Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-12-18
WILL BUILD AIR SHIPS.
PREPARING TO NAVIGATE THE
UPPER REGIONS.

II. N. Atwood, OF Chicago, Claims 20 Pc
Able to Build Ship that Will Ge-Ap-
piication Made for Letters Patent on
Twenty-Five Separate Devices-A Conn
pany Incorporated to Garry Out the In
ventor's Ideas-Description or the Prin-
ciples OF the ProDectod Machine.
TChicago dispatch.
Il. N. Atwood, a graduate Of the Bos-
ton School of Technology, and formerly
marine engineer, has been diligently
struggling with the problems of aerial
navigation for the last twenty years, and
has just made application for letters
patent to protect no less than twenty
two separate devices he has completed.
The inventor was visited by reporter
at his Office, room 513 Rialto Building.
He talked freely of his experiments.
"Any one can build an air-ship," said
Mr.. Atwood, shut the problem is to make
it navigate the air. We may attach a
gas bag to freight-car and call tho
combination an air-ship. Two import
ant and elementary principles are to be
observed in making vessel that is to
navigate the air successful
"Every one knows tina cubic
feet of gas will lift so mi R weight.
Gas enough may be carr 6h any air
ship to lift the vessel Nnd its cargo.
The other important point, then, is to
propel the vessel after it is elevated"
Mr. Atwood has devised a wind-wheel
or fan to be driven by steam or electric
power, by which he claims to be able to
drive an immense air-ship at q high rate
of speed.
A company has been Incorporated in
this city, known as the Chicago Air Ship
Company. by G. O. Shields, w. B.
Bogeoh, f. N. Atwood, and II. Haupt,
Jr. The capital stock is 5000, 900, of
which $160, 900 has been placed. AS soon
as the remainder OF the stock is placed
the company will organize under the
State law, and work on the proposed
air-shlp will be commenced.
The first vessel to be built will BE- 27O
feet long, 4s feet high and 40 feet wide.
1t will have two lifting wheels and two
driving wheels, each ten feet in dame
ter. These are to be driven by steam or
electric power, and from numerous ex-
periments and tests that have been made
both in this country and in Europe it is
known to certainty that these wheels
can be made to lift several thousand
pounds each when revolved at high
rate of speed.
There is to be large gas dome with
two auxiliary domes inside. Underneath
this there is to be cabin or house about
100 feet long and 20 feet wide. This is
to be well lighted, heated and comforta-
bly, furnished. Underneath the house
the engine will be placed, so that its
weight will serve as ballast for the
vessel.
One of the devices which it is designed
to use is that Of the kite. The air-ship
will be built with large aroplanes or
wings aggregating at least 1000 square
feet of scaling surface. The belief is
based on scientific experiments that the
vessel may be lifted by its engine and
air-wheels to height Of, say, 1000 feet;
that both the lifting and driving power
may then be shut off-as railway en-
gineer shuts off his steam on a down.
grade-and the bow of the vessel slightly
depressed, when the weight of the yes
sci will drive it in whatever direction
headed, even against strong wind, at
terrific rate of speed.
The curvature Of the earth's surface
is such that the vessel, starting at such
a height as that mentioned, would scale
fifty to 100 miles before it would again
touch the earth. When the vessel ap-
proaches within 500 feet of the earth the
bow may be again elevated and the driv-
ing-wheels set in motion, and It will rise
rapidly on the same kite or scaling prin-
ciple, the momentum acquired by the
downward run aiding the engine in the
matter of mail tanning the great speed
already acquired.
Another principle TO be utilized is that
of the parachute. In case of an acci-
dent to the machinery or gas reservoirs,
the vessel could not fall rapidly to the
earth. The same aropla1es already
mentioned, together with long wide
wings, which hang from the sides near
the top of the vessel, and which would
then be thrown out by any downward
motion, would give such vast air sur
face that the vessel would settle down
as slowly and as safely as the man who
descends with his parachute.
Mr.. Atwood has devised a plan for
supporting the vessel on land that is
new In aeronLutiCs. A monster pivot,
framed into the bottom of the hull of the
air-ship, to which is attached an air
cushion, supports the main weight of the
vessel. Six other posts or pivots are set
into the hull at different points, to the
bottom OF which are attached wheels or
casters.
These are set on adjustable springs,
so that they will adjust themselves to
any Irregularities in the shape Of the
ground. The main pivot being ahead Of
the vessel, and rudder set at the stern,
the air-ship becomes great weather
vane, and no matter how hard the wind
may blow or how rapidly IL may change
its direction, the bow of the vessel will
turn just as rapidly and will always head
directly into the wind.