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# Mysterious Object In Sky Over Nelson Area

NELSON-A mystious, fiery object appeared suddenly over Nelson at the weekend, then vanished to the south as it flew on a north to south track.

The unidentified flying object was described variously as an "orange ball" with orange sparks appearing to drop from it. and as a "UFO with sparks" falling way from it.

Some of the first to see it were members of the O. Schleiermacher family, who said it was visible twice as it appeared through gaps in a partial cloud of cover over Nelson.

The reports came from residents on Kootenay Lake's north shore.

Mrs. Schleiermacher said they

watched it during a two to three-minute period.

She id. "It seemed to come just over the top of the mountain (500-foot Nelson or Elephant Mountain) and it was very low.

"There was no noise and, it looked at first like a helicopter on fire with sparks falling from it."

Other residents, including motorists, reported seeing the UFO.

RCMP said they had received no reports on the object.

Bob McAllister of Rossland, an astronomer, told The Times at the weekend that from his investigation into the report the object seemed to be a fireball.

Jan. 2, 1962

# UFO. May Be Work Of Children

NELSON—Several UFOs have been plaguing the Nelson area.

Mrs. Marilyn Horser of Nelson together with other Nelson residents reported seeing four of the objects Friday evening hovering over Elephant Mountain.

She said she gazed in disbelief as the UFOs zig-zagged over the sky. It seems all they saw were lights.

The UFOs which have been appearing in the same area in Nelson for the past three nights are being investigated by the RCMP.

A Glenmerry resident told The Times this morning that her son last night saw what he described as a "flying saucer" over Glenmerry. It was flying towards the moon, and was a very bright red color. It was apparently flying low, and as it approached the moon broke in a burst of speed and flew over the mountains above Glenmerry.

A local astronomer said he has been speaking to a number of people about the UFOs and as yet has not come to a positive conclusion. He says he believes they must be the work of some pranksters who think they have something going

# He COULD believe in UFOs

WOLFVILLE, N.S. (CP) Rupert H. MacNeill; geology professor at Acadia University here, says reports of unidentified flying objects are not merely fragments of the imagination and the number of reports he had received has increased since his recent appointment to the National Research Council's meteorite committee.

"When you see these things and they are described, they are just not imagination," he said.

He added that the objects aligned usually fall into two categories - rounded balls of fire and elongated, torpedo-shaped objects.

He said it is possible some sightings are pieces of rockets or satellites shot into space from earth, but not all.

"Some of it might be, but not so much of it as seen by so many people. In any case, this material would not come down and just hover; it would wham right in and probably burn up by extreme friction before it came down to our atmosphere."

# Boys Confess To Nelson UFO Scare

NELSON - A Nelson boy and his brother have confessed they started Nelson's UFO scare here recently.

The boys) not identified, were residents of the North Shore residential area across Kootenay Lake's West Arm from Nelson, where the reports came a little over a week ago.

The boys said they had sent up light plastic dry etaner bags with 16 birthday candles attached to straws and floated them into the air.

The balloons were made by fastening four straws together in the shape of a cross which was taped to the plastic bag.

The lighted candles filled the bags with hot air, causing it to rise. The candles gave a weird glow from a height.

The boys said they had started the project as a serious experiment but when they heard a hot air balloon had been mistaken for a U. they decided to set off balloon at uptime times, such as the five o'clock traffic rush hour.

The objects were reported al about 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, a week ago, causing residents and motorists some apprehension. New motor and radio officers were called for information, and the police investigated the incidents.

Fire relief in St. Gwens said the bussons could conceivably cause no danger. If one exploded from over illitation it might catch fire, hurting the person handling it. It might also land somewhere and cause a fire.

The children's parents had arranged that the experiments be stopped.

R. D. M. Allister

Rossland, B.C.