St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-31
Fair Success Of the Penning-
ton Model at the Chicago
Exposition.
1t Resembles a Thirty-Foot
Cigar Made Of Shining
Oil Silk.
The Inventor Appears to Think
the Hoodoo Has Dis
appeared.
The Newbern, Ill, Faster Alive
at the End Of Thirty
Three Days.

CHICAGO, Jan. 30.-The air ship Is
success. So at least large audience
that witnessed test this afternoon at
the Chicago exposition building were
decidedly inclined to declare. To all
appearances it was thoroughly demon
Strated that craft has at least been in
vented that permits feats of aerial navi-
cation never before accomplished. pro-
polling and steering. The ship is the
one invented by William Pennington,
of Mount Carmel, Ill. AS yet only
thirty-foot model has been constructed,
and the practicability of using alu-
minimum. which is to be the material of
which the ship itself will be built, has
still to be shown. Few of the newSpa-
per men and other natural peSsimists in
attendance had any strong expectation
that to-day's test would end otherwise
than preceding OneS-in disappointment
and statement from the inventor that
the latest "hitch" would be rectified
tomorrow" Promptly at the appoint
ed time, however. Mr.. Pennington
threw open the doors of his workroom
and, helped by two colleagues, appeared
New Style of Conveyance
had the appearance of thirty-foot long
cigar made of shining oil silk and with
wings like awnings extending all along
the sides. At the forward end is a pad
die wheel fastened in the center to
round piece of brass. There is short
rudder at the stern. Slowly the pecu-
liar craft was drawn to the middle of
the hall, where three small StOr-
age batteries of electricity were
huddled together. A tall young
electrician in heavy overcOat attached
wire from the batteries to the piece of
brass in the bow of the balloon. Mr..
Pennington stepped forward and ad-
justed the rudder, which stood out
rigldly behind. With buzzing sound
like swarm of bees, the ship rose
slowly into the air and moved around
in circle, probably fifty feet in diam
eter AT no time during this first trial
was the ship more than ten feet from
the ground. The vessel was connected
with the earth by light string held by
two men, who, however, let the line run
out slack. When the first course had
been pursued TO the satisfaction of ev-
cry one the current was turned Off and
the ship gradually brought back to the
floor. Then another arrangement of
tn erudder was made, and the model re-
assembled in the air, taking all upward
spiral course this time.
The hoodoo seems to have dlsap-
peared," exclaimed Inventor Penning-
ton, as the vessel circled about his head.
He was right, too. There, twenty or
ton building,
The Ship Moved About,
the fans revolving slowly to be sure,
because of a weak electric current
that difficulty was not Surmounted-th
rudder set almost at right angles to the
body of the model in order to gain the
circular motion. and no one was so
grudging as to deny that in the working
OF the tiny vessel, experimental science
had been given big lift-had made
great stride. The car for passengers
was not attached. A Kissing sound de-
noted that the current was growing
weaker, ana after twenty minutes
trip the vessel was hauled down and
stored away. Commencing tomorrow,
the car will be attached, CIV
ing more symmetry, while adj
ding about forty pounds to its
weight. Inventor Pennington says it
will not travel very fast because of the
danger of striking the balconies or pro-
jectiOnS of the building. In test made
by the inventor earlier in the day, he
says he got fair speed out of it, making
the propeller blades revove about $50
times minute, forcing the ship through
| the air much faster than a man could
walk. Applying this power in proper
proportion to a bigger vessel there
would appear to be change, and prob
| ably in favor of navigating the air at the
rapid rate which, it is claimed, can be
| done by this form of vessel.