Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-18


'sBut in the air, will not adverse cur
rents of wind call for great deal of
power to overcome t he resistance which
they offer?"
Undoubtedly, if they must be resisted,
which can be done; but a knowlede of the
laws of air currents, and that they are
located in way, will enable the air navi-
gator under Mr.. Leeber's system to sur
mount rather than oppose, them if they
are not propitious. 1t is known that
storms and high winds are located near
the surface of the earth. This being the
case, all that the air vessel will have
to do is to ascend above the storm, and
pursue its way in a comparatively still
atmosphere, or with a favOring current."
Thus interested and instructed the
writer made his way to the address given
him, and found Mr.. Loeber at his work
shop on Albany street, whom he found te
be good-sized, well-built, pleasant-faced
gentleman of about 80 years of age.
From him was learned some facts con-
corning his personal history. He is a
native of Germany, which country he left
in 1848, when quite young, and came to
the United States. Here after time he
began the study of law, and in due course
of time admitted to the bar in New York
State, where he practiced as a lawyer for
number of years. He became interest
ed in mines on the Pacific coast, and
moved to California several years ago.
He first became interested in air naviga-
ton through an acquaintance with Mr..
Marriott, of the San Francisco News Letter,
and who was always on the eve of making
a success of his flying machine, but never
quite succeeded. This was in 1870; but
of toIy
than a friendly interest in what Mr.. Mar
lot was doing. AFTER a time he felt
enough interest in the subject to study
its history, and examine the principle on
which all the efforts at
NAVIGATING THE AIR
were based, here he saw that particularly
no advance had been made on the origin
al Methods huge gas bag that would
go upward, and was then at the mercy
OF every current Of wind that blowed, and
was tossed about like ship at sea with
all calls set and rudder to guide her.
He then asked himself if there was not
some properties of the air to sustain him
in the air, and after number of expert
ments he has become convinced that he
has discovered law of motion that will
make it as easy and as feasible to navi-
ocean, with this difference, that, while
navigating the sea is slow at best, air
navigation can be made much more rapid.
The work will be one simply of power to
incite the latent mechanical properties of
the air-and not of extreme power either.
This emphasized, because of the prevalent
notion that the atmosphere was a COM
paratively unsubstantial thing, and that
gravitation was supposed to be almost
reslstless in its opportion on bodies sus-
pended in it, unless great power were ex-
erted to oppose this force.
Eight years ago he started with view
to complete his experiments and con-
structed his air ship, hoping to accom-
plish his work in about two years. But
he has met with the usual amount of I'M
expected delays and mechanical prob
lens, the solution of which has required
time and money to overcome, and still
his machine is not constructed. So far
| he has accomplished some wonderful de-
vices and inventions, only limited num-
Der of which he has shown to the writer,
and these only on the understanding that
they were not to be described. One of
these is a form of piston which, if patent
ed, ought of itself to yield the inventor
fortune; but as he will not patent any of
general use. 1t is of a most ingenious
and yet extremely simple construction,
but will form complete vacuum, which
will be one of the things necessary to do
IN the flying machine or air ship, as he
calls it. His machine will be of steel, in
the form of bird with outstrectched
wings to be themselves immoveable.
though the mechanism for elevation and
propulsion will be situated in them. The
part of the machine representing
THE BODY OF The BIRD
will contain the steam boilers and en-
gines, and will carry the coal or other
fuel necessary for the production of the
power required. It will also be fitted up
to accommodate passengers and to carry
freight. When asked how this vessel
would maintain its equilibrium in the
air, he replied that it could not be turned
over except it encountered a tornado, and
it would be the province of the navigator
in charge to avoid this and other forms
of air disturbance as much as possible.
AS matter of fact, the machinery was so
arranged thot if the ship were loaded
with passengers, and they should all rush
to one side, the power of fotatIon would
be in a great measure automatically
sustain the weight. Mr.. Loeber showed
the writer some experiments that had re-
ference to his system of f1otation and
propulsion; which indicated that he had
made radical departure in his methods
from all others heretofore employed for
| the purpose. Among them was one that
was as surprising as it was paradoxical,
until it was explained. A fiat piece of
metal many times the diameter of the
bore of a tube, was laid on the floor, and
the tube placed upon it vertically at the
center. Then a current of air was forced
through the tube and the tube lifted slow
ly up, when the disc of metal followed it,
adhering to the end of the tube the
stronger as the current was increased in
force. It would be useless for any one
to try the experiment without knowing
just how the tube was equipped, which is
thing that it is not permitted the writer
to describe. Now, it is on the discovery
of the property of the atmosphere, which
is illustrated in this experiment, that Mr..
Loeber bases, in a considerable part, his
| system of air navigation, for it proves