It happened in 1897

A mysterious airship traveled across the states, and in April of that year, it arrived in Texas. The numerous sightings of the "air train" were reported by many (including the ones regarded as "truthful citizens"), while others were hoping to see it and travel in it.

Clipping source: Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 129, Ed. 1 Monday, April 19, 1897, newspaper, April 19, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1253119/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

Clipping source: Cain, Thomas C. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 8, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 24, 1897, newspaper, April 24, 1897; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth205344/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.

Clipping source: Gardner, J. W. The Daily Texarkanian. (Texarkana, Ark.), Vol. 13, No. 215, Ed. 1 Friday, April 16, 1897, newspaper, April 16, 1897; Texarkana, Arkansas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1656744/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Arkansas State Archives.

The assumptions and speculations on the air ship (ships?) origins had no end. 

Clipping source: Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 129, Ed. 1 Monday, April 19, 1897, newspaper, April 19, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1253119/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

 

Clipping source:  Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 128, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 18, 1897, newspaper, April 18, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1252872/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

The air ship designer was found?

Clipping source: The Houston Daily Post (Houston, Tex.), Vol. Thirteenth Year, No. 7, Ed. 1, Sunday, April 11, 1897, newspaper, April 11, 1897; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth84148/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

 Some suspected it could be a secret state project.

Clippings source:  Gardner, J. W. The Daily Texarkanian. (Texarkana, Ark.), Vol. 13, No. 215, Ed. 1 Friday, April 16, 1897, newspaper, April 16, 1897; Texarkana, Arkansas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1656744/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Arkansas State Archives.

More and more sightings were reported.

Clipping source: The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 24, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 17, 1897, newspaper, April 17, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465634/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

Some people suspected the craft was out of this world.

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 213, Ed. 1, Tuesday, April 20, 1897, newspaper, April 20, 1897; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth115928/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

Some claimed they not only saw the air ship, but also photographed it.

Clippings source:  Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 127, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 17, 1897, newspaper, April 17, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1252926/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

Others quickly discredited the photos and somebody, inspired by the air ship craze, wrote a poem abut the mysterious vessel.

Clipping source: Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 128, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 18, 1897, newspaper, April 18, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1252872/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

The air ship flew over El Paso in the middle of the night.

Clipping source: El Paso Daily Herald. (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 93, Ed. 1 Tuesday, April 20, 1897, newspaper, April 20, 1897; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth295941/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

And the judge saw it too.

Clipping source: The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 25, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 18, 1897, newspaper, April 18, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465540/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

 More truthful citizens observed it in Texas.

Clipping source: The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 25, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 18, 1897, newspaper, April 18, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465540/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

Noah's ark?

Clipping source: The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 24, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 17, 1897, newspaper, April 17, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465634/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

Did it multiply?

Clipping source: Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 128, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 18, 1897, newspaper, April 18, 1897; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1252872/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library.

Some claimed they had been taken for a ride in the air ship.

 

Clipping source: Lowry, J. H. Honey Grove Signal. (Honey Grove, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 8, Ed. 1 Friday, April 23, 1897, newspaper, April 23, 1897; Honey Grove, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth387865/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Honey Grove Preservation League.

A few lucky Texans had a chance to inspect the air ship.

 

Clipping source: Source: Cain, Thomas C. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 8, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 24, 1897, newspaper, April 24, 1897; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth205344/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.
 

The air ship passengers spoke English and they talked to a local sheriff.

 

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 219, Ed. 1, Tuesday, April 27, 1897, newspaper, April 27, 1897; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth115934/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

 

An extraordinary person was spotted among the air ship passengers.

Clipping source:  Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 218, Ed. 1, Monday, April 26, 1897, newspaper, April 26, 1897; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth115933/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

Mr. Schrader (the person really existed) was another phenomenon and a kind of celebrity of that time. He used "blessed handkerchiefs" during his divine healing sessions. Well, it was quite a different story, though.

Was the air ship real? Did it really travel around the state? What do you think?

Clipping source: Cain, Thomas C. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 8, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 24, 1897, newspaper, April 24, 1897; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth205344/: accessed April 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.

• Kudos to "The Portal to Texas History" for the old newspapers.