This article was published in the daily newspaper The Evening News, Detroit, Michigan, Thursday, April 15, 1897.
Warning: the airship stories must not be taken at face value as "UFO sightings." Evaluation of such stories is under way here.
Broken Wheel Dug Up Near Battle Creek
Battle Creek, April 15 -- A well to do farmer who resides five miles northeast of this city claims to have found the wheel of the alleged airship that passed over lower Michigan Tuesday night. George Parks, of Pennfield, and his wife were crossing a field, when their attention was drawn to a very bright object that appeared to be about 100 feet from the earth and swiftly approaching. Mr. Parks thought from its light and the humming sound it made that it was a meteor. As it passed over them, a little to their left, a part of it fell to earth and buried itself in the ground.
Mrs. Parks, who was somewhat frightened, would not let her husband go near where it fell. The next morning Mr. Parks and his brother, Benjamin, dug it up and found it to be a large wheel made of aluminum, about three feet in diameter, and a turbine in shape.
Mr. Parks says it is the first time he ever heard of a meteor having wheels. He will keep the wheel as a memento, and it may be seen at any time at his farm in Pennfield.
