The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 24, 1896, Page 1

PRICE FIVE CENTS. of a Oaklanders Say Its Frame Was Like the Body Bird. ATTORNEY COLLINS TALE SUPPORTED. {Another Lawyer Who Was In- formed of the Alighting of the Flier. MOVING LIGHTS ONCE MORE - MYSTIFY THIS CITY, Dr. Benjamin Disclaims the Invention—Mayor Sutro’s Testimony and That of Oither Reputable Citizens Offered. Testimony concerning the existence of an sirship which is supposed to be navigat- in; the air over the bay cities by night and hiding from observation in some secluded . -place before daybreak came in yesterday from many sources. Many persons saw riysterious lights moving overhead." But the projectors of the phenomenon which has caused intense and general interest seem to revel in mystery. Among those who yesterday told of visitor were Mayor Sutro, Colonel Menton, " Company; Samuel Foliz, advertising man: seeing the lights carried about by an aeria , the excarsion agent of the Southern Pacific ager of THE Carr; Professor C. H. Murphy of the Polytechnic High School, also many others. ‘What they saw or heard from others who saw the moving light is told in the sub- joined account, They all tell practically the same story, which is that the light ap- peafed quite high overhead and that it moved very fast. They did not all observe it to be moving in the same direction. Dr. Benjamin, who has been supposed to have invented a flying machine or air- hip, which is supposed to be tbe cause of the phenomena vbserved overhead during tire past few nights, was in the City vesterday, and last evening was interviewed by THE CALL. Dr. Benjamin said that Lie did not know anything about the airship. At the same time he conceded that if he did know of such an invention of his own, he would consider it wise nou to give any in ormation concerning it until he had secured “his patents. Dr. Benjamin said that Mr. Collins is his attorney, and sdmitted that he visited Mr. Collins yesterday afternoan. This, in connection with the fact that Mr. Collins admitted that he is attorney for a man who claims to have invented an air- " ship, must be taken for what it is worth. Concerning this mystery it should be clearly understood that Tre CArL does not aver that an airship has been invente, nor does it deny that such is the fact. * There is no intention on the part of THE CALL to deceive its readers. The state- ments which have been made by reputable citizens are given, and these will un- * doubtedly be carefully considered and the consensus of public opinion will place the true value upon the different circumstances. There are several theories to ac- count for the mysterious moving light, which do not necessarily imply the existence of a flying machine or airship. There is no doubt that many peop e firmly believe 1n the airship. There were _many such who sat up late last night to watch for the appearancs of such a vessel. “Many stood on roofsand in other elevated places, in the rain, until late, hoping to get a glimpse of it. At the hour of going to press the whole matter remaned a mystery. " Henry W. Bradley of the law firm of Stanly, Hayes & Bradley made a very inter- esting statement which will be widely read. The most circumstantial story vet told on a streetcar claim to bave been attracted came from Oakland last night. Passengers by the light overhead and looking upward +they saw distinctly the outlines of an airship, which resembled a huge bird in its out- . lines and which seemed to rise ana fall in its course. Many residents of Oakland say that they, also, discerned the outlines of the vessel. ‘BODY LIKE A BIRD. What Spectators Across the Bay Say That They Saw. OAKLAND, CaL., Nov. 23.—There is a general impression in this city that the airship which Las been seen so often re- cently is being housed somewhere in Ala- meda County when it iz not being tested by its inventor. The whole population is about equally engaged between discussing the qualities .of airships and looking at the sky expect- ing to see the winged machine parting the clouds Reports are continually being "réceived of its bein- seen in the neighbor- hodd of Berkeley and Hay wards, as though the inventor were confining his experi- ments to the low land between the hills that skirt the northern boundary of the county and the bay. Several people saw .+ the light over Haywaras last night, and the number of people who have seen it in North Oakland is constantly increasing. Last evening the conductor wearing badge No. 26 of the Alameda electric line reported seeing the affair over Fruitvale. He says it had a powerfnl headlight and there appeared to be several smaller lights on board. -Mayor Davie is a firm believer in the ex- istence of ‘the airship. *I doubted the story of those who declared they had seen it,” said the Mayor to-day, “‘but when I looked through the names of the rep- utable people who unhesitatingly assert that they have seen it 1 doubt it no longer. *I have alwars believed in the practica- bility of airships, and & few years ago old Dr. Freeling had & model that closely re- sembled the picture published of this in- vention, and he told me before he died ..that when aluminum was broueh! into use the secret of air-flying would be solved. . I have no doubt that some one has built a machine, because many of those who have seen it are certainly entitled to credit.”” Attorney A. A. Moore heard the story ) of the airship a few days ago. *‘I did not talk with Mr. Collin: he said, *‘but I ‘was talking with a friend, an attorney, who 10ld me that Collins had talked with him about a client who had inventea an dirship.” Last evening at about 7:80 o'clock the passengers on an Alameda car were startled by the sight of a brilliant stream jof light high in the heavens off in the direction of Haywards. The passengers distinctly saw the outlines of an airship and watched its maneuvers high in the skies, The ship resembles a hure bird in its outlines and seemed to rise and fall in ita course. A light streamed from the head of the ship, throwing a white stream of light for several hundred vards. Asthe outlines of the airship were plainly dis- cerned the passengers in the car became greatly excited. The phenomenon had first been noted by a man who bad been idly watching the heavens. As soon ss he per- ceived the light he attracted the attention of the other passengers =nd all intensely interested watched the peculiar machine as it made its way through the skies. It was high in the heavens and ap- peared to be of huge size. When first seen it seemed to be floating over San Leandro. It moved rapidly, going at least twenty miles an hour. It shotacross the skies in the northwest, then turned quickly and disappeared in the direction of Haywards. Not only was the airship seen by the passengers, but many other residents of tuis city distinctiy saw the brilliant light and the huge, bird-like body floating in midair. None of the spectators were acquainted with each other, and yet therr stories are startlingly similar, agree- ing as to time, direction of the airghip ana description. These facts leave littie doubts in the minds of many people that a suc- cessful airship has been invented, and is navigating the heavens. Miss Wilson, a daughter of Captain Wilson of the police force, and her friend, Miss Hunter, are among those who viewed the strange sight. The two friends accompanied another young lady to the streetcar about 7 P. M. yesterday, where their attention was attracted by the pecu- liar light in the skies. The huge bird- like body from which the light emanated was clearly visible, and both young ladies are positive it was an airship. It followed the same course as described by the pas- senger on the Alameda car. Police Officer Carson and Jobn Strickler, the flagman at Fourteenth and Broadway, also declare that they saw the airship. 2 i “The representatives of the afternoon papers were almost hysterical in their de- mands that I discredit THe Carr's infer- view. I wish to say right bere that I have IRVING M. SCOTT—*An airship? Of course not. I've been wondering ever since what became of it.” That’s the last cruiser I bid for and lost. not a word ‘to take back of all that has been reported. It wasa truthful, reliable interview and THE CALL is the only paper that has reported me correctly. The stories in the evening papers that I had denied the interview were false and the writers actually told me that they were going to write such stuff before they left my office. *Since the fact was published that Iam the attorney for the inventor I have not seen my client. We mailéd the papers re- garding the patent to Washington last week and expect to hear soon of their ar- rival. Ido not know when I shall see my client again, but I expect him any day. He is a man that impressed me with the idea of being perfectlv able to ma nage his own affairs, and I have nodoubt he knows what he is doing. “I wish to corréct one 1dea that seems to be prevalent. Some papers have pub- lished the fact that the inventor is an Oroville man. I have not said so. He is a San Francisco man, but he has con- structed his machine near Oroville. I aid say this afternoon to the reporters of the San Francisco evening papers that the story as published in the Chronicle was a fake. Not only that; I told the young feliow from the Chronicle that he had grossly misrepresented me in his inter- view where he guoted me as having said I saw the airship work, the inventor hav- ing come here, and, after talking to me a while, getting into it and moving away. The statement that I had seer it working at all is false. *‘As I told you before, as I told him, and as I now repeat it, all I know is that I have been appealed to by a man who ap- pears perfectly sound to act as his attorney in securing for him a patent on his inven- tion. It would be presumptious for me to say the story that an airship was being worked about the bay was a fake, when it is taken into consideration the number of people who stake their reputation on having seen one.. Even if it was not the ship of the man who came to see me, it is not for me to say that these people have not seen an airship, There is more than one man at work on the question of aerial navigation, and some one is bound to solve it as they did the steam-engine and the electric-car. I am as skeptical regard- ing the actual working of the craft as any one, but am not such a fool as to say that it is an 1mpossibility. “I was told in this city to-day that the Chronicle had secured a man—one Dr. Benjamin, I believe — to maintain throughout that the invention is his and thatheis the one who has been going about the heavens at night. He is to say that he has paid me $500 as a retainer and that I am to have $1500 when the patents are issued. This is along the line of their story as first told, and it must be kept up at any cost. Idesire to denounce the whole story in advance as a pure fake to. support the wild imagination of one of their reporters. It places me in an unfair light before the public and injures my business to have such stories set afloat when there is not the least foundation for them. “When the Examiner man came to me Sunday afternoon he told me that his paper had the whole story and knew the inveutor and would publish it this morn- ingz. They did not particularly care, he said, for my version, but would like to have it just to verify what they knew. The bold biuff did not work and the story in to-day’s Examiner trying 1o ridicule tbe affair, but at the same time Jeaving loopholes to escape, was the result “There is no denying the fact that the public has been aroused to a hivh pitch of expectation by the reports published, The Examiner sent a man to me to-day who said they had treated the whole affair as a Huge joke, but found tkat the people were looking at it in a serious manner and they were ready to give the news as received, regardless of how improbable it might look. He asked me to give a true account of the matter as far as I knew anything, but when I denied having seen the ma- chine work or naving ridden in it he laughed and said I was hedging.”” —_— KNEW OF THE AIRSHIP. Attorney H. W. -Bradley Was In- formed of Interesting Facts. “I am at a loss to know how you could have ascertained that I know any- thing about the airship,” said Henry W. Braaley of the law firm of Stanley, Haye & Bradley, of this City, yesterday, to a representative of THE CALL. “Do you know anything about it?"’ Mr. Bradley hesitated a moment, then said: “The man you want to see is George A. Collins, the attorney. All I can say is that if Collins said what is accredited to him in a published interview this morning, Collins knows what he is talking about, and I will say, further, that Collins would scarcely take part in a fake story, because he would have more to lose than to gain by so doing. 2 “Now, there is that first publication in Tar CALL about tha sirship. That un. doubtedly was sent by telegraph from Sac- ramento after 1 o’clock in the morning, for it states it was after midnight that the object was seen over that city, Then there is McGovern at the California Hotel, who told me Saturday night that he saw it between 2 and 4 o’clock in the morning. Iknow that it landed at 3 o'clock— “Where?"’ ““You have made me say more than I intended to,” replied Mr. Bradley, with a look upon his countenance which seemed to say that he wished he had remained silent; then as a faintsmile lighted up his features: “I cannot tell you where it landed; that 1s, I do not feel at liberty to state where. The man you want to see is Collins. “You must understand that I cannot speak about this matter, but will say this: TaE CALL has been consistent in this mat- ter. Itison the right track and it must not back water; and then it got akead of all the other papers on a big piece of news. “Then there is A. L. Hart of Sacra- mento, who stated that if certain parties of that city declared that they had seen the object he believed what they said.” “Where is that wonderful ard much- talked-about airship now?” was asked. “That I cannot tell you, but I' will say this: I was to have inspected it to-day, but for some reason the invitation I ex- pected did not reach me; possibly be- cause the premature announcement in TrE CALn has interfered with projected plans, or it may be the weather. “I wish to place myself right in this matter. While in conversation with a gentleman three or four days before the first publication of the airship story in THE Caur. I was told that such an inven- tion was In existence and the difficulty of navigating the sky would soon be over- come. The gentleman who gave me this information did so in confidence, a con- fidence tnat I will not betray. As an at- torney I coutd not afford to do so and asa man I woutd not. “There 1s another reason I have for not wishing to give expression to my knowl- edge or views, which is this: Several of the newspapers have published interviews with Mr. Collins and other papers have asserted that he denied the truth of the statements attributed to him. Now, it would not look well for me to make state- ments contradictory to his or have him deny statements that I made. Therefore, I will keep silent.” Mr, Bradley stated that be is in no way connected with the airship scheme, either as an attorney or as a friend to the parties most concerned. “Do you believe that the existence of an airship at the present time is possible?” was asked. Mr. Bradley smiled and cautiously an- swered: ‘“Was the airship not seen by hun- dreds of respectable citizens in Sacra- mento, San Francisco, Oakland and other places? I would not presume to dispute their statements.” “Then you believe that we have such an invention that has proved a success ?"” “Yes. I believe what my friends tell me.. However, I am not an authority. All I know, that is, all 1 think I know, isfrom hearsay testimony, and I do not intend to commit myself upon hearsay testimony alone. I have never seen it, and I do not expect to make a trip 1n it as it has been reported.” A 8 SEEN LAST NIGHT. Many Persons In This City Gazed Upward and Wondered. The mysterious light was seen last night in this City by a gentleman of undoubted practical experience. Samuel Foltz, ad- vertising manager of THE CALL, was look- ing out from his residence at 1157 Stanyan street about 9:15 P. M., when he noticed a light traveling in the direction of Berke- ley. He at first thought he was dreaming, but looking again he called out the people residing in the house and all agreed that the light corresponded in appearance with that attributed to the mysterious flying ship. Mr. Foltz said that the light was appa- rently that of an ordinary lamp; that it was located about 300 feet above the earth, and was, when sighted, above the locality of Van Ness avenue, and that it was trav- eling direct and with tremendous velocity toward Berkeley. The light remained in sight about four minutes, when it passed out of view. C. H. Murphy, a teacher at the Poly- technic High School, told an interesting story last evening: “I was coming down Valencia street about 9:15 to-night,” said Mr. Murphy, “and I noticed the phe- nomenon. Above, atan elevation of possi- bly 4000 feet, was an electric glow, which was moving toward the park at the rate of one mile per minute. This was observed by hundreds of perséns. Every one on Valencia street might have seen it. There was only one light. This had a vibration or wave. There was no fake about this. ‘When [ saw the light I was on the south side of Valencia street.” R OVER SUTRO HEIGHTS. Airship Seen by the Mayor’s Em- ployes a Few Days Ago. None of those who have seen the mys- terious moving lights in the heavens that are believed to be those of an airship is more, firmly convinced that a flying ma- chine hovers nightly over the bay cities than Mayor Sutro, and the story he tells to support his expressed belief is vastly interesting. The Mayor is nothing if not practical, and he says that there is not the faintest doubt in his mind that the acrial courser passed over Sutro Heights a short time ago and that it was a genuine airship and doing a very fair job of air-sailing. “I bave not seen the ship myself,” said the Mayor after the meeting of the Board of Supervisors yesterday, ‘‘but some of my people at the heights have, and their stories leave no doubt in my mind as to the truth of the stories THE CALL has pub- lished on the subject. “Their narratives were not given me after the paper got hold of the matter, but ‘were told several days ago when no such thing had reached public print. “When I reached home one evening, about the length of time ago I mention, I found them in a great state of excitement, and when I inquired the reason of the agitation they told me of a strange spec- tacle they had witnessed a short time be- fore. They told me that shortly after dark they had seen a strange, brilliant light coming in from the direction of the sea. ““At first little attention was paid to it, but as the light drew nearer all became very much interested and watched the brilliant spot closely. s DEATH OF ITALO CAMPANINI, THE GREAT TENOR. ROME, Iraty, Nov. 23.—italo Campanini, the singer, who was known in the United States, died at Parma to-day. Italo Campanini was born in Parma in 1846, He enlisted in the army of Garibaldi when 14 ye: 1d, and took part in the fight before Milazzo. Having discovered dur- ing the campaign that he had a wonderful voice he studied singing for two years at the Conservatory of Parma, and made his first appearance as the notary in “La Sonnambuia,” at his native town. In 1869 he went to Milan and placed himself under the tuition of the celebrated teacher Francesco Lamperti. In 1872 he made his London debut as Genaro in “Lucrezia Borgia,” and in 1873 sang with Christine Nilsson in New York. He returned to America during the season of 1875-52. Besides being the greatest tenor living at that time he was remarkable for the immense scope of his repertoire, which included could sing at a few hours’ notice. nearly eighty operas, the tenor roles of which he “As it aporoached the heights thev saw that it was not over 500 feet above the ocean and was movin : swiftly and with a siightly undulating motion. *‘When almost over the beach two lights were discernible, one apparently being be- low a misty-looking mass and the other behind it. ‘‘They paid particular attention to the latter, as it threw a long ray of light, similar to that cast by a searchlight, far out into the darkness. They told me that this stream of light was 500 feet long, but I presume that, while it seemed that long, it was in rea.ity much shorter. “‘They wa tched it until it disabpeared in the direction of the City and saw it turn toward the north just before it passed irom view. Now, these people would not try to tell me ghost stories, and I know that they saw just what they described. “I certainly think that some shrewd inventor has solved the problem of aerial navigation and that we will hear all about 1t within a short time. It would not be any more wonderful than the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, the phono- graph or the X ray, and it would seem that some one must hiton the proper appliances when so many smart men have been working on the problem.” It has been stated that the airship passed over the Seal Rocksa short time ago and played its light on the seals, and it may be that this was the occasion when it was seen from the heights. e COLONEL MENTON SAW IT. Three Lights In View as the Mys-~ tery Sailed. Colonel W. H. Menton, the excursion sgent of the Southern Pacific Company, lives in the Supreme Court building at the corner of, Larkin and McAllister streets. He is confid-nt he saw the mysterious aerial peregrinator Sunday night. Thisis his story as he told it yesterday: ‘“Last night, at about 20 minutes of 8 o’clock, the elevator-boy came to my door and told me if I wanted to see the airship to go to the window. My wifeand two lady friends went at once to the win- dow, and looking out toward the park, say at an apparent height of about 100 yards, saw three lights. One shot itsrays toward the northwest, another toward the south- west, ana one, the most brilliant, poured its light directly toward the earth. These lights had the appearance and intensity of searcnlights. “I' am sure,” continued Colonel Men- ton, ““that it was neither a star, meteor nor any other wanderer of the heavens. The light was far brighter than any of the electric lights I saw just below, 1n and about the park. “It was traveling toward the west, and we saw it distinctly for ten or fifteen min- utes. We all gazed at it until it disap- peared in the distance. It neither rose nor feil, but maintained an even course parallel with the earth.” — CROSSED THE GATE. And Some Time Later Was Over the Twin Peaks. M. H. Cohen of 510 Baker street, a con- ductor on the Hayes-street car line, saw an object in the sky at 7:05 last Sunday Seen evening, which he believes was the airship.’ The object seemed to be 300 or 400 feet above the earth. Speaking of the sight yesterday he said: *I first saw it at Mar- ket and Eighth streets. It seemed to be moving across the Golden Gate anda flash was occasionally displayed. I cailed the gripmen’s attention to it, and he looked and said, ““It might be the airship.” Two gentlemen on the rear end of the car sawit. Itold the receiver and the night watchman about what I had seen. The car left the ferry at 7:13 o'clock, and at First street I saw the object again directly over the Twin Peaks. Tne forward light seemed to be steady. I informed ¥rank Allen, the machinist at the caihouse, and he remarked that he had seen a similar object and called the attention of two ladaes to it. ; ‘I did not see the object again until I got to the top of Pierce-street hill. Then it seemed to be coming back again from Twin Peaks. We left the park at 7:51, and looking back from Ashbury street got agood view of it. A light was flashed downward for a few minutes. Tke night Continued on Second Page. TAKEN FROM THE RIGEING Imperiled Men of the San Benito Rescuzd by the Point Arena. SIX NUMBERED AMONG THE LOST. survivors Almost Dead From Exhaustion When Aid Arrives. DRENCHED FOR HCURS BY THE HEAVY SEAS. Stories of Awful Suff ring Told by Those Who Escaped With Their Lives. POINT ARENA, Car., Nov. 23.—Thirty- one survivors of the San Benito disaster were taken from the wrecked steamship at 7 o’clock this morning by re-cuers sent in boats from the steamship Point Arena. Since 1 o’clock yesterday morning some had been hanging to the wave-swept rig- ging and others tenanting a small apart- ment in the hold, which each high sea almost filled with water. The men were benumbed and exhausted, and 'a half dozen of them had decided to plunge into the sea and make a last attempt to reach shore when the boat from the Point Arena stood in and they saw rescue at hand. It is now certain that only six of the crew were lost. They were: O. W. SCOTT, first assistant engineer. €. CONDON, gineer. I. W. WILSON, chief cook. JUHN SHEE: AN, forwar! messman. CHARLES BRUWN, coal passer. NICHOLAS FITZGERALD, coal pusser. second assistant en- Those who reached shore from the wreck by s#imming, or on. the, boat that capsized when near the beach, were: = F. E. Foster, quartermaster; Charles Janson, seaman; Harry Jackson, donkeyman; Harry, Faehn, seaman; George Christopher, fireman, and Narciso Lyva, coalpasser. The rest of the crew are aboard the Point Arena, which steamed for Eureka after taking them aboard. The San Benito lies as it did yesterday, the forward half about 100 feet from the balance of the vescel. Much of the pro- visions and canned goods in the store- rooms can be saved if the divided hull is not pourded to pieces by the seas. All night long efforts had been made to rescue the men from the wrecked steam- ship. At midnight men were sent to the town of Point Arena to make some bolts to be shot from the steamship Weott’s gun. Unfortunately the steamer sent only one bullet with the gun and on the first trial the line was too tight and it broke. It was nearly mornin: when the men from town returned with bolts and a new line. Meanwhile those on the beach haa made two large kites and had them flying over the wreck when it was light enough to see her; but at this time the boa.sfrom the Point Arena and Weott had reached the San Benito and soon every man on the wreck was rescned. A mighty shout went up from the shore. The men yelled and danced for joy and the women, many of whom had patiently watched on the beach all night 1n the rain and cold, cried and laughed alternately. The whole country was soon notified of the rescue, messengers starting for town as fast as horses cculd run to carry the glad tidings. The six men who reached shore yester- day tell substantially the same story. Harry Faehn, the Jast man who was washed overboard and pulled out of the breakers exhausted, and who required the doctor’s attention for two hours before consciousness was restored, is still in a critical condition. A CALL correspondent found him at the house of Thomas Ken- ney, who lives near the scene of the disas- ter, whither Faein was taken assoon as he could be moved. He is still dazed and believes he is on the wreck, and the doctor is afraid he will not survive. Harry Jackson, donkeyman, and Charles Janson, seaman, say that it began blowing a gale Saturday afternoon, with a heavy shower of rain, and at times nothing could be seen a ship’s length away. The deck was washed by the waves every few minutes, so that the lookout had to stand on the bridge for fear of being washed overboard. After dark Saturday night no lights of any kind were seen, and as the ship was being worked by dead running the log showed that she was or should be four miles off and below the Point Arena light- house. A few minutes past 1 o'clock breakers were seen dead ahead, and, al- though going very slowly, before she could be stopped or her course changed the San Benito ran bow on the beach and stuck fast. The heavy sea broke over her every mo- ment, and each wave lifted her stern high and brought it down with a thump that shook her from end to end. Soon the ves- sel broke in two just aft the smokestack and the stern parted and went back on the beach about fifty feet south of the for- ward part, which stuck fast. As soon as she struck the whistle was blown for any assistance that might be at hand. The whistle was kept going until she broke in two. When the vessel crashed into shore both the forward and after port boats were wrenchea from their davits and crushed. The forward star- board boat, with First Assistant Engineer Charles Jansen and three others in it, was sent away to attempt a landing and get assistance. It was capsized in an instant, and the crew ieft struggling in the angry waves. Jansen and one other reached the beach