PROJECT 1947

THAT MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIP

From the New Haven Journal-Courier:

Where does it come from? What is it? Who does it belong to? These are the questions which have come to the mind of newspaper readers all over New England and in New York during the last fortnight. From a score or more localities reports have come of a wonderful mechanism, which has been seen skimming along, high in the air, above our cities. It has invariable come in the night time, when big searchlights of tremendous power have gleamed from out of the darkness like the eyes of some monster living creature the imagination. It is quite impossible to believe we are all suffering from a common hallucination.

      If the wonderful flying apparatus is the product of the brain of Wallace Tillinghast of Worcester, as the public tends to believe, then that gentlemen has good reason to be secretive about it. Apparently, as compared with this creation, the flying machines of the Wright brothers, who have been generally recognized as being the leaders of the world in aeronautics up to the present moment, seem very crude. Mr. Tillinghast, presuming him to be the owner and inventor, undoubtedly has in mind a thorough perfection of this airship before giving the public more than an inkling about it. He may realize that this or almost any government would pay a fabulous sum for airships as successful as this one is, provided their details have been kept in strict secrecy. On the other hand, it is scarcely to be believed that such a phenomenal invention could be successfully and continually kept secret.

      The Springfield Republican suggests a gigantic hoax in this connection. "The idea suggests itself," it says, "that the Worcester Telegram is trying to emulate the New York Sun by bringing out a sort of semicentennial edition of Edgar Allan Poe's celebrated balloon hoax. in that story, it will be remembered, Poe pictured a "dirigible balloon's voyage across the Atlantic ocean with a party of seven or eight men."   But the stories of how this strange craft of the air had been seen have come from so many different localities that it is well-nigh impossible to be believe there could be any hoax back of it. Indeed, as the Republican says, undoubtedly referring to the recent Cook affair: "it will be observed that hoaxes are not popular just now."

THAT MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIP

A Number of Norwich People Believe it to be a Large Paper Balloon.

A number of Norwich people, who saw sailing over the city what was supposed by a few to be the mysterious airship which has been reported so often of late declare now that in their opinion it was nothing but a large paper balloon, the kind that is put up on Fourths of July. It traveled with the wind, which strengthens their belief. There was a ribbon of smoke in its wake, such as the burning torch of a paper balloon gives forth. It would be surprising if someone is trying to hoax the public in this way.

COMET ELECTRIFIES SHIP
LEAVES COMPASS LOONEY

MISSING HEAVENLY BODY STRIKING SEA NEAR VESSEL, DEMAGNETIZES INSTRUMENTS AND SETS CREW A-TREMBLING.

CARDIFF.   Feb 26. -- Weird in the extreme was the story told by Capt. Davies of the steamer Trafalgar, now in port, with his ship disabled by an unaccountable magnetic visitation that rendered the compass useless.

      "We have been struck by a comet or a thunderbolt, and our ship is disabled," he said.   "We were bound from Port Talbot to Bastia with coals, leaving port on Wednesday, and this morning we were about ten miles southwest of the Wolf Rock when the vessel trembled violently, and there was a loud sharp report like the explosion of a cannon.   The foremast seemed a mass of flames, and the whole ship became aglow.

      "At that moment we saw a large fiery body, with a tail about 30 feet to 40 feet long, strike the sea about 20 feet from us.  Its appearance was accompanied by a loud hissing noise, and as it disappeared a column of water rose in the air.

Sets Fo'c's'le "on Fire."

      "Directly after the men came running out of the forecastle, saying it was on fire.   The whole of the interior was glowing with a brilliant light.   The effect of the phenomenon in the engine room was most awe-inspiring, the whole place glowing in a faint violet light, from which millions of sparks emanated.   All the men rushed upon deck.

      "The second mate happened to be sounding the (well) at the time and received a violent shock from the steel rod which he held in his hand.   The phenomenon did not last many seconds.   When we had recovered from our surprise we looked at the compasses and found them all demagnetized and awry.

      "In that predicament I decided to put back for the nearest port, but as we were experiencing blinding snowstorms and could get no assistance from our compasses, it was a difficult task.   At last we picked up the Lizard, and by following coasting vessels put into Falmouth."

      Strange to say, when the compasses were taken ashore they resumed their normal condition and were strictly accurate.   It is feared that the ship has become highly magnetized, and experts will go on board to decide how the problem can be solved.

An Aerial Flying Dutchman

(United Press Special Wire.)

Toronto, Ont., Oct. 27 -- An aerial Flying Dutchman is making across Canada.   That explains some of the reports that confused those who were searching for the missing balloon America, and raises the question whether some inventor of extraordinary genius isn't trying a secret trial trip before he startles the world with the story of his accomplishments.

      The mysterious airship, carrying red and green lights, passed over Fort William and was seen by two train crews on trains some distance apart.  It was still going westward.

      Early this morning the airship was seen going over Saskatchewan from east to west, and it again carried red and green lights.

      To cap the climax, Mrs. Grenfall, wife of the noted deep-sea missionary, writes that an airship was seen over St. Anthony's in far northern Labrador, a week ago.

      The reports are confirmed from other places and appear absolutely reliable.