The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-20
PHANTOM AIRSHIP
STIRS PENNA. TOWNS
Suspected Of Being German
With Designs on Emporium
Explosives Plant.
FLASHES GREEN LIGHTS

SMErHPoRr. Pa, July 19.-That some
inventor has chosen the sparsely set.
tied section Of northern Pennsylvania
to try out a dirigible not unlike the
Zeppelin is the only explanation given
of the unusual appearance in this vicin-
ity OF a cigar shaped airship which
has lowered over this vicinity in tie
small hours of the morning for several
days. The ship was seen by a large
number of persons here last night.
At first 1t was thought that agents
Of the German Government had induced
some one to make an attack on lie
Emporium Explosives Company's plant
and that the ship was kept In hiding
in the hills near here awaiting an OPP
perfume time of attack when the big
mills were completed.
In all its flights. however, thou Oh
Opportunities have been alarmed and
have been watching, the airship has not
appeared over that village or tho
powder works near by.
For several days past the gudri
about 'he Emporium mill has been par
ticularly active, but all denied any fear
OF an attack.
1t is well known that during the weeE
Capt. Seefried Roeder of the guard force
resigned and returned to his family a.
Rosendale, y. Y. 1t Ia reported ttd'
he said he didn't want to take any
chances" whatever that may have
I meant. Cash Henry succeeded hin
Both have been used to explosives all
their lives and have shown no fear.
Campers who have selected a sic
outside Smethport. about eight miles
! cver Bush hin. where the dirigiblc WIS
~--1a- aaNH thAE
the searchlight III the giant ship mas
repeatedly been thrown on their tents.
In the party were Mr.. and Mrs. Ber-
nard Garlock. who both say they saw
the airship. Scott Walker, says he
has seen the dirigible plainly to-
ward dawn. the whirring OF the motors
. on one occasion being p~erceptihle rs
| the machine flew about Loo" feet h!gh'
in his judg nent. II. l.. Backus. another
Smethport man, has seen 1t ana hed'n
IL.
Just now watching parties are being
held and the airship base will soon he
/ discovered II watchfulness and automo-
bile parties can help any. There are
sections of twenty-four to forty miles
square, without "A road in tins section,
which was the last hardwood forest to
be cut. In many places IN me WOODED
section the land has burned over and
over, It being almost cleared, bet It's
value being lost because of inaccessi-
bility. These spots could he reached
through lumber paths, but only after a
good days journey up and down Hill.
No one has been seen coming or gong
from the Smethport side to the 'oasis'
In the mountains.
ON the Emporium side entrance might
have been made by those in charge of the
airship. for such a large amount OF
! freight has gone through the villag" for
the big explosives works and 50 many
strangers were there that they would
have been unnoticed.
The whole AFFAIR is a mystery. but II
has tended to make nervous the persons
about Emporium. who keep in constant
touch with Smethport and Clean by tele'
phone to ascertain the latest concerning
the flights Of the airship.
one remarkable thing about the dirlg-
, ible reported by all those who saw IT was
the frequency with which II seemed 10
throw out above and ahead of II a blue
phosphorus like glare. which at times
seemed to illuminate the heavens. much
like lightning, only more lasting, ~
times IL was thrown toward the valley
illuminating it for a large radius.