Ghost lights were seen in Meade County, Kansas, and it caused quite a bit of speculation in 1913. Below are two article published that year about the lights.
Ghost at Meade
The mystery of the Meade county ghost light has not yet been solved, although scientists, investigators, spiritualists, and other more or less scientific gentlemen have been busy on the case.
‘There isn’t any joke about this ghost light either,’ remarked J.K. Thomas, of Meade. ‘Many of our best people have seen it and wondered at it. The light is commonly seen in Lakeland Township. It is very similar to a marsh light but it is much brighter. There is no low ground there, and no dampness, and so it must be caused by something else than a marsh.’
It is generally seen, Mr. Thomas explained, along the country roads on the prairie, where there are no trees or obstructions, and seems to flash along the top of the prairie grass. Every effort to ascertain its character has failed. Many believe it to be caused by gases from crevices in the ground. [Source]
Sand Creek Ghost Light Reappears
There is something going on in Kansas which has people guessing. They are not superstitious people – yet they would like to know. After a disappearance of six years ago the “Sand Creek ghost light” is once more beginning to put in an appearance nights in Southeastern Meade County, near the town of Lakeland.
This mysterious light, white and very bright suddenly appearing on the prairie, often accompanied by a sound as of escaping steam, so startled farmers and stockmen that it was with dread that they would venture out in the night in the Sand Creek neighborhood.
For several years, however, since that neighborhood has commenced to settle up, the mysterious light has not made an appearance.
A few nights ago, John C. Compton, traveling overland with his family from Oklahoma to Lakin, Kansas, drove hastily into Meade and reported seeing a strange light, in the very vicinity where the mysterious Sand Creek “ghost light” formerly held forth.
“We were driving along slowly when suddenly a great white light, very bright, appeared to be coming toward us,” said Mr. Compton. “When the light came within a few rods of us it suddenly disappeared, only to reappear in a short time.
“It was northwest of Lakeland; just how far we were from that post office I cannot say, but I should judge about six or seven miles. Every time the light appeared the horses reared and plunged, and we were compelled to stop to avert a runaway. At first I thought it was an automobile light, but it was too large and bright for that and as no machine appeared, I gave up that idea. It was certainly the most bewildering and gruesome light I ever saw, and I cannot understand what it was.”
Meade people immediately recognized the light from the description given by the traveler, and there was much excitement over the news that the “ghost light” had reappeared after several years.
Col. W.L. Painter, a wealthy ranchman living near Lakeland, in Sand Creek Township, vouches for the truth of the mysterious light, but is unable to account for it.
“I first saw the light some seven years ago,” said Capt. Painter. “I have seen it on 25 or 30 different occasions, but never have been able to explain it. It would first appear like the light of a lantern, but immediately bloomed out as big as a full moon.
“It looked somewhat like the headlight of a locomotive coming around a curve suddenly and was accompanied by a roaring sound like the escaping of steam, but there is no railroad within 20 miles. It reappeared at intervals of from 1 to 7 days. It would never get closer than 60 or 70 rods and seemed always to come from the northwest.
“I and members of my family have observed it many times. We know it in our neighborhood as the ghost light. When it shows up it always badly frightens horses and has been the cause of many runaway accidents. The horses seem to know its approach before it is sighted.
“About 6 years ago many others besides myself repeatedly saw this ghastly light, and it disappeared about the same time that the Germans settled in that portion of the county.
“At one time it appeared to be directly in front of the Lakeland post office, and several times while driving at night has it appeared, always causing the horses to be alarmingly frightened. One citizen saw it and attempted to go to it, but it disappeared with no remaining sign or mark left to tell the tale.
“We have made many attempts to ascertain the cause of the strange light. It is not of a phosphorescent nature for there is no marsh or lowland there, and it appears to be of a brilliant white, while phosphorescent lights are bluish of tint, and besides phosphorus lights appear only in wet, marshy, low places. There are no low or wet lands out our way.”
Herman Tonhoff, of Odee, Meade County, has been an eye witness to the light and describes it exactly as does Capt. Painter. He was riding a horse one night when the light appeared and his horse squatted down, trembling with fear.
Frank Fuhr, editor of the Meade Globe, says the reappearance of the Sand Creek ghost light is causing much concern. “Whether one believes in ghosts or not, the strange light is a phenomena that is causing much anxiety,” he said.
Several theories have been advanced. One is that the ghost light has some connection with the earth cracks which have attracted much attention in Meade County. The theory is that interior pressure of gases causes these cracks, and that the escaping gas being ignited forms this strange phenomena. But no trace has ever been found of natural gas or of the effects of gas burning.
Another theory is that the lights are really mirages, if such a thing as a night mirage is possible, of Rock Island railway trains on the railroad, 20 miles away, the electric headlight of the locomotive being lifted and shown miles away on the prairie by this optical phenomenon.
At any event the Sand Creek ghost light has proved that it can come back after having disappeared for several years. [Source]
