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MYSTERIOUS AEROPLANEPassed Over Punta Gorda Early Sunday MorningWAS GOING TOWARD TAMPAObserved by Town Marshall J. H. Lipscomb and Constable Leslie Lewis—Was Seen also by People at Tarpon SpringsAbout 1 o'clock, Sunday morning, Town Morshal «). H. Lips-t comb and Leslie Lewis were coming to town in an auto and, when within n mile of Aclinr, a large air ship flying about a mile high » and heading in the direction of Tampa, passed to the westward of them. It was showing two big, bright lights and thch engine occasionally emitted sparks. It kept an even keel and flew in a direct course.The noise made by thc'r auto prevented the gentlemen from hearing the buzzing of the airship's propeller This is all the Account they eould give of the mysterious object, which they are si sure was an aeroplane of some/T kind. It could not possibly, theyf say, have been a meteor, ignis* fatuus or a balloon set, free withlights attached to it.P. S.. —.Since the above was in I type, The Herald's scientist has come to the conclusion that the supposed nir-ship was merely the . .reflection in a lunar mirage of the ai• ^frentlemen's auto. The moon was •f shining brightly and it could,^therefore, easily reflect the '• lights of the Jtuto on the mists a-i ; rising from the hay. Atmospheric conditions were just right for , such a phenomenon.: Wonderful mirages have beenseen here in the day time, ami it *. should not be doubted that they 1 are sometimes created by the reflected and refracted ravs of tlio’ nioon.a yAnother P. S.—(’apt. Lipscomb sjpists that it could not possibly '*. ni'i1 been a mirage, because the *’ 'Utr-ship passed directly across the path of his auto, and lie was able to sec the great bulk of the plane as it passed. That he was not deceived, that it was really an air-1es ship of some kind, is now confirm- j pt I'd by people who saw it passing | over Tarpon Springs about an hour after it left this locality.The following is the report from Tarpon Springs, which is taken from the Tampa Times ol' Tues-a iasevening: f0Tarpon Springs, Aug. 15.—J. A Whitehurst, night marshal here;|mj Lewis Gaines, assistant night mar-shal, and others, sew an aeroplane! ever Tarpon Springs between 2jj,n :md .'1 o'clock Sunday morning. | iln The niachi.n was distinctly seen. 11j. Hying sntfirier.tiy low so th- ex-; ^ liflust ol t tie i iigine could be heard,; though it was not near enough Pll for the men on the ground to do- t|, eido what type of machine it was. j jl(|They were first attracted by the ,.a sound of an engine apparently a- 0f hove their heads, and then as the wj maehine approached made out the pr location of the machine. Once I an found, it was easily visible, and Lfj ih' ii suddenly the beam of a high- ■ j, imwered searchlight appeared. („„ The light, switched on, played on houses' and other objects about Tarpon Springs as the machine Kept on its course in the general direction l'o Tampa.In addition to Whitehurst and Haines, officers who were on duty :■! the tine-, a number whose Alton-;ion was called joined the group • i watching the nroqplnne until i passed from sight, Among those who declared they hud seen the alt; roplane today were George Hnr-shaw and Claude Barnhill, both of this city.
Newspaper Details
Punta Gorda Herald
Punta Gorda, Florida, US
Thu, Aug 17, 1916
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Samuel A.
NA, 13 Sep 2023
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Punta Gorda Herald
