Page 4 - 201002 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2010

February 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 18/02/2010 9:03 AM Page 4 4 The Oregon UFO Wave That Wasn't The Oregon UFO Wave speculation and news to prime people for the planned after this model will contain” (14). At That Wasn't day when the riddle of aerial navigation finally the end of this story, the newspaper reported that “none here will believe in the existence of that would receive a solution” (2). The general mood The importance of press of this literature was positive, trumpeting the marvelous airship until he or she sees it, and that wonders of science and technology (3). In the in full operation, too.” skepticism in the 1896-97 years immediately preceding the episode, Sighting intense excitement was experienced worldwide Coverage in Nevada and Washington by Robert E. Bartholomew in anticipation of the first practical, mechanically-powered heavier-than-air flight By and large, the Nevada press was not (4). especially critical of the reports and sightings Beginning in mid-November 1896 and flourished. Near Reno, one resident claimed that lasting until May 1897, a remarkable social The Pacific Northwest sightings an airship with a searchlight passed by and delusion swept across parts of the United States, voices could be heard coming from the craft, as many citizens became convinced that an The California airship wave had been including “We are four degrees too far north, American had perfected the world’s first building up for about a week and dominated the change the course” (15). This account was practical heavier-than-air flying machine. This California press amid sensational, near simply reported by the paper without any little-known episode in American history was saturation-level press coverage when the criticism. As for the nature of the California extraordinary in that, at the height of the sightings began to spread to nearby states, and sightings where the wave began, the Carson rumors, it is estimated that tens of thousands of eventually across the country. One of the first City Morning Appeal stated “There are Americans reported that they had seen the craft sightings in the Pacific Northwest was at thousands of people in California who believe at various points across the nation (1). On McMinnville, Oregon, on the night of that a flying machine has been invented that numerous occasions it was reportedly seen November 24th when, according to that city’s sailed from Oroville to Sacramento and from thousands of miles apart, at the same time! The Telephone-Register newspaper, several there to Oakland one night last week. It was maneuvers described by witnesses, were far residents claimed they saw an airship pass over seen first in Sacramento and the inventor above any technology of the period-even by the city (5). Curiously, at this point, there was a promises to exhibit it over San Francisco in a today’s standards. It was typically described as deluge of airship sightings across the Pacific few days” (16). There was no discussion of the oval or cigar-shaped with an attached Northwest, except in Oregon. This prompted the airship having been a hoax fueled by undercarriage, having a powerful headlight, and Portland Evening Telegram to remark that “It is misperceptions, lying, and press sensationalism. giant fans or wings protruding from both sides. news to say that the ship has not been seen in In Washington, while there was some press Some observers claimed the wings slowly Portland” and had nearly missed the state criticism of the airship claims (17), many press flopped up and down like a bird! altogether (6). accounts were also uncritical. Consider the In this article, I will briefly 1) refute claims The answer for the apparent immunity in following report of a sighting at Marble: by present-day UFO researchers who claim the Oregon from what some people labeled as Marble, Wash., May 5.--The town of sightings were of extraterrestrials, 2) describe “airshipitis,” appears to have resulted from a Marble was greatly excited today over the the context of the episode, 3) offer an combination of cloudy weather and responsible appearance of an airship. Some men working at explanation as to why the state of Oregon was journalism. As soon as the sightings began in the mill discovered it as it appeared over the nearly immune from reports, and 4) discuss the Oregon on November 24th, several state mountains at the southern part of town, and wave in terms of mainstream social newspapers editors quickly attributed the watched it disappear in a northeasterly psychological theories. sightings within the region to sensational direction. It was in full view, and the fans could California journalism designed to sell easily be recognized ... (18) ETs misperceived as airships newspapers, and labeled the affair a hoax. These Other newspapers reporting this story in included the Dallas Times Mountaineer which a matter-of-fact manner included the Ellensburg Many UFO researchers believe the most used the headlines, “California’s Fake” (7), and Localizer (19), and the Chelan Leader (20), likely explanation for the sightings is that they the Portland Oregonian which echoed these while a separate sighting over Spokane on were of an ET spaceship that had been mis- sentiments (8), as did the Roseburg Plaindealer Thursday night, April 15th, was reported identified by people culturally conditioned to who called them “Aladin’s Lamp stories” that uncritically by the Walla Walla Union (21) and expect to see airships-even though a practical were akin to sea serpent tales (9). Meanwhile, the Spokesman-Review (22). heavier-than-air ship did not exist at the time. the Albany Weekly Herald-Desseminator While the extraterrestrial hypothesis may seem described the reports as “an entirely sensational Explaining the airship mania plausible to many persons who have been piece of fiction” (10). bombarded with images of ETs by the mass The Marshfield Coos Bay News said It is important to keep in mind that when media in recent years, the key to understanding that “If it was a genuine flying machine, there you boil everything down, the only significant these sightings lies in a familiarity with the would be no need for it to meander around in evidence we are left with is eyewitness social and historical climate in which they the heavens under cover of night” (11). The testimony-and the human mind and eyes do not occurred. When we examine the context of the Eugene Register said the flying machine stories work together to collect information like a video episode, apply basic theories of social “remind one of the old saying that California camera. Humans interpret as we perceive the psychology, empathize with the people living at has the largest trees, smallest matches and the d- world. The accuracy of eyewitness testimony is that time, and add common sense, the sightings nest liars of any place on earth” (12). Following remarkably subject to error and preconditioned can be readily explained without recourse to several reports of sightings near Alturas, the by mental outlook or frame of reference (23). A exotic hypotheses such as aliens in UFOs. Is it Lake County Examiner noted: “Alturas has good example of this process that most of us are possible they were aliens? Of course. Is it several well-developed cases of ‘airship.’ familiar with involves close decisions made by probable? No. Is it possible that the head of each Wonder what kind of whiskey they have down referees and umpires at sporting events. skeptics organization in America will win a in that section” (13). In early December, the Through the use of instant replay, we can million dollars in lotteries during May, 1998? Portland Evening Telegram printed part of a usually see where we were wrong, or on Of course. Is it probable? No. letter from an ex-Portland man who had moved occasion, where a trained observer-the referee- to California and who claimed to have met the was wrong. Context of the sightings airship inventor there through a mutual friend The airship observations appear to have and was given several rides in the vessel. “The been a symbolic projection of the prevailing From about 1880 through the early twentieth airship in which I made my ascent is 23 feet technological mania and seemingly limitless century, a massive popular literature appeared long, [has] 7 feet of beam, as we would term it faith in science and inventions that was on the theme of science and inventions. in nautical parlance, and [is] 7 1/2 feet high sweeping America. Aeronautical developments were a prominent from the ground. It is merely a rough model for feature of these accounts as “this literature fed experimental purposes, devoid of all the elegant the public a steady diet of aeronautical and comfortable interior fittings later airships Continued on Page 5