The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-12
A NEW AIR SHIP.
An Inventive Man Produces Balloon with
Which He Hopes to Cross the Atlantic.

A NEW AIR SHIP.
An Inventive Man Produces Balloon with
Which He Hopes to Cross the Atlantic
Philadelphia Record
After spending thirty years in studying and
experimenting with balloons, Charles p Fest, a
resident of Germantown, has at last so he be-
heves, succeeded in perfecting ship which he
claims can be steered at will through the air.
Mr. Fest lives in neat little cottage on Stem
ton avenue, below Wyoming street He is of
German origin, a jeweler by trade, and, be-
sides having an inventive mind also pos
sesslYe determination as is illustrated by the
fact that his aerial experiments have
desire to cross the ocean in an air ship, as he
thinks that such feat would make him famous
for all time to come He has been granted nine
different patents by the United States Patent
Office for as many air ships, but all previous
efforts have failed him in his purpose to go sail
ing through the air. His present air ship was
patented on March 18 last. A model has just
been completed at an expense of 5000, seven
months of labor having been expended on it.
He had intended trying it on Friday morning,
but the demonstration was unavoidably post
poned on account of his wife meeting with an
accident by fall. This so upset matters that
the model was packed away and the inventor
was obliged to turn his attention to his suffering
companion.
The model is made of strong MANILA paper
inclosed in patent net of stout Irvine. The
body is cylindrical in shape with cone shaped
ends. Hot air alone will comprise the motive
power The ship is thirty feet long, nine
feet in diameter, and weighs twenty four
pounds. Beneath the bag is a small reservoir
containing OIL which is supplied by little rub
Der tubes to two lamps at either end of the bag
The lamps furnish the hot air, and the size of the
flame and flow of oil can be regulated at pleasure.
The car will hang directly under the bag. The
ship is provided with six valves being arranged
one at each end and two on each side. The
valves may be opened and closed at will by
cords from the car The ship is designed to be
steered by the opening and closing of the
valves. The highly heated air in the interior
of the bag will escape with much more force
through the open pipes to the outside and, in
striking the cold atmosphere, will veer the ship
around in the right direction, so Mr. Fest de-
clares. He says that it is impossible for any
air ship to sail against the wind, but he proposes
to override this trouble by ascending and de-
scending in slanting directions, in about the
same manner as boat sails against the wind by
lacking from one point to another In order to
descend the valves need only be opened and the
flames of the lamp lowered The escape of the
hot air will permit the ship to sink of its own
weight In ascending, the valves will be closed
and the lamps made to burn higher, thus Great
ing quick supply of hot air. In and about the
lamps the bag is covered with asbetos and sill
icate of soda to prevent it taking fire.
After this experimental ship has been thor
oughly tested, Mr.. Fest intends to construct a
ship, 80 feet long and forty feet in diameter,
which, with the car and all other appliances,
will not weigh more than $50 pounds. Mr. Fest
estimates that it viii carry |, $50 pounds, as it
will be provided with $3.50 cubic feet of hot air
space 1t is in this ship that he expects to cross
the Atlantic ocean. He believes that he can at
tain speed of from 100 to 120 miles an hour.
In the big ship provision will be made for car
rying fifty gallons of oil, which will last nearly
tn ee days.
Mr.. Fest has constructed over 200 balloons in
an effort to devise scheme which would permit
them to be steered through the air. For long
time he tried gas for initiating purposes, but SO
many of them were destroyed by explosions that
he abandoned gas and turned his attention to
electricity. This not proving satisfactory he
conceived the idea Of burning oil while in the
air, as it could always be depended upon for q
fresh supply of hot air. 1t also obviates the ne
cessity Of carrying ballast, and thus makes the
ship SO light that it can be more readily guided
through space A rudder Mr.. Fest considers
useless for purposes of steering He says the
power to steer must come from inside and not
from the outside. The big ship win be covered
all over with asbestos and silicate of soda as &
prevention against fire.