Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-18
HAS HE THE WINGS OF A DOVE?
A Scotchman's Flying Machine Hovers
Over COney Island.

From the New York Press.
A few weeks ago an adgenturous aeronaut
succeeded in flying couple of miles in the
suburbs Of New York, with the aid of a huge
machine that had wings. and that seemed to
use them with considerable success. For
something like generation the inventor of
this flying machine had been at work upon it.
and had been laughed at because of it as
heartily as ever the irrepressible Kelly, of
motor fame, was laughed at. But he was q
Scotchman, who possesses true Scotch tenacity.
He stuck to his idea and finally had the salts
faction OF seeing its great wings beat the air
over Coney Island and carry it considerable
distance before 1t was thought well to let it
rest.
As result Of this there has been organized
a accompany with a capital Of $1,000, 900, the OBJ
lect OF which is to educate the public in the
will be necessary.
This practical exhibition of faith in the
future OF the flying business might well arouse
discussion, and it has done 80.
Even the august Academy of Sciences, which
once every week discusses subjects that most
people know nothing about and whose mem
bers know pretty much everything that mortal
man ought to know, is taking some cognizance
OF the affair at issue, and in a quiet way are
discussing the question as to whether or not
mdu Will De dDle 10 ny. Many OF the learned
professors insist that man has. by aid of
machinery, been able to propel himself through
the water, there is no reason why he should
not conquer the air in the same manner. But
many more of the professors shake their heads
In solemn negation. Still
THE SCOTCH INVENTORS SUCCESS
has created an impression. His flying machine
is cigarishaped, some 60 feet in length and AZ
feet in diameter. Its wings work exactly like
those of abird, by the aid of propeller worked
by electricity, and the passenger is carried just
as the eagle carries its prey. 1t is peculiar
affair, but has been more successful than any,
thing OF its kind and hence the arguments
among the scientific professors. Most of these
OF believe that man will be able to fly by means
mechanism only when that mechanism is made
after that of bird. One of these learned men
discussing the matter the other day expressed
this opinion. He said that from the earliest
time the dominant wish of man had been to fly
after the manner and method of the bird. Most
models OF the air-ships that have been at
tempted have been after the bird of flight; and
particularly OF the sea-bird, whose ability for
continual flight, owing to its power of tighten
ing its body, is we'll known. 'Should man ever
fly successfully" said the learned man, The will
have to do it by means of mechanism modelled
after the elastic and muscular
FORM OF THE SEA Bird"
In general way this seems to be the opinion
OF scientific men, though few will say just what
their opinions are. But these opinions of the
learned are humiliating enough in their way.
for they show that we are but little ahead of
the ancients after all, despite the general opin-
ion that we have distanced them. The author
tiles tell US that the flying machine is of pre-
historic origin. We are told also that some 400
years B. c. wooden pigeon was made to fly
with considerable success. AS this exploit was
accomplished more than 2,100 years before the
Montgolfer brothers started their balloon on
its flying trip, and more than 1900 years be-
fore the trial of our Scotch inventors machine:
once of the opinion on the part of experts that
we must initiate the bird if we would fly, we
have not much to boast Of
Just what will come of the discussion at the
Academy of Sciences remains to be seen.
Nothing at all may come of it in the end ex-
cept good deal of theorizing. But in the
meantime the doughty Scotchman is terribly
in earnest. He has worked nearly all his life
on his invention, and now, backed as he is by
a capitalized company, he thinks he sees sue
cess ahead He is confident that the time when
men will float through the air like bird is ap-
preaching