and weighing $3.50
pounds, furnished with gasoline en-
CINE of 120 horsepower. made from
particular specifications. An average
:, speed of 20 miles an hour has been
) gained from it's power. he says. Three
persons are usually carried-two me-
] chanics and Mr.. Tillinghast. He claims
9, that it's performances exceed the best
.. announced records for speed and alti-
. tude.
Mr.. Tillinghast is business man of
.. good standing in this city. He is an ex-
o perienced mechanic and has invented
3 several devices which are the founda-
ton of the company of which he is
vice president. He has made a special
, study of airships for II years. he says.
q. Marlboro, Mass, Dec. 22.-An airship
was sighted over Marlboro tonight
about o'clock going northwest at 80
or more miles an hour. Persons in all
sections of the city reported having
had a glimpse of it. Its general course,
they say, was in the direction of Clin-
ton.
A $4,000 Fire at Marlboro, Mass.
Marlboro, Mass, Dec. 22.-Fire to-
night practically destroyed the plant OF
the Ideal Plating CO. in this city. The
loss will be about $4,000. More than
100 men are thrown out of work.
p
A $4,000 gift for the teaching of
Latin in Exeter Academy at Exeter,