Doubt - No 19

Magazine Overview

This issue of DOUBT, The Fortean Society Magazine, from November 1947, is designated as No. 19 and is presented as a "Complete issue on saucers." Edited by Tiffany Thayer, the magazine is a xerographic reprint by William L. Moore, Publications & Research. The cover features a stylized title, a seahorse, a question mark, and a flying saucer, with the price listed as 25c.

The United States of Dreamland

The lead article, "The United States of Dreamland," by the editor, critiques the media's role in shaping public perception. It argues that the press, through organizations like the Associated Press, United Press, and International News Service, creates a "synthetic cosmos" or "dream world" that is imposed on the public. The author contends that this monopoly on information prevents rational discourse and that the term "hysterical" is used to silence dissenting voices or those who question the established narrative. The article draws a parallel between the media's control and the concept of "mass hysteria," suggesting that the public is fed a false reality.

Comprehensive Catalog of Saucer Sightings

The bulk of the magazine is dedicated to an extensive catalog of "flying saucer" sightings reported primarily in June and July of 1947. Each entry provides a date, location, and a brief description of the sighting, often including the number of objects, their appearance, and witness details. The reports span across the United States, Canada, and even touch upon international observations.

Notable sightings include:

• June 24: Nine bright objects observed between Mt. Ranier and Mt. Adams, Washington, moving at high speed.
• June 24: Objects weaving and circling over Emmett, Idaho.
• June 25: An object half the size of a full moon over Silver City, New Mexico.
• June 26: A "ball of fire with a blue fiery trail" over Alamogordo, Texas.
• June 27: A "silvery object without wings or tail" over Vancouver, British Columbia.
• June 28: An object visible for three minutes over Seaside, Oregon.
• June 29: An object reportedly fell near Cliff, New Mexico, leaving a "layer of stinking air."
• July 4: A "silver ball" observed falling over the Grand Canyon, Arizona.
• July 4: An oval object whistling over San Leandro, California.
• July 4: Seven objects humming like a musical top over Pendleton, Oregon.

The magazine meticulously lists numerous other sightings, often noting the witnesses' professions or backgrounds, such as pilots, police officers, and even a dentist. It also includes reports of objects falling, leaving traces, or exhibiting unusual behavior.

Media and Official Reactions

The issue critically analyzes the media's response to the saucer reports. It highlights how newspapers like the Seattle Times and the Chicago Tribune attempted to explain the phenomena, often resorting to dismissive explanations or attributing sightings to "fantastic" stories or "the power of suggestion." The magazine points out inconsistencies in reporting and the tendency of some media outlets to downplay or ridicule the accounts. It also notes the involvement of military and scientific figures, such as Lt. Col. Harold R. Turner, who suggested they might be jet airplanes, and Dr. Thomas Lauritsen, who contradicted claims of government experiments.

The magazine expresses skepticism towards official explanations, particularly the "mass hysteria" theory, and criticizes figures like Howard W. Blakeslee of AP for his dismissive stance. It also mentions the Army Air Forces' statement that classified material regarding flying disks was destroyed in a plane crash near Kelso, Washington, raising questions about a potential cover-up.

Fortean Perspectives and Related Phenomena

Throughout the issue, the underlying Fortean perspective is evident. The magazine connects the saucer reports to other unexplained phenomena and historical curiosities, suggesting a pattern of events that defy conventional scientific or governmental explanations. It also includes reports of other unusual occurrences, such as vanishing vessels, strange lights, and unexplained explosions, implying a broader interest in the anomalous.

The issue also touches upon the scientific community's reactions, noting the reluctance of scientists to report sightings and the attempts to explain them through conventional means, such as "after-images" or "mass illusions." The magazine contrasts these explanations with the detailed witness accounts, often highlighting the perceived inadequacy of the official narratives.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the prevalence of unexplained aerial phenomena, the critical examination of media and government responses, and the concept of "mass hysteria" as a tool for dismissal. The editorial stance is clearly one of skepticism towards official explanations and a belief that the numerous reports warrant serious investigation rather than outright dismissal. The magazine champions the Fortean approach of documenting and analyzing the unexplained, challenging the reader to consider possibilities beyond the conventional.

The issue concludes by noting the decline in reports towards the end of August, suggesting a possible coordinated effort to quell public interest. It also briefly mentions unrelated events, such as volcanic activity and sunspots, as part of a broader overview of ongoing phenomena.

This document, titled "MORE NOTES of CHARLES FORT," presents a chronological compilation of unexplained phenomena and strange occurrences, primarily focusing on the year 1917, with some entries extending to earlier periods and a few from 1947. The content is derived from the manuscript notes of Charles Fort, transcribed and presented in a format that alternates between records of non-human phenomena and personal accounts.

Detailed Content

1917 Anomalies

The issue begins with a series of reports from 1917. Two brilliant auroral displays were noted in England on April 27 and August 6. Inconsistent with typical weather, a record-setting 15.5 inches of rain fell in Louisiana in just 6 hours on June 19. London experienced an unusual event on June 20, where soaked wooden paving blocks exploded like small bombs. A single lightning strike injured 50 people in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on July 6. The Chicago Tribune is cited for its complaint that "SCIENCE JUST CAN'T EXPLAIN THIS WEATHER."

Sightings of "invisible comets" were announced by Harvard. A peculiar event near Bombay, India, on June 20 (old style) involved a "dazzling object emitting blue and red light," followed by another emitting only blue light, described as round and accompanied by smaller-sized ones. The Time of India reported this on June 7.

An AP dispatch from Boston on June 28 mentioned a U.S. Weather Bureau aide in Portland, Maine, predicting a lunar occultation of Jupiter. An incident in Adams County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, on April 11, between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m., involved trees being blasted, wire fences obliterated, balls of fire rolling inside houses, and torrential rain occurring under a moonlit sky. The cause remained unexplained.

A "stubby" plane reportedly fell into Long Island Sound on May 1, before 11:20 a.m., with no search revealing any trace or missing aircraft.

On May 2, people around Troyes, France, reported a "flying bomb" that dived into the ground and exploded. The British stated it could not have been one of theirs, as their experimental projectiles were used over the North Sea.

Three days later, on April 24 (old style), two chunks of metal crashed in Winnipeg, Canada. One weighed 15 pounds and came through a house roof, while the other, about two feet long, landed a few houses away, lopping off a tree limb. One piece resembled a broken bicycle wheel.

A phenomenon described as a "meteor" was visible for half an hour over the Bridger Mountains near Bozeman, Montana, on May 5 (old style), from 3:30 p.m. It had a bright white head and made a "searing sound," disappearing behind Mt. Baldy. Later reports suggested it was a plane.

An object passing over Los Angeles on May 10, at 7:26 p.m., was identified as a meteor by the local Bishop of Astronomy, Cleminshaw of the Griffith Observatory.

On June 27 (old style), at 2:50 a.m., a blast occurred in the streets of Harrisburg, near Adams County, Pennsylvania. The local police could not assign an earthly origin to it, and hundreds were awakened, though no damage or debris was found.

Incidents related to "bombs" in Wittman, Maryland, and extinguished lights in Acampo, California, following an explosion, are referenced.

Reports of fire and metal on lawns in Rindge, New Hampshire, are also noted.

Ballistics and "Mystery Shots"

A significant portion of the 1917 notes details incidents involving bullets and unexplained impacts, often referred to as "mystery shots."

• Seattle, April 2, 1947 (old style): A boy was accused of shooting his auto, but no boy, rifle, or bullet was found, though the glass was cracked.
• Rugby, England, April 5, 1947: A "bullet" was blamed for an incident seen through a train window.
• Chicago, May 31: Charles Mitchell, 51, died from a "mystery shot" to the abdomen.
• Baltimore, June 1: Three people were injured by "stones" seen through train windows.
• Memphis, June 2: A "22-caliber bullet" pierced a baby's skull while he was being rocked.
• Near St. Joseph, Missouri, June 6: A brakeman on a moving train was killed by an unexplained bullet.
• Nanking, China, June 16: A "mortar shell," source unknown, killed 15 students on a campus.
• Santa Monica, June 16: An amphibious plane crashed after being shot down by a single bullet that struck the propeller; the bullet was not found.
• Pittsburgh, June 15: Ernest Pettus felt a sting in his side, diagnosed as a superficial gunshot wound, with no apparent source.
• Seattle, June 23: A bullet came through a house wall, seriously wounding James L. Hanson, who heard a first impact before being struck by a second.
• St. Louis, Missouri, June 28: Kenneth Morris felt a pain in his right knee while watching a baseball game.
• Dallas, Texas, June 28: Mary Lane McCarter was injured by a "38-caliber bullet" found near her heart.
• Seattle, July 2: Referenced in an earlier article about Jock Scruggs.
• Seattle, July 15: A window in a small yacht was damaged.

Other Anomalous Events (1917)

• France, May 14 (old style): A "second" red rain fell.
• May 9: A 62-foot boa constrictor was found dead under a marquee.

1917 Weather and Natural Phenomena

• Rovigo, Italy, June 14: A rain of honey was reported, with a similar phenomenon occurring nearby days earlier.
• New York, June 21: Thousands of food parcels "rained" on the U.S. from starving Mediterranean countries.
• Australia, January 10 (old style): Thousands of mice swarmed.
• England, June 23: Hundreds of thousands of frogs appeared in Wrexham and Waltham.
• England, May 28 et seq: Caterpillars were widespread.
• El Salvador, June 1: Locusts were reported.
• Gateshead, England, July 1: Maggots were found in the street.
• Headline: "INSECT SWARMS BAFFLE SCIENCE."
• Pendleton, Oregon, and vicinity, May 31: Crickets were accompanied by seagulls flying 300 miles along the Columbia River to help farmers, though the gulls later disappeared.
• Seattle Times, May 23-28: The gulls' behavior was questioned.
• Seattle, July 8: Gulls were still missing.
• Seattle, July 17: A "friendly" seagull allowed itself to be picked up on the beach.
• East Sleekburn, England, March 17 (old style): A "tame" gull was reported.
• July 17: The disappearance of 589 racing pigeons was noted.
• Oakland, California, May 14: Wild birds and caged birds toppled over dead in a two-block area, attributed to a "freak gas pocket."
• Newark, April 1 (old style): An unexplained stench occurred.
• Pittsburgh: Horses in police stables suffered a "cough epidemic" (mass hysteria) on July 3.

1917 Atmospheric and Astronomical Phenomena

• England, April 29: A "ghost plane" was reported, having been on "radar" since January, appearing at midnight and never returning.
• Puri, India, June 4 (midnight): "Lambent blue flashes" were observed on wave crests.
• Mayport, Cumberland, England, March 26 (old style): Two bodies of water disappeared from a reservoir.
• Hagerstown, Maryland, June 4: A lake disappeared.
• Kenosha, Wisconsin, May 29-30: Lake Michigan rose 7 feet in 10 minutes.
• Sonoma County, California, July 3: A burning ship was reported but never found.
• Bridlington, England, March 15: Life-savers investigated flares but found nothing.
• Cowes, June 3: A yacht sank for no apparent reason and was raised with no visible damage.
• Rockaway, New York, July 6: A bleeding whale washed ashore.
• Yorkshire, April 24: "Twenty thousand poison-gas bombs" that had alarmed Denby Dale for over two years were being dumped into the sea.
• Dogger Bank area: A sudden disappearance of cod and other fish was noted, possibly affected by the dumping of war materials.
• Seattle, July 7: "Two-tone" tides were declared harmless.
• Jacksonville, Florida, July 1: Poison Red Tide caused by "two-tone" tides killed millions of fish and emitted a poisonous gas.
• Gulf Coast Red Tide: This phenomenon, beginning April 10, was extensively studied, with official investigations ruling out man-made causes, though some Floridians suggested munitions dumping.
• Everett, Washington, May 19 (very old style): A girl reported being struck by a black sedan.
• Seattle, June 23: Residents saw "a halo around the sun."
• Seattle, July 8: A bottle of water allegedly focused the sun's rays and set a car afire.
• Seattle, July 11: A man was jailed for being hit by a disc.
• Seattle, July 12: A building began falling apart.

International Political and Social Notes

• April 21: Allegations that the ashes of Geering and ten other Germans, supposed to have been hanged, were cremated and thrown into the River Isar.
• May 4: The Mexican National School of Medicine abolished vivisection.
• May 27: The Supreme Soviet of Russia abolished capital punishment.

Other Entries

• Niagara Falls, July 11: Footprints, about 10 inches in diameter and 3 feet apart, were discovered in a woman's garden, leading to a dead end.
• August 9-12: The Perseids meteor shower was noted as being a disappointment.

Credits and Publication Information

Credits are given to various individuals, including C. Williams, Kerr, McMahon, Bloch, Elsender, Russell, Hornlein, Oltcher, Morrison, TenBroeck, Wallace, Ferguson, Patterson, E. A. Anderson, Wakefield, Hall, Rogers, Reagan, and Surrency.

A notice states that after January 1, 1948 (18 FS), the price for "THE BOOKS OF CHARLES FORT" will increase to $5.00 due to manufacturing costs. Orders received before January 1 will be filled at $4.00.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes throughout this compilation are the prevalence of unexplained phenomena, the inadequacy of conventional scientific explanations for these events, and the persistent human fascination with the unknown. The editorial stance, implicit in the selection and presentation of these "notes," aligns with Charles Fort's approach of meticulously cataloging anomalies that defy easy categorization or dismissal. The publication seems to serve as a historical archive of the strange, highlighting a consistent pattern of unusual occurrences across different times and locations, often challenging established scientific or logical frameworks. The inclusion of events from 1947 alongside older entries suggests an ongoing interest in such phenomena and their potential connection across different eras.