The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-04
SPEEDING THROUGH AIR
John Gerbsr's Attempt At Solving Aerial
Navigation.
II Will Be on Exhibition at the Next
WORLDS Fair-Ciever Devices in
the vessel-How II Pad
dies It's Way.

Prom the san Francisco Examiner.
The latest attempt to solve the problem
OF aerial navigation is that Of Jean Bap-
tiste Gerber, a San Francisco genius. No
attempt has beef made by Gerber IN
build his aerial ship on a large scale, and
thus prove its practicability, security and
cheapness. He has, however. in his shop
n small working model, which works in
what he declares is n most satisfactory
manner and proves that his idea is en-
tircly feasible.
Propulsion by wings is the principle on
which the machine is based. Otto
Lilicnthal of Berlin and other experts on
he subject maintain that successful
aerial navigation will only be accom-
plished by working on this line.
The vessel is shaped like a lifeboat.
The material in n small affair will be of
wood. At one end is a rudder, and at the
other n fnnnel-shapcd device intended for
catching and taking advantage of the
wind. In the center of the vessel Is an
opening something like the center-board
slot, in which rcvolvcs a great paddle
wheel.
This wheel furnishes the chief propel-
ling power. Above the center of the decks
is a great parachute-balloon, the cords of
il being affixed to the sides and deck of
the vessel. IL is made Of very fine silk
n clcvcrly divided into two parts, so
that the upper portion contains gas and
acts as n balloon, while the lower portion
is utilized as n parachute. Ca is readily
supplied To the balloon by a generator in
the vessel. The balloon-parachute APP
pendage Is used chiefly in making the
vessel descent to the earth from the upper
air, the rapidly OF decent being con-
trolled by the emission of the gas and by
by the great paddle wings. The bottom
of the boat Is hollow and concavc.
As has becn said these paddle wings
are the principle on which the new aerial
ship is made Ia do its work. There are
eight of them. four on each side of the
vessel; they are hollow shaped like a
spoon, and by a simple device may be
turned at any angle and may be pro-
PEELED by the feet or by electricity. Two
men can readily operate the eight wings.
When asked what n vessel to carry a
dozen persons would probably cost, Ger
her said III could not tell yet, as he had
been too busily engaged on developing
the principles on which the machine Is
built to Il in the cost OF the thousand
and one items that would go into the
completed structure.
AS for speed. though" he said, II eN-
pect To make New York in il in less than
five days, and after successive trials and
experiments / have no doubt hut what the
time a bc greatly lcssened; possibly II
may be done in three days"
Gerber is now bIsily engaged on some
minor improvements which will be soon
finished. As soon thereafter as possible
il is his intention Ia build n vessel on a
larger scale, and exhibit il at the worlds
air in Chicago. Thus far he has made
no attempt To conceal any of the work
ings OF his machine, doing everything a.
lac declares ''for the good OF the world
and for the honor of California"
Gerber Is well known for his many an,
varied inventions. Among them are thu
aerial railroad, "a diving apparatus, sub
marine wal boats, for harbor defense
and life boats. Some of the models al
these have been presented to French
Admiralty and have received due atten
ion. He is also the hero of the we'll
known picture that appeared in the ar
exhibition two ears ago, entitled "Ths
Lost Genius"