The Portland daily press., 1891-07-23
THE ONLY BALLOON FARM.
Interesting Things at the Home of
the Man who Is Going to Make Rain
to Order.
utica observer.l

There Is but one balloon farm In the world
and that Is at Frankfort. Carl Myers Is the
man who has the balloon farm. About half
a mile from the village Of Frankfort, and ten
miles from Utica this unique institution is
found. The farm consists Of only five acres,
but 1t is busy place. Prof. Myers calls his
balloon mandatory farm because the
same conditions Of weather are necessary for
balloon making as for farming. Good hay
weather Is good balloon weather.
In ravlne back Of the house the principal
part Of the work is carried on. Here the
cloth used in the manufacture OF the balloon
is vanished and hung on lines to dry.
When 1t has teen vanished eight or ten
times II Is taken to the house, cut into strips
and ewed together into the balloons. The
seems must be revarnished by hand. when
the cloth Is put together, and then the air
ship is ready to receive the netting and the
basket, to fit 1t for air navigation. The ma
chlnery, as we'll as the materials used, are
almost entirely Of Prof. Myers's invention.
The cloth Is simply cotton cloth of partlcu-
larly light and strong quality. covered with
varnish Of peculiar manufacture, put on
with machinery OF his own Invention. The
fhEulSu mdcuiu6 Is series Oh TOIleTS anu
scrapers, through which the cloth passes
after first passing through reservoir con-
.aining the varnish. When it leaves the ma
chine. there is thin, but very uniform, coat
OF yarnish on each side Of the cloth, which
dries In about six hours, when the process Is
repeated until the cloth has sufficient var
nish to make 1t thoroughly imperyious. Prof.
Myers has accomplished what has never
been done before, and that Is produced ma
terial which Is imperyious to hydrogen gas.
xuiI frnt "a fsaIf oh q
the densest metal or the most perfect glass,
but when In Prof. Myers's balloon IL will re-
main as long as necessary for ordinary uses.
Great care must be taken in handling the
cloth during the manufacture, as rain must
not be allowed to fall upon 1t, nor the wind
IS dfied ii siiei2oseG la1ie, miSn caii te
mace more secure from the wind by spread
ing canvas fence around 1t. When 1t rains
the cloth must be carried to the house and
hung on lines, for II Ii were left In contact
lt would take fire by spontaneous combus-
tion.
The house in which Prof Myers lives with
his wife and daughter Bessie is handsome
10000. IL is filed from cellar to roof with
balloons, or with material or books suggest
Ing balloons. He has a large library filled
with books or aeronautics and all kindred
subjects, and his success In balloon manu-
facture Is due to deep study and intelligent
application OF principles.
The rain-producing bombs which the
United States Government are experiment.
ing with are made by Prof. Myers. They
could be made at no other place In the
country. Gen. Dyrenforth Is the special off,
Ger In charge Of the experiments, and he was
found by an Observer reporter at the balloon
farm. He was making the final arrange
mems with Prof. Myers for a trip TO
northern Texas, where extensive expert
ments will be made to see IL rain cannot be
produced by explosions In the air. One
hundred balloons. each ten feet In diameter,
this purpose. This is the arid region Of the
United States, and II rain can be produced
artificlally upon this land 1t will be of great
benefit to the farmers In southern Kansas
and Texas, as well as South Dakota and 9TH
er portions of the country.
In few words, the plan Is to initiate bal
loon with one part OF oxygen gas and two
parts OF hydrogen gas. A small ordinary
cartridge, connected with two wires, Is
placed In the balloon, and the whole Is sent
up. When the balloon Is sufficiently high
the cartridge Is exploded by means Of elect
ricity sent through the wires and the two
gases unite, forming water. This serves as
nucleus to precipitate the moisture OF the
atmosphere, and there Is rain. Last May
first experiments in this line In the rayine.
a short distance from the farm. Then few
balloons were taken to Washington, and In
the presence Of several officers and scientific
luous duOtucI tApcIiWcub Wd5 uclu. lutEo
was perfect success. The balloon was ex-
ploded and the gases united with the most
terrific report and brilliant illumination. Ii
rivals the sun in brilliancy. Prof. Myers
says that the explosion that would occur II a
twenty-foct balloon were employed would
cause the most terrific report ever heard on
earth. In the experiments to be performed
in Texas there will be bombs Of dynamite
carried up by kites and exploded In the air,
and mortars will discharge large quantities Of
nf mt DrAf q
Texas the most Unique outfit ever gotten to-
gether in the world. 1t Is complete labora-
tory to be used out OF doors for the manu-
facture OF all the gases and chemicals to be
used in the experiments.
The most ingenious and practical air ship
ever constructed Is that invented by Prof.
Carl Myers, which he calls his sky bicycle
air ship. 1t Is operated by a screw which
revolyes sail, much as screw propeller
acts in the water. The machinery is held In
the air by a cigar-shaped balloon, which can
be guided through the air with the greatest
else.
The reporter met r. j. Spalding of Rosetta,
Custer county, Cal, at the balloon farm. Mr..
Spaiding Is the inventor OF flying machine.
and he brought IL all the way from Colorado
to submit 1t to Prof. Myers TO induce him to
assist In proving its merit The flying ma
chine consists Of two wings and q tail con-
structed as near as possible like the wings
and tall Of a bird, attached to leather
IaOhCts AAC uldu WIN ulG5 Lu6 uNIuk SLTADS
the jacket around him, Is elevated by bal
loon, and flaps his wings, and away he goes.
Mr.. Spaulding does not claim that he can
lift himself from the ground with his appara-
tus, but having been lifted by a balloon, he
can work the wings to prcpel himself through
the air like large bird. Mr.. Spaulding, un-
fortunately, arrived Just when Prof. Myers
Is about to start away with Gen. Dyrenforth,
and Is unable to give the attention desired.
MIR. Spaulding says he has devoted his life
TO the study Of the birds wings, and Is
thoroughly familiar with their construction.
lie feels certain that he has built something
that Will DO OF great practical use In propell-
Ing llght boats and Ice cutters. 1t might be
used in propelling vehicles along roads, but
may not be practical for this purpose, be-
cause 1t would scare horses. He was seven
years constructing his machine, and spent
/ SI,OOO In II. de will remain In tue East until
the merit OF bis machine has been thorough
| ~ tested, and try to get some assist anee in
developing its use.
The balloon farm is visited by hundreds
OF Prof.. and Mrs. My ers's friends every year,
and the beauties and wonders Of The place
are eourteously exhibited. Both MIR. and
MIS-. Myers are enthusiasts In balloOning,
and they give most interesting descriptions
and explanations Of the business in which
they are both engaged, and make visit to
the balloon farm an event In lifetime.
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