1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,880 Is Craig here? 2 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:02,320 He is very much so here, yes. 3 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:03,760 And he's gonna want to hear this. 4 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,320 In case you're missing our talk about forever chemicals, 5 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:09,520 I got you covered. 6 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,160 This starter episode titled, 7 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,760 Toxic Forever Chemicals Found in Toilet Paper Around the World 8 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,400 is gonna satisfy that itch that you got. 9 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,080 I hope it's not on your butt. 10 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,760 I hope not either, because that could be a bad sign. 11 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,120 You should get that checked out. 12 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:25,680 You should get that checked out. 13 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:25,920 Yeah. 14 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,240 This article about the dreaded forever chemicals 15 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,240 that we're constantly talking to you about, 16 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,480 Ozon, it's not just a title as we would like to believe 17 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:40,880 that mostly exist in those articles, just titles. 18 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:41,520 Wouldn't that be nice? 19 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:42,880 You wouldn't have to read so much. 20 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,640 But I'll read it for you, don't worry. 21 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:45,120 All toilet papers- 22 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,640 At least most some of it. 23 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,320 It's a long article, so. 24 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:49,840 I'll read you some of it. 25 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:52,640 All toilet paper from across the globe 26 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,320 checked for toxic PFOS, forever chemicals. 27 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,560 I didn't know that's what it was, PFAS. 28 00:00:59,120 --> 00:00:59,440 Yeah. 29 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,520 Now we know, we've all learned something together. 30 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:02,640 I didn't know that it was a- 31 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:03,840 Have I never said that? 32 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,680 Have I always just said PFAS? 33 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:06,880 You could have said it. 34 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:07,920 Okay. 35 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:09,520 And I just didn't listen. 36 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:14,560 Forever chemicals, so it's literally PFAS, PFAS. 37 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,880 Forever chemicals contain the compounds 38 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:18,640 and the waste flushed down toilets 39 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,400 and sent to sewage treatment plants 40 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,680 probably creates a significant source of water pollution. 41 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,120 New research is found. 42 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:26,560 Once in the wastewater plant, 43 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,800 the chemicals can be packed into sewage sludge 44 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,880 that is eventually spread on crop land 45 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,200 as fertilizer or split into waterways. 46 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:34,640 It is everywhere. 47 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,160 Toilet paper should be considered 48 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,720 as a potentially major source of PFAS, 49 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,720 entering wastewater treatment systems, 50 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,320 the study's author wrote. 51 00:01:42,320 --> 00:01:43,440 We don't know who that is. 52 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,840 Tom Perkins made a note, he wrote the article. 53 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,880 PFAS are a class of about 14,000 chemicals 54 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,840 typically used to make thousands of consumer products 55 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,840 resist water, stains, and heat. 56 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,440 They are called forever chemicals 57 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,440 because they do not naturally break down 58 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:58,800 and they are linked to cancer, 59 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,760 fetal complications, liver diseases, kidney diseases, 60 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:04,480 autoimmune disorders, and other serious health issues. 61 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,240 Just in case you needed a reminder, 62 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,720 though you probably didn't we talk about them so much. 63 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:10,720 It seems weird that you would need toilet paper 64 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:12,240 to be water repellent. 65 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,560 I was just gonna say, it makes complete sense 66 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,720 that we would want these in our toilet paper, no? 67 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,160 Yeah, I mean they're supposed to break down 68 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,800 and just immediately disintegrate in the pipes. 69 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,320 Yeah, but no, we want that not only touching our butts, 70 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,040 we also want that to go into our water streams. 71 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,000 Into our crops, and then back to our butts. 72 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,520 Exactly, that's what we're all pretty much thinking at this point. 73 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,800 The study checked 21 major toilet paper brands 74 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,680 in North America, Western Europe, Africa, 75 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,520 Central America, and South America, 76 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,680 but it did not name the brands. 77 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,560 The peer reviewed University of Florida report 78 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,800 did not consider the health implications 79 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,600 of people wiping with contaminated toilet paper. 80 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,400 EFAS can be dermally absorbed, 81 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,200 but no research on how it may enter the body 82 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,680 during the wiping process exists. 83 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,040 How can that not exist? 84 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,880 I mean if it's touching your butt, 85 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,000 it's going into your system, obviously. 86 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,280 And I'm not a scientist. 87 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:10,640 However, it's an opening. 88 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,480 However, that exposure is definitely 89 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,560 worth investigating, said David Andrews. 90 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:17,920 I'm surprised here. 91 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,400 Senior scientists with the Environmental Working Group, 92 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,520 a public health nonprofit that tracks PFAS pollution. 93 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:24,880 I'm surprised here at this. 94 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:26,720 They didn't look into the implications 95 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,560 of what it would mean for the human body 96 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,240 wiping your butt with that, 97 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,480 but they looked into what the toilet paper 98 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,000 was doing to the planet. 99 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:35,040 Seems weird. 100 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,760 I think maybe nobody wanted to study that. 101 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:39,600 Yeah, I think so as well, 102 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,360 but it just makes sense, 103 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,520 because you can get sick and get infections that way. 104 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,200 And that's also the way that temperatures are taken. 105 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,440 They do, they can put drugs in your system that way as well. 106 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:55,040 Up the butt. 107 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,920 I don't know the technical term for that. 108 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:58,480 Rectally. 109 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,120 Or suppository. 110 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,080 Suppository. 111 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:03,120 Yes, I did know it. 112 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,320 So you would assume it's doing something with toilet paper. 113 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,600 Anyhow, I digress. 114 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,640 Brands that used recycled paper had just as much 115 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,640 PFAS as those that did not. 116 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,640 And it may be that there is no avoiding 117 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,480 PFAS in toilet paper. 118 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,000 You just can't make it without it, 119 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,200 said Jake Thompson, 120 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,880 the studies lead author at the University of Florida grad student. 121 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,080 He says in quotes, 122 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,480 I'm not rushing to change my toilet paper, 123 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,960 and I'm not saying that people should stop using 124 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,000 or reduce the amount of toilet paper they use, he added. 125 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:33,760 The issue is that we're identifying 126 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,360 another source of PFAS, 127 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,400 and it highlights that the chemicals are ubiquitous. 128 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:39,520 That's an end quote. 129 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,400 The PFAS levels detected are low enough to suggest 130 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,200 the chemicals are used in the manufacturing process 131 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,400 to prevent paper pulp from sticking to the machinery. 132 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,240 Oh, that makes sense. 133 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,320 PFAS are often used as lubricants 134 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,000 in the manufacturing process, 135 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,480 and some of the chemicals are commonly left on 136 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,560 or in consumer goods. 137 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:00,240 The blah, blah, blah, they go on to say 138 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,760 PFAS are not added to the toilet paper, 139 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,080 and evidence seems to suggest otherwise, 140 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,600 though it may be true that PFAS are not intentionally added. 141 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,600 Companies might not be aware that it's used 142 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,760 because it might come from the manufacturer 143 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,680 of the instruments they're using. 144 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,920 Anyhow, that's pretty much the article. 145 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,360 I pretty much got through the whole thing. 146 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:20,800 I'm just leaving out a few cents. 147 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,960 Worries me a lot that a scientist 148 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,760 literally knows the problem that PFAS has on the planet, 149 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,280 and he's like, yeah, but it's not gonna change 150 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:28,720 how much I use or what I use. 151 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,800 Yeah, I'm just gonna use more to be honest with you. 152 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,880 I believe is what he was getting at. 153 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,640 Maybe they're onto something in Asia with the bidets. 154 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:39,920 The squat toilets. 155 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,520 You're up to the bidets. 156 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,360 Asia's got the squat toilets. 157 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,920 Asia uses bidets as well, I think. 158 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Okay. 159 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,760 If you've ever seen 90-day fiance, 160 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,880 there is one where his whole family buttholes are so clean. 161 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:01,840 We don't know the implications of bidets 162 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:03,440 and their making process. 163 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,120 There's probably PFAS involved in that. 164 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:06,640 There's probably PFAS in them. 165 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,360 If I've learned anything from Journey to the Fringe, 166 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,840 and this might be the return of the fringe, 167 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:13,760 that PFAS are in everything. 168 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:14,880 That's what we're learning. 169 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:15,360 Whatever. 170 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,680 I think the point that the scientists are making 171 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,600 are don't walk around with dirty butts. 172 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:20,880 Just do something. 173 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,160 Do something, indeed. 174 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:24,480 Yeah, I would agree. 175 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,360 And with that, I think we've all learned a little something 176 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,120 and we can get on with this episode. 177 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:34,160 Yeah, let's do the episode. 178 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,560 From the unexplained to the mundane, 179 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,400 come join us on a Journey to the Fringe. 180 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,280 Hello and welcome to Journey to the Fringe. 181 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,080 Now taking a short hiatus from recording episodes, 182 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,400 but from your viewpoint as a listener, 183 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:52,880 this will only be about a six-day long break. 184 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,680 We are your sabbatically set host, Taylor and Chelsea, 185 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,880 and here today, we're talking about a fringe topic 186 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:00,320 that I love. 187 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,720 And Chelsea, you're going to love this too. 188 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,240 I'm anticipating this. 189 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,560 It is the 1897 airship wave. 190 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,560 Okay, that sounds enjoyable. 191 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:11,680 I'm ready already. 192 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:12,960 I didn't even have to prepare. 193 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,040 We're not going to critically analyze it. 194 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:16,960 What we're going to do is, for the most part, 195 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:21,760 follow newspaper articles of sightings of rogue airships 196 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:27,200 flying across the US in the years 1896 to 1897. 197 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,320 Oh, I was just going to say, that's not what's currently 198 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,360 happening with us shooting down the US shooting down. 199 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:34,320 I mean, they could be. 200 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,320 They disintegrated on impact. 201 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,720 We haven't talked about that because that was way too not 202 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,440 a fringe topic. 203 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:39,760 I know. 204 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,760 I had to only randomly bring it up though. 205 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,880 But I'm excited to hear about this. 206 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:48,160 I've heard a lot about it. 207 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,320 Yeah, and this is a different time in the world of aviation. 208 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,240 The Wright brothers hadn't actually flown the first official flight. 209 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:57,120 Hasn't happened yet. 210 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,520 That doesn't happen until 1903. 211 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:00,080 Oh, okay. 212 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,360 So like very different. 213 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,040 Yeah, this is a completely different time. 214 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,960 Nothing should be in the sky. 215 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:06,800 Well, we'll get to that a bit. 216 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,160 According to British aviation historian Charles Gibbs Smith, 217 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:11,760 and this is a direct quote from him, 218 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,120 speaking as an aeronautical historian who specialized in the 219 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,320 period before 1910, one can say with certainty that the only 220 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,120 airborne vehicles carrying passengers which could possibly 221 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,080 have been seen anywhere in North America were free flying 222 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:25,280 spherical balloons. 223 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,720 So hot air balloons do exist, but that's literally it. 224 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,560 I mean, they're not hard to pick out. 225 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,880 Yeah, and you can't control them that well. 226 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:34,880 They got to float in the wind currents. 227 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,480 And it is highly unlikely for these to be mistaken for anything else. 228 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:43,120 No form of dirigible or heavier than air flying machines were flying 229 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,040 or indeed could fly at this time. 230 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,000 However, just because they weren't in the sky doesn't mean that 231 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,720 there weren't crazes about airships in general. 232 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,280 Airships were in the public eye just prior to this wave. 233 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:57,680 In 1895, a Swedish explorer by the name of Solomon August André 234 00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:00,800 made headlines describing plans for an Arctic balloon trip, 235 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,400 which he unsuccessfully attempts in 1896 and two months before 236 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,720 this outbreak dies trying to do it. 237 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,840 He was trying to fly a balloon filled with hydrogen to the North Pole, 238 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:10,800 and he dies. 239 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:11,840 Jesus. 240 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:12,640 Yeah. 241 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:13,360 Terrible plan. 242 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,040 That was a sweetest act, yeah. 243 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,880 And on May 6, 1896, Samuel Pierpont Langley, 244 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,800 described by Gibbs Smith as the first major aeronautical figure 245 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,400 in the United States, made headlines after successfully testing in-flight 246 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,480 his large airplane model number five about one month before the outbreak. 247 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,200 The New York Times carried an article with front page headlines 248 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,080 describing the crash of experimental airship Albatross, 249 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,760 which inventor and navigator William Paul narrowly escaped serious injury 250 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:40,880 after his craft quote, 251 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,760 walked rapidly, beat into a clump of trees and fell. 252 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:44,160 End quote. 253 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,080 The article concludes that the inventor says the experiment was unsuccessful 254 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,600 because of the quartering northeast wind and that but for this, 255 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,400 he would have made a flight to astonish the world. 256 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,560 And before this all takes place as well, on November 1, 1896, 257 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:01,520 the Detroit Free Press reported that in the near future, 258 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,360 a New York inventor would construct and fly an aerial torpedo boat. 259 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,920 Sixteen days later, the Sacramento, California B, 260 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,360 printed a telegram from a New York man claiming he and two friends 261 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,880 were bored and airship of his invention and fly to California, 262 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,120 which he promised to reach within two days. 263 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,080 So that is on November 17. 264 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,520 And then the first sightings actually start on November 17. 265 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:23,840 Really? 266 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,320 So with all of that in mind, here's what happens. 267 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:26,720 Okay. 268 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:31,920 The Sacramento B and the San Francisco call reported the first sightings on November 18, 1896. 269 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,640 The witnesses reported a light moving slowly over Sacramento 270 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,480 on the evening of November 17 that an estimated 1,000 feet elevation. 271 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,840 Some witnesses said that they could see a dark shape behind the light. 272 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,760 A witness named R.L. Lowry reported that he heard a voice from the craft 273 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:50,160 issuing commands to increase elevation in order to avoid hitting a church steeple. 274 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:51,360 Lowry added, quote, 275 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,000 In what was no doubt meant as a wink to the reader, 276 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:54,720 that end quote, 277 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,640 that he believed the apparent captain to be referring to the tower of a local brewery, 278 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:00,480 as there were no churches nearby. 279 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,680 Lowry further described the craft as being powered by two men 280 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,080 exerting themselves on bicycle pedals. 281 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,440 Above the peddling men seemed to be passenger compartments, 282 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,000 which lay under the main body of the dirigible. 283 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,880 A light was mounted on the front end of the airship, 284 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,200 and some witnesses reported the sound of singing as the craft passed overhead. 285 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,360 Were they that close to the ground that they could hear them? 286 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,200 Well, it says 1,000 feet, but apparently they could hear them. 287 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,480 But I also don't know how you would really have any way of knowing that. 288 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,600 Like literally you never see anything in the sky really, 289 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,920 except for maybe like kites and hot air. 290 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,800 Like it's quite obvious there's something in the sky. 291 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,040 So that happens. 292 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,760 And then on November 25th in Stockton, 293 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,400 the Stockton Evening Mail printed this article, 294 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,160 seen on a country road by Colonel H.G. Shaw and a companion. 295 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,040 And this is the article. 296 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,360 We were jogging along quietly when the horse stopped suddenly and gave a snort of terror. 297 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,840 Looking up, we beheld three strange beings. 298 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,000 They resembled humans in many respects, 299 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,720 but still they were not like anything I had ever seen. 300 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,080 They were nearly or quite seven feet high and very slender. 301 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,160 These beings bore no clothing, Shaw reported, 302 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,040 and said they were covered with a natural growth hard to describe. 303 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,200 Was not hair, neither was it like feathers, but it was as soft as silk to the touch. 304 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:15,520 Quote, 305 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,360 They seemed to take great interest in ourselves, the horse and buggy, 306 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,600 and scrutinized everything very carefully. 307 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,600 Their faces and heads were without hair, the ears were very small, 308 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,760 and the nose had the appearance of polished ivory. 309 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:31,600 Their mouths were tiny, while the eyes were large and lustrous. 310 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,560 They were possessed of a strange and indescribable beauty. 311 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:37,040 Shaw then asked the aliens where they were from, 312 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,280 and they seemed to not understand me, 313 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:43,280 but began well warbling, expresses it better than talking. 314 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,760 And then placing my hand under his elbow, 315 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,000 I pressed gently upward, and lo and behold, 316 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,720 I lifted him from the ground with scarcely an effort. 317 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,320 I should judge that the specific gravity of the creature was less than an ounce. 318 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,480 The creature was probably terrified. 319 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,320 Yeah, the student is built. 320 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,400 Each alien carried a shoulder bag attached to a nozzle. 321 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:06,480 Every little while, one or the other would place the nozzle on his mouth, 322 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,120 at which time I heard a sound of escaping gas. 323 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,160 One of them had a signal from one who appeared to be the leader, 324 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,920 attempted to lift me, probably with the intentions of carrying me away. 325 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,040 Although I made not the slightest resistance, he could not move me. 326 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,080 And finally the three of them tried it without the slightest success. 327 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,720 They might have just been trying it because he did it to them. 328 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,240 And then whipping out egg-shaped lights, 329 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,160 some sort of luminous minerals, 330 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,920 that the beings revealed a startling immense airship hovering nearby. 331 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:39,440 Quote, it was 150 feet in length at least, though probably not over 20 feet in diameter, 332 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,920 pointed at both ends, and outside of a large rudder, there was no visible machinery. 333 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,880 Off to the ship they headed, quote, not as you or I walk, 334 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:51,760 but with a swaying motion, their feet only touching the ground at intervals of about 15 feet, 335 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:52,240 end quote. 336 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,920 And then spring 20 feet up to the ship, the aliens whizzed off, quote, 337 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,800 it went through the air very rapidly and expanded and contracted with a muscular motion, 338 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:02,160 and was soon out of sight. 339 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,880 I have a theory, which of course is only a theory, 340 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,760 that those we beheld were inhabitants of Mars, 341 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:12,080 who have been sent to the Earth for the purposes of securing one of its inhabitants. 342 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,520 And that's the end of that sighting. 343 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,160 That's a cool sighting, was that, that was in a newspaper. 344 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,560 Yeah, that was in the Stockton Evening Mail. 345 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:20,320 Oh, that's cool, I like that one. 346 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,160 And then while that's going on, that is posted on November 25th, 347 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,000 on November 21st in Sacramento, these lights are seen again, 348 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:32,800 and in fact, they're seen over Folsom, San Francisco, Oakland, Modesta, Manteca, 349 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,400 Sebastopol, and several other cities later that same evening. 350 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,280 And it was reportedly viewed by hundreds of witnesses. 351 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,840 And then the San Francisco Call reported sometime before November 24th, 1896, 352 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:48,240 I couldn't find the specific date, a man reported that while searching in the woods for deer, 353 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,600 he came across six men working on an almost completed airship. 354 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,840 And these men then swore him to secrecy. 355 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:55,680 Now that he had heard about these sightings, 356 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,000 he wanted to come forward with what he had seen. 357 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,680 And then, well, all this is going on, this lawyer by the name of, oh shoot, 358 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,280 did I put his name here? 359 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,680 That's okay, the article is still open. 360 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,240 So I can in fact look it up. 361 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,160 George D. Collins. 362 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,200 Here with beat of breath thinking it was Andrew Bozziago. 363 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:19,200 I know, Andrew fucking Bozziago, kid time travel lawyer. 364 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,840 So George D. Collins, he's a lawyer in San Francisco. 365 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,440 He comes forward and he says he represents a man that's causing these sightings. 366 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,120 And this is printed everywhere. 367 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,480 This is the Sue City Journal, November 23rd, 1896. 368 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,880 And this is the exact press release that he gave. 369 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,640 It is perfectly true that there is at last a successful airship in existence, 370 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,760 and that California will have the honor of bringing it before the world. 371 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,760 I have known of the affair for some time and I'm acting as attorney for the inventor. 372 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:50,000 He is a very wealthy man who has been studying the subject of flying machines for 15 years, 373 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,000 and who came here seven years ago from the state of Maine in order to be able to perfect 374 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,480 his ideas away from the eyes of other inventors. 375 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:01,360 During the last five years, he has spent at least $100,000 on his work, 376 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,680 and he has not yet secured his patents. 377 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,920 But his application is now in Washington, and I cannot say much about the machine. 378 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:09,840 He has perfected it because he is my client. 379 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,920 And besides, he fears that the application will be stolen from the patent office of people. 380 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,240 Come to know that his invention is practicable. 381 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,040 I saw the machine last week at the inventor's invitation. 382 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:24,000 It is made of metal, is about 150 feet long, and is built to carry 15 persons. 383 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,040 There is no motive power as far as I could see. 384 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:28,240 Certainly no steam. 385 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:32,880 It is built on the airplane system, and has two canvas wings, 18 feet wide, 386 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:34,640 and a rudder shaped like a bird's tail. 387 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,960 The inventor climbed into the machine, and after he had been moving about the mechanisms a moment, 388 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,240 I saw the thing begin to ascend from the earth very gently. 389 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:47,280 The wings flap slowly as it rose, and then a little faster as it began to move against the wind. 390 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,080 The reports from Sacramento the other night were true. 391 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,320 It was my client's airship that the people saw. 392 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,800 It started from Orville in Butte County. 393 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,000 It flew 60 miles in a straight line directly over Sacramento, 394 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,880 after running up and down once or twice over the capital. 395 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,840 My friend came right on a distance of another 50 miles, 396 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:09,200 and landed at a spot on the Oakland side of the bay, where the machine now lies, guarded by three men. 397 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:14,400 The inventor found during his trial trip that his ship had a wave-like motion that made him seasick. 398 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,480 It is this defect that he is now remedying. 399 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,280 And then the following comes out the next day, 400 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,880 and this is from the Bismarck Daily Tribune, November 24th, 1896. 401 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:27,520 The inventor of the mysterious ship, which has been puzzling local scientists and others for the past week, 402 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,160 is believed to be one Dr. E. H. Benjamin, 403 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:34,640 an alleged dentist who occupied rooms in the Ellis Street lodging house for the past two years. 404 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,080 But so far he has successfully evaded all attempts to discover his identity. 405 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,480 His attorney, Collins, when seen impressed to tell more about the machine and his inventor, 406 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:43,120 said, quote, 407 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:49,360 This morning the inventor came to my office in the Crocker building and told me that he tested the merits of the ship last night's storm, 408 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:55,680 with great success, and he hovered over seal rock for fully 10 minutes and played his search lights on the seals themselves. 409 00:17:55,680 --> 00:18:01,600 A dispatch was received from Sacramento to the effect that hundreds of people there had again seen the mysterious meteor in the heavens, 410 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:06,640 but as yet no one has been able to see the object sufficiently well to state definitely what it is. 411 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,160 Interesting. 412 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,840 But then, while this is all going on, another article comes out. 413 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,680 This is on November 29th, 1896, and this is from the Oregonian. 414 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,840 I have to assume, just because of how news would spread at the time, 415 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,120 that it would be like calming throughout the U.S. 416 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:26,160 These articles coming up, these are just ones I was able to find. 417 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:30,240 So it's not just it's only showing up in Oregon and it's only showing up in Bispoch. 418 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:36,880 These would be all printed everywhere in my mind, but cannot confirm that because I do not have access to newspaper records. 419 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:41,920 So November 29th, 1896, and the Sunday Oregonian, they printed this article. 420 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:47,920 Wide attention has been drawn to the newspaper story sent out from San Francisco of a mysterious airship invented by a man from Maine, 421 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,360 built in secret and launched from a retired spot south of San Francisco, 422 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:54,560 once it made long voyages back and forth over the length of the state. 423 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,480 Told with a clumsy imitation of all swift's wealth of detail, 424 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,960 including an interview with the Council of the Inventor, 425 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:05,200 a lawyer who afterward divided all knowledge of the either inventor or airship, 426 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:10,400 but was swallowed gluttonously by the people of California who blocked the streets nightly to imagine 427 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:15,440 that they saw the oblong white body enveloped in dim light as it traveled to and from the air. 428 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,800 And apparently Californians are still gaping up into the empty night, 429 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:24,160 though the falsity of the story has been proved, of course, no person of intelligence ever believed it. 430 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:28,080 That's the last anybody ever heard from Collins, the attorney, 431 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,520 outside of in 1905 when he has to stand trial for Bigamy. 432 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:37,600 That was a whole other spitting sping I started going down at that point, 433 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:38,480 which was really weird. 434 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,720 Do we have any other insight on? 435 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:42,720 Well, there is one other insight here. 436 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:48,400 In 1886, an inventor by the name of Moses Cole patented a new and improved aerial vessel, 437 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,600 and it consists of two semi-theroidal balloons. 438 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,920 And according to Scientific America at the time, 439 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,440 quote, between which are situated the cabins of the passengers and crews, 440 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,320 those being fitted with windows surrounded by a circular balcony. 441 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:05,360 This is at least kind of one explanation of where these guys got the idea for the balloon 442 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:10,160 and the patent thing is from a previous patent that had been filed with the patent office. 443 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,720 But yeah, the inventor never shows up. 444 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,000 And this is really the end of the first wave of the airships. 445 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,360 That's weird. Okay. 446 00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:20,480 But it's not the end of airships in general. 447 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,560 They come back around the start of February 1897. 448 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:29,600 The Omaha Bee reports an airship sighting over Hastings, Nebraska that happened the previous day. 449 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:34,080 And then an article in the Albion Weekly News reported that two witnesses saw an airship 450 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,320 crash just inches from where they were standing. 451 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,840 And the airship suddenly disappeared with a man standing where the vessel had been. 452 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,400 The airship pilot showed the men a small device that supposedly enabled him to 453 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,440 shrink the airship small enough to store in the vessel in his pocket. 454 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,680 In a rival newspaper, the Wilsonville Review placedly claimed that its own editor was an 455 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,120 additional witness to the incident and that they heard the pilot was saying, 456 00:20:55,120 --> 00:21:00,240 Waver et sroff iberkibus. The phrase he allegedly heard is just backwards for 457 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,080 subscribe for the review. 458 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,840 But I don't have an actual date on that one. 459 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,440 I just kind of think it fit in here. 460 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,320 So February, it kind of, we have another pop up. 461 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,400 April, things really start going. 462 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,880 This comes from April 3rd, 1897, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported a sighting. 463 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,480 That mysterious airship still continues to show itself in the West. 464 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:23,040 It was first seen in California and it has now reached Kansas with rare modesty. 465 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:27,120 It only makes its appearances at night and then but little of it is visible, 466 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:28,960 except the lights that are on board of it. 467 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,400 The fact that the scores of people who have seen it at different times all agree in the 468 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,720 description which they furnish is certainly something in favor of the truth of the story. 469 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,520 As the inventor appears to be working in his way East, we in this latitude may soon have 470 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,240 the opportunity of adding that to the number of observers. 471 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:50,960 From there, apparently this object then goes south and is next seen above Guthry, Oklahoma on April 472 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:55,760 6th. The Dallas Morning News published an article then on April 8th titled Strange Objects Seen 473 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,440 and there shall be signs seen in the heavens describing this encounter. 474 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,120 Soon a bright light was seen at the front of the object which seemed to be thrown out in 475 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:07,360 different directions. Mr. Trumbull called a number of people who watched the strange object 476 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:12,560 for a long time and are confident it is the mysterious airship seen at so many places during 477 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:17,840 the past few weeks. Its outlines were indistinct but a light was thrown out from the front and 478 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:23,440 at times there were flashes of light along the sides. It moved swiftly backwards and forward, 479 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:28,160 sank almost to the ground just north of the city and then rose straight into the air at great speeds 480 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:34,560 and disappeared into the darkness of the night. Then on April 10th, 1897, the St. Louis Post-Dismatch 481 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:39,200 published a story reporting that one W.H. Hopkins encountered a grounded airship about 482 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,840 20 feet in length and 8 feet in diameter near the outskirts of Springfield, Missouri. The vehicle 483 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:48,960 was apparently propelled by three large propellers and crewed by a beautiful nude woman and a bearded 484 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:54,240 man who was also nude. Hopkins attempted with some difficulty to communicate with the crew in 485 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:58,800 order to ascertain their origins. Eventually they understood what Hopkins was asking of them and 486 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:04,320 they both pointed the sky and uttered something that sounded like the word Mars. Then April 14th, 487 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:09,760 1897, the Philadelphia Inquirer provided additional information about the inventor and possibly the 488 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:15,280 airships being openly displayed. Not much comes from this. And now comes the story that the director 489 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:20,080 of the Transmissivity Exposition to be held at Omaha have received a communication from a man 490 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,480 who declares that he has invented an airship and that he will disclose his identity and come to 491 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,200 the front if the director will guarantee him 870,000 square feet of space. He declares that 492 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:34,480 the ship will carry 20 people to a height from 10 to 20,000 feet. Nothing comes of that. 493 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:40,400 Why is this happening so much? I don't know. Then on April 15th, the Dallas Morning News 494 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:45,760 described a reappearance of the mysterious airship over Denton County, Texas by at least two credible 495 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:51,280 persons whose reputations for truthfulness cannot be assailed. This article contained more details 496 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,280 than nearly any published previously. This is a bit of a long one, so let's get listening. 497 00:23:55,840 --> 00:24:00,400 I at first thought it was a meteor, but upon closer examination discovered the unknown object to be 498 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:05,120 almost stationary and focusing my binoculars on it. Discovered that it was moving slowly in the 499 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:10,160 southeasterly direction. At this slow rate of speed, the ship continued its course for a few 500 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,720 minutes and then with almost a jump started off at a terrific rate and disappeared in the southeast, 501 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,800 remaining in the range of my vision about 20 minutes. When I first ascertained the character 502 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:24,000 of this object, it floated about a half mile above the earth and seemed to be about 50 feet long 503 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:30,000 of a cigar shape with two great mugs thrust from each side, a broad tail for steering sail behind 504 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:35,280 and a long break or blade resembling a cut water on a ship in front. At the point where the search 505 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:40,000 light threw its rays far into the night ahead, beside which even luminosity of the moon paled, 506 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:45,280 a row of windows along the side gave out smaller lights, the source of which had been stored electricity 507 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:50,240 as there was no smoke. As well I could see and I could see very plainly coming from the ship, 508 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:55,200 nor was there even a sign of smoke stacks. Two days later, on April 17th, the Dallas Morning 509 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,120 News reported another detailed account of the mysterious ship. This time in Paris, Texas, 510 00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:04,640 about 100 miles away from Denton County. According to a mister J.A. Black, the night watchman at 511 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:09,120 the Paris Oil and Cotton Company plant, this is what happened. I was engaged in making my usual 512 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:14,480 rounds at the mill yesterday morning about two o'clock when I observed a faint but luminous 513 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:19,360 object in the northeast sky. I first thought it to be a meteor of gigantic proportions and its 514 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:24,720 speed appeared equal to such as planetary trance. As it came nearer, this idea was quickly dispelled 515 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:29,360 and sorry this is this really dates the article. I ran to the cabin of a colored man by the name of 516 00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:34,400 Jin Smith and together we viewed the aerial monsters that approached nearer. From what appeared to be 517 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:40,480 at first a luminous cloud, there were now clearly outlined a monster airship. Myself and Smith, 518 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:45,760 who he describes with a differable word, were held spellbound by the light. The ship had sails or 519 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:50,640 wings outstretched on both ends. There were large rotating fans projecting from the sails at an 520 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:55,520 angle of about 45 degrees. The one in the front being elevated. While the one at the rear was 521 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:00,720 depressed, somewhat resembling the tail of a bird, we could only gain a faint idea of its accurate 522 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:06,160 size but think it must have been 200 feet long. The sails or wings constituted 9 tenths of the 523 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:10,880 whole. The subcar shaped cabin was apparently suspended in the midst of the sails and it was 524 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:15,920 evident that the fans were propelled by some power or force located in the cabin. The noise of the 525 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:21,520 propelling machinery was plainly heard as the ship sailed swiftly over us. My dog was with me when 526 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:26,640 the airship was first discovered and he immediately set up an unearthly moaning which he continued 527 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:34,240 until the curious visitors were completely lost of view. Smith was visibly affected and being 528 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,320 naturally superstitious lost no time in falling to his knees and offering up a prayer for the 529 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:43,680 safety of himself and the family. Smith even now claims the airship was none other than the return 530 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:49,040 of Noah's Ark with wing-like attachments on its way towards the Mississippi bottoms. Its mission 531 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:53,680 being to save the colored folks from the perils of the overflows in that section. That really took 532 00:26:53,680 --> 00:27:00,000 a turn. Yeah. The explanation. And then while this is all going on it's kind of in between those 533 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:05,360 two sites. April 16th 1897 a story published by the Table Rock Argus claimed that a group of 534 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:10,720 anonymous but reliable witnesses had seen an airship sailing overhead. The craft had many 535 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:15,040 passengers and the witnesses claimed that among these passengers was a woman tied to a chair, 536 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:20,400 a woman attending her, and a man with a pistol guarding the parent prisoner before the witnesses 537 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:26,160 thought to contact authorities the airship was already gone. And then this gets even more bizarre. 538 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:32,400 On April 19th 1897 again in the Dallas Morning News they had like just a run of each day they had 539 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:37,520 a news site even though they go through. This one's called a Judge Seize. Judge Love said the following. 540 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:44,320 A Judge. It was capable of flying 250 miles an hour and he met five peculiar dressed men in it. 541 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,480 They actually were out. This is what they told him about the people that have been flying the 542 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:53,440 airships around. We live in the regions of the North Pole. Contrary to the general belief there's 543 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:58,240 a large body of land beyond the polar seas containing about 200 square miles of territory. 544 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:03,440 The first time this land was visited by humans so far as we know was when the 10 tribes of Israel 545 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:08,000 found their way there after the captivity and dispersion of the Jews. According to tradition 546 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,560 they were attempting to cross Bering Strait and were carried by a floating iceberg and landed on 547 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:18,080 the shores of the North Pole land. The climate there, while at times cold, was prevented from 548 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:23,200 being uninhabited by the influence of the Gulf Stream which after flowing for hundreds of miles 549 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,520 many fathoms under the surface of the sea in that region came to the surface and flows entirely 550 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:32,400 around the continent of the North Pole land. You wonder how I speak English? Well the polar 551 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:38,160 expedition of Sir Hugh Willoughby in 1553 who with his crew were supposed to have been lost as a 552 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:42,880 matter of fact succeeded in reaching the North Pole land. The ship had been so wrecked and broken 553 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:47,280 up by voyage that Sir Willoughby and his crew were unwilling to risk a return trip. Therefore they 554 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:53,440 remained at the North Pole land and in the early part of 1846 Sir John Franklin's crew reached 555 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:58,880 North Pole land. Sir John, having died near what is now called Lady Franklin Bay, Sir John's crew 556 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:04,960 remained as to return was impossible and the ship being crushed between two icebergs 100 miles from 557 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:09,600 the North Pole land to which they went into boats. In addition to the foregoing various parties in 558 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:14,400 the United States and Europe from time to time reached this land in a helpless condition. Well 559 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:19,360 we have a splendid country now. You know how buildings are heated by steam? Well we have pipes 560 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:23,680 through which steam is conveyed all over the inhabitable parts of our country and the soil is 561 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,760 kept at such a temperature that we can produce all the fruits of the temperate zone and some of the 562 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:32,400 fruits of the tropics. The country is lighted by electricity during the six months of night. We have 563 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,760 no timber and no coal. Water as you know is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. The 564 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,960 oxygen burns very rapidly giving out great heat. Now by means of a chemical process we take an 565 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:48,800 iceberg, separate the hydrogen from the oxygen and use the ladder for fuel and lights. For lack of 566 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:54,800 timber we cannot build ships or trains. Therefore we were led to the invention of the airship and 567 00:29:54,800 --> 00:30:01,280 that's the end of that one. Okay and then an account from Aurora Texas related in the Dallas 568 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:07,280 morning news on April 19th about six o'clock this morning the early rises of Aurora were astonished 569 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,120 at the sudden appearance of an airship that had been sailing through the country. It was traveling 570 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:16,640 do-morth and much nearer the earth than ever before. Evidently some of the machinery was out of order 571 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,680 for it was making a speed of only 10 or 12 miles an hour gradually settling down to earth. Sailed 572 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,880 directly over the public square and when it reached the north part of town collided with the tower of 573 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:31,760 Judge Proctor's windmill and went to pieces with a terrific explosion scattering debris over the 574 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:36,960 several acres of ground wrecking the windmill and water tank and destroying the judge's flower garden. 575 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:41,280 The pilot of the ship is supposed to have been the only one aboard and while his remains are 576 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:46,400 badly disfigured enough of the original has been picked up to show that he was not an inhabitant of 577 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:52,240 this world. Junior T.J. Wiens the United States signal service officer at this place and an authority 578 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:58,560 on astronomy gives it as his opinion that he was a native of the planet Mars. I have no idea how 579 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:04,320 an astronomer like the best astronomer in town would be able to judge that but he did. I love these 580 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:10,000 old sightings when they're like yeah he's definitely a Martian or a Venetian. Papers found on his 581 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:14,560 person evidently the records of his travels are written in some unknown hieroglyphics and cannot 582 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,960 be deciphered. The ship was too badly wrecked to form any conclusion as to its construction or 583 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:24,400 motive power and it was built of an unknown metal resembling somewhat a mixture of aluminum and silver 584 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:29,360 and it must have weighed several tons. The town is full of people today who are viewing the wreck 585 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:34,160 and gathering specimens of the strange metal from the debris. The pilot's funeral will take place 586 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:39,200 at noon tomorrow. I'm gonna end that there. A lot of speculation on this one. It was the town trying 587 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:45,120 to get over it. It had a bit of a plague issue and it didn't want the bad connotation that wanted 588 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:52,000 some tourist money so it kind of a lot of people believe they made this one up. But that's that's 589 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:58,480 still that story. Okay then there's an account by Alexander Hamilton not the Alexander Hamilton 590 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:04,320 from American history. Another one who lives in Leroy, Kansas. Okay. Yeah the guy who Hamilton is 591 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:10,320 based on the play different guy. Okay. This one lives in Leroy, Kansas. So apparently on April 18, 592 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:15,840 1897 this occurred and is published in Yates Center Farmer's advocate of April 23. Hamilton, 593 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:21,200 his son and a tenant witnessed an airship hovering over his cattle pen. Upon closer examination the 594 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:27,040 witness realized that a red cable from the airship had lassoed a heifer but had also become entangled 595 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:31,440 in the pen's fence. After trying unsuccessfully to free the heifer, Hamilton cut loose a portion 596 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:37,840 of the fence then stood in amazement to see the ship cow and all rise slowly and sail off. Some 597 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:43,280 also call this like the first story of cattle needillation. They just left with the cow. Oh sorry 598 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:49,120 later on apparently it's found. Okay. I both like and don't like the story. So that's what he says. 599 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:55,520 When people have looked into this I kid you not Alexander Hamilton is a member of the local 600 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:07,520 Liars Club. Yeah. I wonder why they don't have those anymore. I know. Apparently we got TVs and 601 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:14,080 just said yeah maybe we don't need Liars Clubs anymore. I just don't have the spare time for 602 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:18,880 it anymore. Wow. Okay. Okay. And this one I couldn't put particularly down but it's somewhere in 603 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:24,640 April 1897. John Halley and Adolf Wenk of Springfield, Illinois reported a flying craft of the 604 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:29,920 Silure type whose pilot told them that it was a new invention flown at night to attract less 605 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:35,360 attention. The pilot stated he had left Quincy 100 miles to the west only 30 minutes earlier and 606 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:40,400 impossibility for any aerial object of the time. Similar objects were reported in Indiana where 607 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:45,440 a crew were making on the spot repairs and the pilot was tracked down by the press and 608 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,920 Martinville where he had made the statement that he had an airship in Brown County undergoing repairs 609 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:55,360 and three machines flying in central states in the US. And also in April of 1897 for more than 30 610 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,840 minutes a huge airship was witnessed by jurors, judges and lawyers who had gathered outside of 611 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:04,720 the courthouse in Harrison, Nebraska and it had a bright white light and colored lights around it. 612 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:09,600 It was oval shaped with a box like structure hanging from it and a propeller at the stern. 613 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:15,440 And this one that should have came earlier on April 11th, 1897 it around 8 p.m. in Milwaukee. 614 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:20,480 Witnesses all over Milwaukee saw something strange in the sky and the serious object passed over 615 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:24,640 the city that night. They called it an airship because the term flying saucer in UFO wouldn't 616 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:29,200 be coined for another 50 years. One downtown police officer reported seeing the airship while 617 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:34,080 standing on Broadway. He described the airship as looking like four bright stars put together. 618 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:38,640 It flashed the colors of white, red and green. Although a local astronomer argued the airship 619 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:43,280 may have only been the stars. This policeman stood by his story. He claimed that the craft 620 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:48,480 dipped, bobbed wildly several times and before it sped off towards the northwest and disappeared from 621 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:53,120 view unusual behavior for a star. Many other witnesses concurred that its rate of speed was 622 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:58,080 unmistakable from the movement of ordinary stars. An essential police lieutenant however claimed the 623 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:02,720 airship was the product of hoaxers flying a kite from the north point lighthouse grounds. 624 00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:06,160 And he contended the airships were nothing more than a kite with a light attached. 625 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:10,320 Strung out on an incredible two mile of string even a Milwaukee Sentinel reporter 626 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:14,960 questioned this explanation. The airship was seen all over the city. How could it have been a 627 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,240 night flying kite even one controlled by an impossibly long tether when reliable independent 628 00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:24,960 witnesses spotted the airship over Sheboygan. Later that same night the kite explanation became 629 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:29,360 even less plausible and the airship was the talk of the town in the morning. The question have you 630 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:34,880 seen the airship replace customary greetings and an article in Arkansas Gazette printed on April 631 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:40,320 20th 1897 reported that Captain Jim Hooten had witnessed the appearance of one such airship. 632 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:45,520 Hooten, a conductor of the Iron Mountain Railroad was visiting Texarkana to pick up a locomotive 633 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:49,920 to bring back to Little Rock. He decided to go hunting while he waited. As he made his way through 634 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:54,400 the underbrush he heard the familiar sound of a locomotive air pump and moved towards the sound. 635 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:59,120 As he looked up he saw an airship land in a field a few acres from where he stood. Hooten and the 636 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:03,360 ship's pilot then had a conversation about the airship's engine before it took off. Hooten was 637 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:08,240 able to make an extremely detailed sketch of the airship when he was interviewed by the Arkansas 638 00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:15,600 Gazette two days later. On April 23rd 1897 posted in the Harrisburg Arkansas modern news. One witness 639 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:20,800 from Arkansas allegedly a former state senator was supposedly told by an airship pilot that the 640 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:26,720 craft was bound for Cuba and he was going to use its hotchkiss gun to kill Spaniards. He then offered 641 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:35,840 this senator a ride but the senator refused. As he probably should. On May 17th 1897 Constable 642 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:41,280 Sumfter and deputy sheriff John Macklemore spotted a bright light in the sky quickly disappeared 643 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:46,080 while outriding outside the city limits one rainy evening day in hot springs Arkansas. 644 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,920 As they kept riding they saw the light again closer to the ground. They rode as fast as they 645 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:54,240 could until the horses could go no further then disown and drew their weapons. According to the 646 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:59,680 hot spring sentinel they described seeing a 60 foot long cigar shaped vessel with several men 647 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:04,240 shining lights walking around the ship. Sumfter and Macklemore questioned the captain who told 648 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:09,120 them he could take them to where it was not raining. Sumfter and Macklemore said they preferred to get 649 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:13,440 wet and the two lawmen let the airship go on its way after finding out that they were heading to 650 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:19,280 Nashville Tennessee. And then while this is all going on the airship sightings catch the attention 651 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:24,800 of the Arkansas General Assembly the local government and they have a debate on whether or not the 652 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:30,400 Arkansas Rail Commission would be getting freight charges from these airships flying over pad. 653 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:34,720 These reported airships seem to be moving around the state without paying taxes and the Arkansas 654 00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:39,600 state senate passed a resolution declaring that the airships should be paying taxes on the freight 655 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:48,480 they carry. And then around the middle of May these sightings just stop on the coastal northeast. 656 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:55,520 This is the last sighting that happens it's in Yonkers New York 1897. And the dates different 657 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:59,760 on this so I don't really know which one's the last one. The articles I was reading I guess 658 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:04,320 just wanted to put it flying off to see is this last one but they also says this is April 30th 659 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:08,960 so might not be the last one. The great airship was seen over Yonkers New York towards the sea 660 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:15,600 curiously when the 1896-97 complex stopped for all practical purposes it does just stop. There is 661 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:23,280 another airship flap that happens in 1909 it doesn't reference the 1897 one it is fully independent. 662 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:28,640 Super weird. And virtually no new sightings emerge from the areas over which it had soared 663 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:35,440 it just ends. In total there were sightings over 20 different states with at least 150 664 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,360 different independent sightings which took place in this time. Can I ask some questions? 665 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:45,760 Yes that's the end of my story. Were there ever any daytime sightings? 666 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:50,880 For the most part they were all nighttime. I can't confirm all of them though because 667 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,800 some of the articles just say like what happened they don't say it was night like the guy who 668 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:59,200 was hunting and came across that ship in the forest. I assume that would be daytime because 669 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:03,680 I don't see people hunting in the middle of the night for deer but it didn't say whether or not. 670 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:10,960 True. Now some of the sightings are like super cool sightings other ones like and people saying 671 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:17,680 that this is like aircraft they were working on like why you wouldn't be just exclusively testing 672 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:24,160 aircrafts at night. Well you might be because there would be a bit of like inventors worrying 673 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:28,480 that people are stealing their invention or seeing their invention and them being the first to invent 674 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:34,960 an aircraft so that does seem somewhat plausible. It could seem plausible but then you think about it 675 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:41,120 and if it's like the first time people are out trying to invent aircraft like something you're 676 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:47,760 flying in is that the ideal testing situation to be going up at night? No but we don't do everything 677 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:54,640 for ideal purposes. True that's true. There's a lot of idiots out there. Plus they probably got 678 00:39:54,640 --> 00:40:00,400 day jobs too so they got to work on their airships at night. So that got me to thinking like what's 679 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:06,800 going on if a lot of it is fueled by people. Like some of them are cool some of them are obviously 680 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:11,600 might be something else other than this but I was like what might be fueling it. I was like when did 681 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:17,920 world the worlds happen? No that one the radio one didn't come out till 1937 so that's a ways off. 682 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:24,480 No but the book I believe would have come out around that time. It did. Now it didn't actually get 683 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:31,840 printed until 1898 so this is still after this. It was being written actually during this time. 684 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:36,560 Yeah and in fact you gotta wonder if that had a little bit of inspiration drawn from this. 685 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:41,200 That's what I was thinking as well after I realized it wouldn't have came out to 686 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:46,000 create people being like oh what's that light in the sky now? Seems more like it might have 687 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:52,480 been some inspiration. Yeah but also like airships were just kind of part of the popular culture at 688 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:58,240 the time with the science fiction. Okay. Which might also just be drawing what people are seeing. 689 00:40:58,240 --> 00:41:02,400 If they're seeing something in the sky they don't know they're just identifying it as something 690 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:07,360 they might be able to. Anything and reform a reference that you have to be thrown out there. 691 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:12,720 Yeah and I always love like I said when you're talking about it at this time everyone's references 692 00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:18,160 Mars Venus or something like that and I always enjoy that. Except for the Israelites that were at 693 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:23,600 the North Pole and the ones that get horrible and that's it. And it does seem like someone would 694 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:31,360 blame it on them eventually. Yeah that was great I didn't know that history actually. 695 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:35,920 Yeah and John Keel actually writes quite extensively in one of his books. I think it's 696 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:41,760 Operation Trojan Horse is the name of the book as well as there was a book that I would love to 697 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:47,040 read but I was just taking little chunks of it as I went and it is called The UFO Controversy in 698 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:53,120 America by David Michael Jacobs written in 1975 that extensively talks about these sightings as well. 699 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:58,000 So if you're looking for further reading this is a very short sample of everything that happened 700 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:03,040 during this time. Go check out one of those books because it does bring further information. 701 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:09,440 Well and this is like the first air flap he said that right. Yeah like there are UFO sightings before 702 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:15,440 but like John Keel's the one who points the term UFO flap and he's specifically calls this the first 703 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:20,800 UFO flap. Yeah that would make sense. Okay well. And if you want to look it up there's a Wikipedia 704 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:26,000 article on mysterious airships that have a lot of drawings of them from the day and like you just 705 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:31,440 gotta love some of the old tiny airship almost steampunk qualities to them on it and also if you 706 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:37,600 probably just google them. This is definitely what do I google? Just google 1890s ship and the airship 707 00:42:37,600 --> 00:42:42,800 and look at images and there's lots of them. There we go. I really like the one and it's 708 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:49,200 literally just a like a ship in the water with like fans above it and a fan in front. 709 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:56,320 Oh yeah there it is. The next one is like a ship with like a hot air balloon attached to it. 710 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:01,120 Yeah. Oh these are good. And we'll probably post a few on socials as this is going on. 711 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:07,040 It really speaks to the time we're living in because UFOs look so different now they've come so far. 712 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:14,000 Yeah I have a hard time believing these could go to Mars and back. 713 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:19,680 Oh these are good. These are nice photos. But yeah I'm sure at a future date we'll take up the 714 00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:24,800 1909 airship flap but for now I have been Taylor here with Chelsea. We are Journey to the Fringe. 715 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:26,720 Thank you all for listening and we'll see you next week. 716 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:34,160 Thank you for listening to Journey to the Fringe. If you have liked what you have listened to 717 00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:41,040 please like share subscribe or follow depending on what venue you are listening to us through. 718 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:47,200 Also please if possible leave a five star review as that really helps us in the algorithms. 719 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:52,240 Should you wish to interact with us please check us out on your social media of choice. 720 00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:57,360 I bet you we are there and if you really want to communicate with us and give us ideas for new 721 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:02,960 episodes or tell us that we're wrong and terrible either way please send us an email at Journey 722 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:12,400 to thefringe at gmail.com. For now I'll see you in the next episode.