In February of 1910 The Montreal Star reported that the Eastern Townships sky contained a mystery. If all reports were accurate the stories raised great talk in the small towns and a lot of fear. The information that was gossiped about was all about a mysterious traveller through space. It appeared to be a somewhat indescribable flying machine which came from out of nowhere and seemed to return to the same place. Or so they said.
There had been no reports that it landed anywhere. Neither did it approach near the surface of the earth nor do any harm. In 1909 it had been seen hovering over parts of north-eastern England but its flights were confined to the night somewhat similar to the manners of a wild duck. Other rumours said it was probably made in Germany and said to have come to spy the land.
At night it had been seen by many, but two fishermen claimed that they caught a brief view of it by daylight. It had been admitted that the description given by the latter was not quite so circumstantial and satisfactory as that given by the usual nocturnal spectators.
In the Ottawa Citizen it had been reported that some of the folks in Brockville and the surrounding area were returning from church and spotted something lit in the sky on February 15, 1915. When the mayor of Brockville and three constables also witnessed this incident word quickly spread up and down the valley that the Germans were invading Canada.
Vivid flashes in a minor lightning storm gave credence that German aircraft were possibly passing over the area. To make matters even more interesting the mayor of Gananoque also said that two invisible aircraft were heard flying overhead. Parliament Hill went dark at 11 pm one night and the city of Ottawa and most small towns in the outlying areas followed suit 20 minutes later. I have no doubt that many of our local citizens spent a restless, fearful night. Newspaper headlines of:
Machines Crossed Over St. Lawrence River: Seen by Many heading to the Capital–Fireballs Dropped appeared quickly the next day. Explanations from government officials were demanded by the local newspapers. Was it really a few of the Morristown youths playing pranks? What about the remains of a few balloons that were found with fireworks attached to them near the Brockville Asylum? Soon after these items were found; the media that had been so intent on causing hysteria scoffed at their reader’s fear in print.
Opinions differed as to the nature of the mysterious objects. Of course Ottawa had to chime in to assure everyone that Germans aircraft had not flown their planes over Eastern Ontario or Western Quebec as the headlines persisted. The Dominion Observatory agreed, adding information about local wind direction and added that everyone just had war jitters. But, in all honesty the generic comments from the Observatory and the government did nothing to quell the fear of the locals. As gossip spread and the story transfer expanded to new highs the German bombers became very real to the public. No matter what the media and the government had said in their morning statements the lights still went out all over the Ottawa Valley and guns were set up on various rooftops that next evening.
If you ask some today they will tell you it wasn’t the Morrisburg kids trying to be funny, but in reality it was UFO’s. This story which has appeared in a number of paranormal books says that as the Valley was “preparing for the arrival of Germans ” these strange lights were apparently spotted in towns all over Ontario and Quebec and in provinces as far away as Manitoba.
The people of the Townships were justly celebrated for solving their mysteries but this time they were completely baffled by the appearance of their flying machines. Explanatory theories were advanced, but no two agreed and not one explanation seemed to fit the case. Some thought it a new contrivance for facilitating smuggling, others guessed it might have been improved rural mail delivery.
However as the autumn nights grew dark and chilly the mysterious flying machine like the birds went its way and was seen no more. And then something apparently very similar to that seen in the Townships began hovering above the city of Worcester Mass, exciting the people considerably and causing no end of speculation of impending doom from Martians or the Germans.
Until one evening, falling apparently from the heavens was the mysterious Worcester airship which suddenly appeared over the borough, causing a wave of excitement. It finally leaked out, however, that the airship was a joke perpetrated by Warden Edwin Hitchcock of the area. The airship, a large fire balloon purchased at a local drug store was sent up from Mr. Hitchcock’s block on Main street while supposed messages from a local printer were scattered from the top.
Almost out of the X-Files isn’t it? Or were they really both one and the same?
We will never know, but as they say, the truth is out there somewhere–maybe.
See you next week!
UFO Sightings in Lanark County 1982 — Lanark Village
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