Mysterious Lights Reported In British Columbia During 1897
That strange aerial curiosity the fire balloon that has been completely mystifying people of the northwest during the past two or three months is evidently becoming bolder or more people are keeping late hours than formerly and in consequence have had the good fortune to catch a glimpse of it. What it is, or where it comes from or where it goes to, and who or what manner of men are responsible for its movements, remains just as much as a puzzle as when the bright light first made its appearance in the sky a few months ago.
For upwards of two and a half hours Firemen North and Swain of the city brigade had opportunity to inspect the erratic visitor yesterday morning. However when it was finally lost to sight in the morning air they were completely mystified as to all its character as when they first sighted it. It was Swain whose first attention was attracted to the light he and his companion having been left on duty at the scene of a grass fire on the golf links that threatened if not carefully watched to break out afresh and cause damage to adjoining property. It was floating low then and he called to North to notice what a bright mast some ship was carrying. Then both men looked and North observed it could not be a mast light as no ship in these waters carried so bright a look out light. While they speculated the light came so near as to be mirrored in the waters of the Straits in the direction and apparently hanging over Discovery Island. It had no discernible form, balloon shape or otherwise, it was just a great light as large from the distance it was viewed as a drum from one of the hose reels, and brighter far, according to the two firemen than an electric light. As they watched it slowly rose and took off sailing in a direction of almost eighth of the horizon circle and then returning. As soon as it dawned upon the watchers that the object of their attention was the light of which so many had been talking it resulted in new particulars, and hurried over to the Mount Baker to procure a night glass. No instrument of the kind was available however and they had to rest content with bringing the night clerk of the hotel out to see what they had seen and be equally wonderstruck. Until four o'clock the brilliant body remained suspended in mid air passing slowly from east to west and back again three times and only disappearing with the coming of the day. At one time the firemen believed they saw a dark body outlined behind the circle of intense light but they could not identify it positively. To look at the light according to the witnesses was like looking at the sun at high noon. What the light was they cannot conjecture, they have listened to many theories during the past twenty four hours but can not reconcile any with what they have witnessed. The favourite theory is that some local inventor is trying the product of his daring in the privacy of the night, preparatory to giving his secret to the world. It must be a fact that the inventor is the most successful keeper of a secret to appear on the scene for quite some time and yet this seems the most rational explanation put forward. Too many have seen the mid night visitor for people of common sense to doubt the presence of a mysterious something.....
Mr. B. Serope Shrapnel writing from Old Oak Bay says myself and other members of my family watched the same brilliant light as described by the above mentioned firemen for nearly two hours. The only difference was that it appeared to be above Mary Todd Island swinging from side to side slowly and sometimes rising and falling in a similar manner. It was decidedly no reflection being quite as bright if not brighter than the nearest stars in view.
Originally published: Victoria Daily Colonist - August 7, 1897
Have you seen the light in the heavens?..if not you are not up to date. It has been hovering in the skies above Vancouver almost every night this week, and has been viewed by many. It was last seen on Friday evening and may be on view tonight, and again it may not. Last night the strange object in the skies was noticed to the north of the city across the city traveling in an easterly direction. The luminous ball of fire or airship as some call it was closely watched. It approached with great swiftness, paused in midair, then surrounded itself with flashes of colour and moved towards the northeast. At times it looked like a ball of fire at others it had a dull lustre and small particles of fire would shoot from the great glowing mass. The sight was a great one and should be looked out for this evening. N. C. Schon of Burnaby saw the luminous body while on the steamer Rithet on Monday night. he states that it moved parallel to the sea far below the star line and looked like a bright red star surrounded by a luminous halo. It was cigar shaped and seemed to travel slowly and occasionally there seemed to drop a shower of sparks like the sputtering of an arc light. A World man saw the beautiful object from the office of the Chilean consulate under a powerful glass. Mr. Morris is for once puzzled as are many others who caught on to the wondrous spectacle. A wag suggested that it is the Klondike star pointing the way to untold wealth.
Originally published: Vancouver Daily World - August 14, 1897
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