Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-01-10
FLYING MACHINES.


Hiram ;. Maxim, member Of the Aero
nautical society, writes as follows TO New
York Times: As considerable has bas,.
.zId lately through the American press "a.
gardIny NV experiments in what tba
/ newspapers call flying machines
think il would be well before / sail 10 En-.
rope 70 say exactly what am doing.
During the last 10 years a great deal AZ
I experimenting mas taken place IN Eurora
principally by the French. with the view
% obtaining some sort OF a machine which
could be controlled IN the cir aud which
would b. used for military purposes. I.ast
wear congress was called IN Paris 10 con-
slider this question that the French ara
pleased TO call the problem On every
occasion Of my visits 10 Paris the French
Z officers have SAID to me: Mr. Martin
this Is the problem, and you are the man
to do it,
! would say that ! have been studying
this question about : years, principally IN
{ the direction Of finding some powerful and
/ light motor, but airing the last two
ysers l have been mp 'OyIng myself larya-
/ j. evenings 20 working out the mathemati-
/ cal part Of the problem. have obtained
all the data IN German, French and Eng
1 ilsh. | have also examined the experi-
mental apparatus in France, but am sorry
/ to say that all the data and information
80 far 5btaIned are OF very little value
4 single letter written by Prof Richard
A. Proctor, and which wa pr1iisheu in
Boston newspaper furnished more infor-
nation than tons OF the work which has
been published In Europe. Some . wears
( ago society was formed in England styl-
ed the Aer0nautcai society Of Great
Britain. The patrons Of this society
were the duke Of Argyle and the duke Of
sunderland and the society also numbers
among the emDers many other noblemep
and engineers OF Irish repute I believe
there are different volumes in existence
which gave an account of all their proceed
ures and experiments, but during al these
years very little practical work has been
done.
would say first among the large num-
bers OF societies to which belong n Eng
land the Aeronautical society is one, and
need ! say that am the most active ll5m-
Der: Atthe present moment experiments
are being conducted by me al Baldwin's
Park, Becky, Kent, England. with q view
OF hndng out exactly what the supporting
power OF plane is when driven through
the ar at a slight angle FROM the hori-
zontal. For this purprse | constructed A
very elaborate apparatus, provided with a
great number or Instruments. and ar
ranged IN sucn manner that | can as
certain accurately the efficiency Of a screw
working IN the air, the amount of power
required 70 drive q screw, the amount Of
push developed 10y a screw, the amount OF
~, and also the power required for pro-
pelltEg planes through the air placed at
different angles as well as 10 ascertain the
friction and all other phenomena connected
with she subject / have been experi-
mentlng with motors and have succeeded
IN making them 20 that they will develop
one horse power for every six pounds. Nv
experiments show that az much as l33
pounds may be sustained in the air by the
expenditure of one horse power. OF
course n Is premature now to express any
opinions still, II am not very much mis-
taken, and If some new phenomenon
which ito not understand does not pre-
vent 1t, ! think ! stand a fair chance of
solving the problem, and ! think can as
seIt that when IN very few years some one
If not myself. somebody eisa-wiI make
2 m1ehlne winch can tee guided through
the ar, will travel with considerable
Velocity. ana will be sufficiently under
control 10 be used for military purposes.
/ baEa found In my experiments that it Is
necessary 20 have a speed of at least 30
luI.es an n0ur-that 50 miles il
still more favorable and that 100 miles
would seem To be attainable Every
thing seems to be in favor of high speed
whether succeed or not. the results of
my experiments will be- published. and as
am the only man who tried the experi-
ment> In thorough manner with delicate
anu accurate apparatus, the data which |
shall be able 10 furnish will be Of much
greater value to eXperimenters hereafter
thdn al that has ever been published be-
tore.
In order to conduct these experiments
rented a large par6--ia fact al old Manor
and erected a wooden shed of large
dlmens7ns | provided myself with every
requisite and employment two eminent
American menauIces to assist ma-H A.
House and his son Of Bridgeport. conn.
These gentlemen have already been work.
ing with nae more than year and both
seem confident Of success.
appreciate fully the preum9tien on
my own part Of the attempt Ia solve this
pEooem, considering that 40 mankind
have failed up to this time. Nevertheless.
lt Is @ fact that We DO see in nature ma
chimes which do ay. some birds weighing
nearly 80 pounds each; even common
goose can fly without any considerable ef-
fort
Its true that no one has ever taken
Mold Of the question 30 the same way and
with the same appliance. that have.
Most OF the experiments have been con-
1ued 90 mail. machines weighing only a
few ounces and having for q motor a
twisted rubber string or q spiral spring.
II an experimental has had the necessary
Intelligence and mathematical knowleIge
ne mas not bad the necessary room 70 con-
duct Ei. experiments and the results 50
far have been nil, bnt feel satisfied that
II such men as Mr.. Westinghouse Charles
Brush and Mr Edison should seriously
and earnestly attempt to solve the cues
ton they would slcced in making some
sort OF q machine that would fin. but they
would have to do as ! have done-obtain
a place where they would be plenty Of
room provide themselves with Ina very
best machaUcs and .pend about $50 900.
! would say that the two motors which I
have made, and which weigh 600 pounds,
cost their weight IN silver. while an en-