Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-08-24
AwEsT WRelNlAN ON The WING.
A Flying Machine Nearly Perfected for
Navigation.

Navigation.
CUMBERLAND, MD, August 23.-While
out yesterday morning on the kuoby
Mountains of West Virginia, only a few
miles from this city, your correspondent
came across plain German farmer, who,
with his son, had Just started towards their
home, some two aud half miles from
where they had been working The writer
was invited to the Teuton's residence, and
gladly accompanied him. His name is
Frederick Bahr, and he is the inventor of q
flying machine which may make his name
famous. He said that the only thing that
had prevented him from completing his in
vention was the lack of capital
About tour years ago Bahr built a rail-
road about half a mile long to enable visi-
tors 10 get to his house. situated on the top
Of Wills Mountain, overlooking the city Of
cumberland and commanding a grand
view. Upon this mountain, named after
Wills, the Indian chief, and very near the
famous Narrows through which i've or six
railroads pass, have lived Frederick Bshr
and his family for period OF eleven years.
When the railroad was completed he was
able to bring on a small car from twelve to
fifteen persons each trip. The motive power
at FIRST consisted Of one or two horses, and
the distance being nearly nine hundred feet
travel up and down the mountain, the
transit was slow.
Finding the horsepower would not work
very satisfactory, he used steam, bat that
proved failure, on account of scarcity Of
water IL was at this time that he invented
his flying machine, which he thought would
enable b N to attract visitors to his noun
tain home, viii be fitted up as a summer
resort. He succeeded in in1iug out a mode
of propeliDg himself at will
Through the AIR
by means Of artificial wings, made OF can
vas, wood and iron He thought it good
idea to fiji the balloon with gas and carry
his visitors up and down the mountain. HIS
sreat irouble was an inability to msnufac-
ture enough pure hydrogen to initiate the
balloon, which will have capacity Of 8 900
cubic feet, 300 yards Of muslin being used
in its manufacture. In other words, his
only trouble was want o. ready cash to fur.
nish the proper kind of gas.
he is low constructing q new bIlloon,
which will De sir-tight and ready to initiate
in about ten DAYS. The balloon is in the
shape of cigar, with wings like bird, and
capable of carrying him in any direction he
pleases. The seronaut will be suspended IN.
der the centre of the balloon, which will sal
through the air horizontally. The gas will
simply balance the occupant of the seat, the
wings being the propelGng power to move
him up or down or in any direction. He
wants to have the balloon tight enough TO
prevent any gas from escaping and intends
TO keep it filed all the time for immediate
use. When the seronsut wants to come
down be reverses the power Of the wings.
This will make harder work in descending
than in going up. his idea being not to let
any gas escape either way, unless in case OF
accident to the machinery, when he can al
low the gas 10 escape throughs simple valve
in the top OF the balloon.
The Inventor
Of this wonderful machine was born No
| yember 20. 1886 in the Dukedom of Ba-
| den, in Germany, and came to this country
when he was II years Of age. he is rather
small in stature and weighs only one hun
dred and forty pounds He has been living
in this locality about fourteen years and
was we'll known as an industrious farmer
until he invented this machine, when he
gave up every other kind of work, and de-
voted sll his rime to his invention. He is
the father of eight children, four daughters
and four sons, several of whom are
grown he was married in Ssu-
dusky, Ohio, in 1889 and his wife,
Ike himself, seems very confident Of his
success. She. seems perfectly willing to let
him make the FIRST ascension alone, however,
sud hopes this flying machine will bring
him and his family fame and fortune
Being troubled with grea: many vis;-
tors at his house since be has been building
his new balloon he determined to take 1t to
3 private place in the Kno5ly Mountains,
where your correspondent found him to-day,
and where the balloon viii probably remain
until he obtains q patent Tor it After he
obtains q patent be viii visit Pittsburg aud
other places throughout the coun,ry, and
sk...z. q L., na,-al ,rva,R,ar