26September1950: Dissolving saucer

[ChrisPerridas]

I recently came across this fascinating story of four south Philadelphia police officers seeing a strange blob. I found it reading through some old flying saucer reports. I thought it was cool that is inspired the movie "The Blob". Anytime I have a mystery - like this - I like to dig into the historical documents. Is the story "real"? Has the modern version altered due to folk lore, or other reasons? And I like to know whether I can solve the mystery, especially now that we have such powerful search tools and data available to us that were previously unheard of. Like Google books and Google newspapers.

I was able to find a number of old newspapers online, and almost all of them quoted - tongue-in-cheek - the original 27 September 1950 Philadelphia Inquirer article. That text was unavailable to me. But there were plenty of AP wire service digests (and FBI documents now released via FOIA).

I also blog on Miskatonic Books, a horror and esoterica site. There I recently posited my theory of what the police officers may have seen. If you care to have a look it is: http://miskatonicbooks.wordpress.com...r-1950-solved/. I think my suggestion is unique, but would like some critique and feedback.

The original story:
_____
Connellsville, Pennsylvania, The Daily Courier, September 27, 1950

PHILADELPHIA Sept 27 Four Philadelphia policemen reported to the FBI Tuesday night they saw an airborne object which dissolved a half hour after it alighted on the ground. Patrolman John Collins and Joseph Keenan said they sighted the object as they rode around in their prowl car. They called Sergeant Joseph Cook and patrolman James Casper and the four of them went to the field where it landed. They turned their flashlights on the object. It was about six feet in diameter and gave off a misty glow. They said Collins tried to pick it up and the part he laid his hands on dissolved leaving a sticky odorless residue. In half an hour the entire {material} evaporated before their eyes. The policemen said Sgt Cook notified the FBI.

[orangekea]

Originally Posted by ChrisPerridas

I recently came across this fascinating story of four south Philadelphia police officers seeing a strange blob. I found it reading through some old flying saucer reports. I thought it was cool that is inspired the movie "The Blob". Anytime I have a mystery - like this - I like to dig into the historical documents. Is the story "real"? Has the modern version altered due to folk lore, or other reasons? And I like to know whether I can solve the mystery, especially now that we have such powerful search tools and data available to us that were previously unheard of. Like Google books and Google newspapers.

I was able to find a number of old newspapers online, and almost all of them quoted - tongue-in-cheek - the original 27 September 1950 Philadelphia Inquirer article. That text was unavailable to me. But there were plenty of AP wire service digests (and FBI documents now released via FOIA).

I also blog on Miskatonic Books, a horror and esoterica site. There I recently posited my theory of what the police officers may have seen. If you care to have a look it is: http://miskatonicbooks.wordpress.com...r-1950-solved/. I think my suggestion is unique, but would like some critique and feedback.

The original story:
_____
Connellsville, Pennsylvania, The Daily Courier, September 27, 1950

PHILADELPHIA Sept 27 Four Philadelphia policemen reported to the FBI Tuesday night they saw an airborne object which dissolved a half hour after it alighted on the ground. Patrolman John Collins and Joseph Keenan said they sighted the object as they rode around in their prowl car. They called Sergeant Joseph Cook and patrolman James Casper and the four of them went to the field where it landed. They turned their flashlights on the object. It was about six feet in diameter and gave off a misty glow. They said Collins tried to pick it up and the part he laid his hands on dissolved leaving a sticky odorless residue. In half an hour the entire {material} evaporated before their eyes. The policemen said Sgt Cook notified the FBI.

Sounds like a viable explanation, showing proper respect for the witnesses, and an inventive link to weatherpatterns and a fire. Still it would be an earthly fluke event.

So personally I wouldn't yet exclude the possibility of a one time landing of an alien blob species.




orangekea

[dr wu23]

Originally Posted by ChrisPerridas

I recently came across this fascinating story of four south Philadelphia police officers seeing a strange blob. I found it reading through some old flying saucer reports. I thought it was cool that is inspired the movie "The Blob". Anytime I have a mystery - like this - I like to dig into the historical documents. Is the story "real"? Has the modern version altered due to folk lore, or other reasons? And I like to know whether I can solve the mystery, especially now that we have such powerful search tools and data available to us that were previously unheard of. Like Google books and Google newspapers.

I was able to find a number of old newspapers online, and almost all of them quoted - tongue-in-cheek - the original 27 September 1950 Philadelphia Inquirer article. That text was unavailable to me. But there were plenty of AP wire service digests (and FBI documents now released via FOIA).

I also blog on Miskatonic Books, a horror and esoterica site. There I recently posited my theory of what the police officers may have seen. If you care to have a look it is: http://miskatonicbooks.wordpress.com...r-1950-solved/. I think my suggestion is unique, but would like some critique and feedback.

The original story:
_____
Connellsville, Pennsylvania, The Daily Courier, September 27, 1950

PHILADELPHIA Sept 27 Four Philadelphia policemen reported to the FBI Tuesday night they saw an airborne object which dissolved a half hour after it alighted on the ground. Patrolman John Collins and Joseph Keenan said they sighted the object as they rode around in their prowl car. They called Sergeant Joseph Cook and patrolman James Casper and the four of them went to the field where it landed. They turned their flashlights on the object. It was about six feet in diameter and gave off a misty glow. They said Collins tried to pick it up and the part he laid his hands on dissolved leaving a sticky odorless residue. In half an hour the entire {material} evaporated before their eyes. The policemen said Sgt Cook notified the FBI.

A natural blob of ash smoke and ice makes sense to me.
..call it very lightweight hail.