Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-29
The Coming Air-Ship.


The fate OF the air voyager. Prof. Hog
an, is not to be classed with that of the
senseless person who jumped into eter-
nifty from a lofty bridge, or the other
senseless person who rode through the
Niagara whirlpool in barrel. Aerial
navigation has been the dream of the
thoughtful for half century. A gene
alton has passed since the Poet Laur-
cate
Saw the heavens filled with commerce,
argosies of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping
down with costly bales.
Heard the Heavens filled with shouting,
till there rained CHASTITY dew.
From the nations airy nav;es grapoling
in the central blue"
Though the dream is yet a dream,
though the object of so much endeavor
has not get been attained, still for years
past the true question has been, not
whether air voyages were possible, but
whether the means had been devised for
making them with economy, certainty
and safety. For the great progress already
attained the world owes moch to those
who have tested hundreds of appliances,
p ade thousands of journeys through the
scientific accuracy their experiences and
circumstances. A few have sacrificed
their lives in these voyages of discovery,
and 10 them also the world owes its trib-
ute.
For the object is well worth all the
effort and genius which have been &C.
voted to it. Aerial navigation would
create a new world, as truly as steam
Iox,
a new world within the last century. If
the air can be traversed at all with GER
tsinty and safety, much higher rates of
speed are to be expected than have been
attained on land or water, though per-
haps not with bulky or heavy loads. For
the movement of passengers with the
greatest possible COMFORT and enjoy
ment, and for the swift transportation of
letters and packages of small size, the
ai2 path will be preferable TO any other.
The oceans and lakes will cease to
divide nations, even as little as they do
now, for with ordinary fortune a voyage
across the Atlantic might be made in two
days as easily as 1t is now in six, and
probably with far less chances of disaster,
if the problem was once solved at all.
Given the power to travel through the
storm or drop below an opposing cur
rent of air, and to pursue the journey at
higher or lower attitudes as the comfort
of passengers may prompt, and the
whole world would be revolutionized.
Many of the great inventions of late
years seem to place mankind even nearer
the desired success in navigation of the
air. The electric motor supplies power
in many respects better adapted to the
purpose than any other; in fact, as long
as the problem was how to support pas
sengers and a steam engine of sufficient
power to give speed, with the necessary
fuel, it seemed well nigh insoluble. The
discovery of sluminum, and OF economi-
cal processes for It's production from
common clay, is another step toward sue
cess, the combined lightness and strength
of that metal rendering it peculiarly
adapted to the purpose. When it can be
produced oheaply, and fashioned into
desired forms, the air-ship of the future
will not be far away. But it may prove
that the world need not wait for further
developments. Inventions and ingenious
constructions already in existence seem
TO approach SO near the desired result
that no one will be much surprised if,
almost any day, ''the pilots of the pur-
pie twilight" should begin to traverse the