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the topeka state journal (topeka, kansas) 1892-1980 — strange light in the sky

Date of account
Newspaper page published 1918-01-23
Location
topeka, kansas, united states
Source
Chronicling America paranormal and anomalous-report excerpts
Reference
the topeka state journal (topeka, kansas) 1892-1980 · 1918-01-23 · page 6
Rights
public_domain
Language
English OCR
Record updated
2026-08-24

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Record summary

A 1918-01-23 newspaper page contains wording relevant to “strange light in the sky”. This is historical reporting or commentary preserved by the Library of Congress; it is not treated as verification that the described event occurred.

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

... reported the presence of the strange light thru the skies. So sudden was the appearance of the meteor that reports from in dividuals differed as to its course and the extent of the illumination. Passing over or near Topeka, the meteor indicated an oblong shape with a blending colored tail. Trailing the phenomenon and its glaring white light was a flaming spectacle of seem ing red fire. Many persons who saw the spectacle declared it assumed the course of an arc in its trip thru the air. The meteor was visible but a few seconds and disappeared to the northeast. A few minutes after it had been observed by Topekans it was re ported to ...

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This OCR excerpt may mix reporting, humour, folklore, syndicated copy, editorial comment and witness claims. Newspaper title, date and original page remain available for source-critical reading.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

Lattice can compare reported features across periods while preserving uncertainty, OCR limitations and the possibility of conventional explanation, exaggeration, copying or satire.

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