The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-11

Ihe Invention of New York Wig Maker
An Air-Ship in the Form of a Serpent.

The Invention of a New York wig Makers
An Air-ship in the Form of a Serpent.
New York Special.
A long, sinLous object, looking for the world
like the tabled serpent lay souirInine over
the lawn back of General Whippe's house on
Governors island, yesterday afternoon The
thing stretched away across the field for nearly
block, until there was quite perspective of the
writing folds. 1t was new kind of balloon.
y little knot of officers gathered about one end
of 1T, and few ladies came down to take peep
at the strange object Some of the more ven-
turesome walked clear out to the extreme length
of the balloon, Two barrels at the mouth were
pumping hydrogen gas into the folds which
were generally swelling out in spots like
boa constructor after a hearty meal.
All the afternoon the pumping
process was kept up, but the monster filled very
slowly, and the sharp grass seemed to have
punctured its delicate skin in places The ma
terlal is gold beater's skim" and is Almost as
thin as the film of a soap bubble. n Helmer.
the inventor, who used to own theatrical wig.
makers shon under the Star Theater, danced
about ter ycaressing his pet and praying
that it nj rove successful For seven years
he has w at the idea of aerial navigation.
and nine tbs ago he gave up his shop to de-
vote hlmA>.lt to the new idea
From every few inches along the entire length
of the balloon strings down to a common
CENTER and here was attached little bundle of
cleck- work with propeller screw attached By
means Of this the inventor claims that he could
steer the balloon against the wind or in any de-
sired direction. The rudder consisted of an
arrow-shaped piece of canvas.
I'm tell YOU said Mr. Hemer to Colonel Ben
Jamln and Captain Ward, standing by, I'VE arc
making history today Aerial navigation is
bound to come, and if / fail it will be one step
nearer success. look into the near future and
see alrshlps sailing against the wind at the rate
of three hundred miles an hour, landing where
they wish. My practical idea is to have car
with four or five balloons attached for different
purposes. One can hold illuminating gas to
light the car and help lift, and the other two or
three can be used as safety balloons in case the
first collapses"
The 1G2 feet of airship filled with exasperating
slowness, and somebody in the little group sug
gested that the gas was leaking through the thin
material as fast as it was pumped in. The in
ventor seemed to take this greatly to heart and
walked up and down the length of the
balloon, fondly caressing the bellying sur
face that was tugging to. get away. Il will
guard 1t with my life,' said he Nothing must
harm it or l am undone. | have given up my
OF my life to this and it must succeed" Suddenly
his mood took gayer turn and starting towards
the little group Of spectators, he said: Well,
boys. you have waited about long time for
little fun; it will be too bad to disappoint you.
Here goes for fun and with knife he slashed
away at one end of the structure that he had
given seepless nights and months Of monoton-
Gus work to perfect. With a joyous bound the
straight in the air. For moment it stood on
its head for very joy at it's freedom. The sun
playing upon the Transparent red scales in pris-
matte colors gave it the appearance of waver-
ing, half intoxicated rainbow But only for one
moment; then q breath of air stretched
it straight in horizontal line above
the trees, the little white sails at
the head winking farewell in the setting sun
shine, then with swish of the tail it settled
down to work and passed over General Han
cocks house, and made straight for the Brook
Ign bridge. AS the monster sailed across a
corner of Battery Park with a snaky motion q
great crowd below shouted, "a sea serpent
sea serpent" On toward the Brooklyn bridge
the balloon wormed its way, tho white head
rising and falling, and the body and tail follow
ing in wavy lines. Across the corner of the New
York tower il went rising higher and higher.
The promenade was crowded with passengers
going home from work and a great shout
greeted the monster as it tapped its tail over
head, and this is how the balloon struck them,
according to Officer Hill of the central span.
Il was walking my beat" said he, when,
looking out to sea. saw strange creature lift
her head out of the waters of the bay. Quick
as a wink, the body followed the head out Of the
sea, and before could rap for help the tail fol-
lowed the body She" he persisted in calling it
she" twas red and blue all over, with white
head. AS soon as she came up she seemed to be
looking for me. One moment she looked about
her to get her bearings, | suppose, then, with a
flap OF the wing and snap Of the tail, she bore
down toward the bridge could see the scales
al over her in the sunlight, and the water
seemed to be dripping from her body as she
squirmed along like an express train Some
people on the bridge say that she was making a
gruntlng noise, but l can't say for certain that
heard that. | guess most of us knew she was a
sea serpent the minute we set eyes on her."
The last seen of the balloon was at $50 o'clock.
1t was making for the Connecticut woods as if it
were in q great hurry to keep an engagement,
and was an hour late in starting.
c1,o1o no, ~ hoo
discouraged and cut the thing to pieces because
he had already spent on it all the money he
could possibly scrape together. Some day he
will try again. He intends going back to work,
perhaps in the same store where he was once
proprietor. The man who finds the balloon may
keepit.