The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-05-18
Ritchel's Aerial Ship.

The Philadelphia Press says: A first
class attraction is promised for the
opening of the Permanent Exhibition
on the 10th inst, when one of the prin-
cipal features on the programme will be
the trial trip of an aerial ship, the inven-
ton of Mr.. Charles F. Ritchel, formerly
resident Of Cory, but now residing at
Bridgeport, Conn. A Press reporter
yesterday visited Mr.. Ritchel with q
view to obtaining some particulars re-
garding the machine. The characters
tic peculiarities of inventors were con-
spicuous by their absence. Mr.. Ritchel
is apparently about 81 years of age, and
looks like well preserved specimen of
q Granger. There is nothing in his face
to indicate extraordinary genius, but on
the contrary, he seems like q man
whose inventive capacities could not be
expected to rise higher than patent
churn or an improved washboard. One
thing he certainly does possess, which
favorably impresses his visitors-an all
abiding faith in the utility of his inven-
ton, and firm belief that he has been
the means Of giving such a start to this
subject, that regular aerial lines across
the ocean will have become o possibility
at no distant day. He is by no means
boastful of the results of his exertions,
and spoke, throughout the interview,
of himself and bis work in q very
modest manner. 81 have been work
ing on this idea," said Mr.. Ritchel,
"since 1872, and have built three ma
chimes, all of which have proved sue
cessful. The machine which l propose
to submit to practical test in this city
will prove to be, ] think, the most fin
ished piece of work ever made in Amer
lea. 1t weighs 215 pounds and is oper-
ated by muscular power. Of course, it
is only the beginning, and ships on the
same principle, but constructed for
steam as motor, will be speedily COM
pleted. purpose with this machine to
sail all around the building; to go out
and in at will; to 60 from one tower to
the other, and then descending nearly
to the earth, to enter the building and
60 anywhere within in the air, at will.
The ship will go up or down, back or for
ward, will turn almost in its own length
at the will of the operator. An ascen-
sion of nearly 1000 feet has been made,
and it has proven entirely successful.
Trips have been made in Bridgeport in
presence of p. T. Barnum and his fam
lily, and that gentleman will, am sure,
vouch for the truth of my statement. 1t
was, may say, Mr.. Barnum who man
aged for the engagement here with the
directors of the Exhibition. am hav-
ing q machine rapidly completed to send
to the Paris Exhibition, but am pre-
pared to make the first grand public dis
play in Philadelphia especially as, at
the opening of the Exhibition, it will
get worldwide celebrity at once. In
June next intend to give an exhibition
at the Falls of Niagara, to sail up and
down and over the fall, to descend to the
waters edge, and in every other way to
make crucial test of the absolute safe
ty of my invention. 1t is so simple that
it can be operated by boy, and am
sure that there can be no possibility of a
failure" In answer to further questions
Mr.. Ritchel stated that he was an in
ventor by profession and was acquaint-
ed with Edison, whom he regarded as
"the greatest inventive genius the world
ever saw" He has already patented
forty-five inventions, as he has this latest,
both in this country and in Europe.
His former efforts, however, have been
mainly devoted to labor-saving aparat-
us, and the most important of
them have been a machine
boring 1850 holes at once, for brush
manufacture, and an inlaying machine,
by which the 10000 different designs
can be executed.
In answer to the reporters request
for detailed description of his inven-
ton, Mr.. Riichel declined to give any
particulars further than that it was
twenty-four feet long, and that cylin-
der made by the Goodyear Rubber Com
pany, filed with hydrogen gas, was the
elevating power. 1t is propelled by an
operator on a saddle, and is declared to
be perfectly simple in its construction
and its method Of operation. A private
trial of the machine will be made in the
presence of number of scientific gen.
tlemen early next week.