Swamp Gas Journal - 1981 Volume 2 Number 1

Magazine Overview

Title: THE SWAMP GAS JOURNAL
Issue: Volume 2, Number 1
Date: January, 1981
Publisher: The Swamp Gas Journal
Country: Canada
ISSN: 0707 7106

This issue of The Swamp Gas Journal features an article titled "Bargain Basement for Second Storey," which delves into the contents of case files from Project Second Storey, the Canadian government's UFO investigation program.

Bargain Basement for Second Storey

The author acquired a collection of case files from Project Second Storey, a Canadian government initiative that paralleled US projects like Sign and Grudge, and later Blue Book. The project's aim was to receive and investigate UFO reports from both the public and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). However, the acquired files are not complete. Many names and addresses of individuals involved have been meticulously cut out with scissors, and a significant portion of the pages are rendered illegible by an "ingenious photocopier," making them useless.

Despite these limitations, the author was able to study 84 cases, predominantly from the early 1950s. The majority of reports originated from RCAF officers and enlisted men, with a substantial number also coming from civilian letters.

A key point of criticism is the investigation methodology. The "Unidentified Flying Object Sighting" reports were often filled out by an "interrogator" rather than the witness. While the interrogator's opinion of the witness's reliability was usually noted, the process itself could constrain testimony. The questionnaire design left little room for subjective statements, with an explicit aim to "eliminate, as much as possible, the subjective element from the sightings" and to avoid "over-stressed irrelevant personal opinions rather than the straight-forward objective facts."

The article notes that annotations throughout the files sometimes dismiss lines of reports with comments like "Hearsay!" The collection, while not containing many individually notable reports, offers a view into the activity within the DND's UFO investigations. Notably, several known cases from the period, such as the Goose Bay, Labrador incident involving pilots, are missing from the files, as are photographs that were reportedly sent in.

A few pages are highlighted as particularly interesting. One case from near Simiutak, Greenland, describes a red, "rotating" object observed through a theodolite on June 25, 1953. This object collided with a weather balloon at 18,000 feet, causing the balloon to disintegrate. The object, described as "three times" the size of the balloon, hovered in a circular motion for 15 seconds before rapidly departing. No investigation reports accompanied this case, leaving its evaluation unknown.

The author suggests that many cases appear to have been identified as bolides, which may have contributed to the file's closure. The extensive paperwork involved in documenting sightings, especially those with multiple witnesses, is also mentioned.

Included in the files are reviews and summaries from entities like the Rand Corporation, the Robertson Panel, and an astronomer named Hyneck. Despite a persistent percentage of unidentifieds, the overall evaluation from these sources was that UFOs were either hoaxes or misidentifications.

An amusing anecdote involves a German man in Montreal who claimed to have worked in an underground flying saucer factory during the war. He offered information on their construction and location in Germany, but after intense interrogation, he was deemed a fraud attempting to con the Canadian government.

The article provides a breakdown of sighting locations across Canada: thirty-three from Ontario, twelve from Quebec, nine each from Alberta and Nova Scotia, five each from Manitoba and British Columbia, four from Saskatchewan, two each from PEI and the Yukon, and one each from NWT, Greenland, and North Dakota. A significant number of reports came from Ottawa, with some sightings occurring over Parliament Hill. Most of these were nocturnal lights. The investigation of the only reported Close Encounter concluded that the witness was a "publicity-seeker" and inebriated.

Overall, the collection offers a limited glimpse into government UFO investigation efforts, showing that while no major revelations are present, the government did engage in such inquiries.

The Following is a Work of Fiction by Conrad Fort

The Last Entry in Asim Isaacov's Diary

This section presents a fictional narrative from the perspective of a science editor for "Newsmonth Magazine." The editor, initially skeptical of UFOs and their "experts," recounts an encounter with a man named Jack Hodgekiss. Hodgekiss, seemingly paranoid, presents the editor with an envelope containing documents he claims prove "exactly what UFO's are."

The editor plays along, suggesting the documents might be about secret government weapons based on a crashed saucer in New Mexico. Hodgekiss is surprised the editor knows this, but proceeds to offer the papers, which the editor accepts, believing "the more evidence, the better."

Later, the editor reflects on the encounter, noting that Hodgekiss had been killed shortly after in a car accident. The editor speculates, with a touch of dark humor, that if one were paranoid, they might think Hodgekiss was silenced by "Men-in-Black" and that the editor might be next, especially since he had received Hodgekiss's "secret" papers. However, the editor admits he threw the envelope away without looking, so he has no idea what the "proof" was.

The narrative then explores how such events can play on one's imagination. The editor describes hearing strange beeping noises and static on the phone, and seeing a black Cadillac parked across the street, which he attributes to coincidences that fuel UFO paranoia.

Further unsettling events include hearing a door open and close downstairs while the house was locked, and a fleeting glimpse of someone in the living room darkness. The editor concludes that these experiences illustrate how "Men-in-Black" stories can lead one to believe in such phenomena, ending with a feeling of unease and the thought that someone might be in the room with him.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around government UFO investigations, the challenges of data integrity (redaction, illegibility), the classification of sightings (misidentification, hoaxes, unexplained), and the psychological aspects of belief in UFO phenomena, including paranoia and the influence of sensationalized stories like "Men-in-Black."

The editorial stance, as presented through the "Bargain Basement for Second Storey" article, is critical yet analytical regarding official UFO investigations. It highlights the shortcomings in data collection and preservation, questions the objectivity of the investigative process, and suggests that while many cases can be explained, the subject warrants continued examination. The fictional piece further explores the theme of paranoia and the potential for psychological suggestion within the UFO community.