The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-04
1t Does What Its Inventor
Claims For 1t.
Steering and Propelling With
Perfect Ease.
The Unbelievers Forced to
COncede Their Defeat.
Opening of New Era I'm Matters OF
Transportation.

CHICAGO, Jan. 3O.-The air ship is sue
cess.
So, at least, a large audience that
witnessed test this afternoon at the
Chicago exposition building were decided
ly inclined to declare.
To all appearances it was thoroughly
demonstrated that craft has at least been
invented that permits feats of aerial navi-
cation never before accomplished--pro-
pelling and steering.
The ship is the one invented BY Will
lam Pennington Of Mt Carmel, Ill. AS
yet only thirty-foot model has been
constructed and the practicability OF using
aluminium, which is to be the material of
which the ship itself will be built, has
still to be shown.
Few Of the newspaper men and other
natural pessimists in attendance had any
strong expectation that todays test would
end otherwise than as preceding ones had
done-In disappointment, and statement
from the inventor that the latest Glitch"
would be rectified tomorrow" Promptly
at the appointed time, however, Mr..
Pennington threw open the doors of
his workroom and, helped by two col
leagues, appeared with the air ship in
tow. The new style conveyance had the
appearance OF thirty-foot long cigar made
of shining oil and with wings like awnings
extending along the sides. At the for
ward end is a paddle wheel fastened in
the center TO a round piece Of brass. There
is short rudder at the steer.
Slowly the peculiar craft was drawn to
the middle of the hall, where three small
storage batteries of electricity were hud-
died together. A tall young electrician in
a heavy overcost attached wire from the
batteries TO the piece OF brass in the bow Of
the balloon. Mr.. Pennington stepped for
ward and adjusted the rudder, which stood
out rigidly behind.
With buzzing sound like aswafIi Of
bees, the ship rose slowly into the air and
moved around in a circle, probably fifty
feet in diameter. At no time during this
first trial was the ship more than ten feet
from the ground. The vessel was con-
nected with the earth by a 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
every one the current was turned OFF and
the ship was gradually brought to the
floor
Then another arrangement of the rud-
der was made and the model reascended
in the air, taking an upward spiral course
this time. The hoodoo seems to have
disappeared" exclaimed Inventor PEN
nington as the vessel circled about. He
was right too. There, twenty or thirty
feet above the floor Of the exposition
building, the ship moved about.
the fans revolving slowly, to
be sure, because of a weak electric
current, which difficulty was not sur
mounted-the 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 20 deny that in the
working of the tiny vessel experimental
science had been gwen big lift-had
made 4 great stride. The car for pas
eengers was not attached
A Kissing sound denoted that the cur
rent was growing weaker, and, after a
twenty-minutes trip, the vessel was hauled
down and stored away.
Commencing tomorrow the car will be
attached, giving more symmetry, while
adding about forty pounds to its weight.
Inventor Pennington says il will not
travel very fast because OF the danger of
striking the balconies or projections of
the building. In a test made by the
inventor earlier in the day, be
says he got fair speed out of it,
making the propeller blades re-
volve about two hundred and fifty times
q minute, forcing the ship through the air
much faster than a man could walk. APP
plying this power in proper proportion to
a bigger vessel, there would appear to be
every chance and probability in favor Of
navigating the air at the rapid rate which
it is claimed can be done by this form of
vessel.