The article below was published in the newspaper The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, on page 1, on June 28, 1947.
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(By Associated Press)
Conjectures multiplied today as widely separated areas reported apparent confirmation of incredibly fast disc-like objects flashing through the sky - but skeptics remained.
Following yesterday's report at Pendleton, Ore., by Kenneth Arnold of Boise, Idaho, that he had seen nine saucer-shaped shiny objects dipping and skimming through the sky between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in Washington state at an estimated 1200 miles an hour, came these observations today:
Byron Savage, Oklahoma City businessman pilot, said that five or six weeks ago he observed from his front lawn a flat disc-like object hurtling through the sky at tremendous speed. He said he told his wife and a few pilot friends, then said no more until he heard of Arnold's report. "I know that boy up there (Arnold) really saw them," Savage declared.
AT KANSAS CITY, W. I. Davenport, a carpenter said yesterday he, too, saw nine speeding objects, moving west high in the sky. They were going fast and he could not make out their shape, he said. However, he reported engine sound and vapor trails - the only one of the observers with that to report.
A Brementon, Wash., housewife - west across the Cascade mountains from where Arnold saw his objects - said that twice in the past 10 days she had seen "platter-like" lights reflecting objects. The first time was last week Tuesday or Wednesday and the second time at 10 a.m. Tuesday this week.
"I thought surely nothing could travel so fast," Mrs Elma Shingler said. Her observation that they wavered from side to side was similar in Arnold's report of dipping as though planes were changing place in a formation. She said they were moving northwesterly.
AT EUGENE, ORE., E. H. Sprinkle said he nearly got a picture of them. A week ago Wednesday, he said, he took his $3.50 camera to a local butte to test it. He spotted objects in the southwest, racing towards the northeast, but before he could click his shutter they were nearly out of sight. He said he had not told of seeing the objects - which he said were similar to those Arnold reported - because he thought no one would believe him. Enlargement of his film showed nothing but clear sky.
Against these supporting observations, skeptics sought explanations. Capt. Al Smith, United Air Lines pilot on the Seattle run, said he thought Arnold saw reflections of his instrument panel and Dr. J. Hugh Pruett, University of Oregon meteorologist said that "persistent vision", often noted after looking at bright objects such as the sun, could have kept such reflections before him after they had passed.
ELMER FISHER, first assistant meteorologist in the Portland weather bureau, suggested a slight touch of snow blindness from the mountain peaks.
These possibilities were centered on Arnold's observations and left unanswered the question raised by the other reports.
Pruett said that whatever the objects were, they were not of meteoritic origin for meteors no not dip or sway.
To: Kenneth Arnold or Newspapers 1940-1949.
