Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-19
NO. l44.
Miscellaneons.
A SUCCESSFUL FLYING MACHINE AT
LAST.

The first open-air exhibition of Prof. &.
+. RitchelTs flying machine was conduc-
ted AT Hartford. Conn, on Wednesday af-
ternoon last. 1t went up TO the height of
fully two hundred and fifty feet, past the
spire OF the Colt Memorial Church, and
sailed of until over the Connecticut river,
the operator meanwhile exhibiting his
power TO change its altitude and direction
at will. When he ascended there was but
little wind blowing, and the machine ap-
peared to be under perfect control; but
gradually breeze sprang up, and it was
deemed safest to make speedy return, as
| there were indications in the sky of a gath
ering storm. The machine turned and
| made its way back in the teeth of the wind
until directly over the ball ground whence
| it had ascended, and then alighted within
| a few feet OF the point from which it had
| started
From this demonstration of its capacity
| it was generally conceived that it could do
| much more than its modest inventor
claimed tor it. He never expected 1t to
| move against II wind of any strength, and
| has not had the attainment of that end in
view in its construction, as may readily be
| seen by glance at its proportions, bat he
does claim that it can be raised or lowered
| at will to leave adverse currents and enter
| favorable ones; that il can be made TO
tack so as to effect a little headway even
against breeze, and that in a still atmos-
phere it can be moved about as readily
and as perfectly at the will of the opera
tor as boat upon quiet water. All that,
| and even little more, there is abundant
| evidence OF its having done on Wednes-
day.
Ine inventor, Mr. Rtchell, is a Maine
| man, but has, during several years past,
| lived at Cory, Pa. The project OF con-
structing flying machine has been fav-
| orite subject for contemplation with him
during nearly ten years past, .and for the
last seven OF that time he and his friend,
Mr. W. III. Lyman of Cory, Pa, have
| incubated his idea together. In Novem-
der, 1876. they went to Bridgeport. Conn,
| to put their plans into execution, as they
believed they could there obtain most
| readily Just the peculiar materials they
required, and have them put together in
the most perfect manner Their conf
dence in Yankee resources and skill was
not misplaced, but their crude ideas were
not Immediately crystalized into a perfect
machine, nevertheless.
In the first apparatus which they con-
structed. some parts were too heavy, 9TH
ers too large, and there was an Ineffective
application of power Then second one
was built, that now upon exhibition, and
| though it cannot be said to be so far per-
tected as to be capable OF application to
practical service, such as serving a mail
route, or even as popular vehicle for
travel, it is still of vely great Importance
as proving the correctness OF theories
upon which ii was based.
| A second exhibition was given Thurs
day afternoon. At the word Go" Quin-
Ian began turning the wheel, the horizon
tai fan revolved with noise like buzz
saw, and the machine darted up almost
vertically to a height of about two hun
dred feet. There, strong, steady cur
rent of wind setting toward the southwest
was encountered, and the machine was
swept away by it, broadside TO the spec
| tators. Then the operator was seen
| throwing his vertical fan into gear, and
| by its AID the aerial ship turned around,
| pointing its head 10 whatever direction he
chose to give it. All this was but the
work OF few seconds. Although Qun-
| Ian could move the apparatus about, he
| could not make any. headway against the
strong wind.
| Reversing the motion of his horizontal
fan, he descended apparently about one
hundred feet, to get out OF the current,
| but, finding that impracticaele, reascend-
to much greater height than he had first
| reached. Still he was swept off toward
| New Haven, and alter a little time went
out of sight He had vanished behind a
distant hill, and for while ii was SUD-
posed he had alighted. Then he was
again sighted, far away and not less than
one thousand feet above the earth. The
cylinder OF the machine looked no larger
than an orange. At length he disap-
peared altogether.
At IA o'clock, having been up bat
ting with the wind very nearly an hour,
he descended safely at Newington, and at
10 O'clock was back in Hartford. He
| said that one time he was eight or ten
miles away from his starting point, but, by
tacking and working between the gusts
of wind, won his way back as far as New
ington, only five miles from Hartford.
| lie says that the working of the machine
is SO easy that he can continue it four con-
secutive hours. without fatigue, in quiet
atmosphere.