Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-25
PENNINGTON TO FLY
From Chicago to New York in Few
Weeks, So He Says.
THE AIRSHIP is NEARLY READY.
4 Peep at the Factory and the Pickle
Shaped Air Speeder.
THE INVENTOR A FIRM BELIEVER

Pennington, the king of airships and
aerial adventure, is again to the front. In
three weeks time great human bird, it is
claimed, will sweep over Chicago in the d.
rection of New York, with great spoon
wheel whirling in 'front.' two twirling fans
on either side, great fins on its back and to
the side at the back an air rudder that
steers to starboard and port, and below it
q wide, thin slab that flaps at will like the
tail of q crawfish with the collie, and guides
the ship up to dizzy heights or lowers it to
the level of numbering locomotives and con-
vevances of slower speed.
The rediviyus of the Pennington airship
takes place at Chicago Heights says the
Inter Ocean Here the airship company has
40 acres of broad, expansive meadow land,
where there is plenty of room to boost the
great artificial hawk, and to avoid any
casualties il the wonderful artifce should go
darting about deliriously in the manner
of lop-sided kite.
The Pennington Company has just
finished its first building. 1t is a queer,
rail- structure, painted red and is the only
building on earth devoted exclusively to
the manufacture of airships. 1t covers 81
600 feet Of floor surface aud has the most
wonderful, stupendous doors ever con-
structed These doors are 5S feet high and
3S feet wide.
S-vensy-fiva Miles an Hour Is the Gait.
These gigantic portals will be swung aside
and the great inflated cylinder, that is to
periorate the atmosphere at 20 miles an
hour and give the common fowl of the air
the hiccoughs as it rushes BY, this great pot
IL ,,-in ho ont nd
sent up into the air and headed for New
York City with a spirit Of confidence that
will make every railroad monopolist in the
land declare himself insolvent forthwith.
The airship factory is just completed and
has many interesting sights within its
walls. The main portion is the Gargantuan
berth of the great buoyancy chamber, or in
hated cylinder. which is 125 feet long with
a mean diameter of 3S feet. In another
shop is the car, which is aluminium metal,
with cushion seats filled with hydrogen gas,
and weighing altogether but 2S5 pounds. The
same sized car constructed of ordinary
material would weigh $50 pounds. Every
thing is relatively light. The great fin on
the back is hollow aluminium filled with
hydrogen gas, and those to either side are
similarly made The horizontal rudder,
which raises OF lowers the ship, in the
manner of birds tail, and the PERPENDICULAR
rudder which steers it, are also of aluminium
and very light.
The Motor Power of the Machine.
The motor power consists of two beauti-
full little engines of allowed aluminium.
These engines each consist of four cylind ers
with four piston rods attached to single
center and acting with reciprocal power.
Hydrogen gas is exploded by an electric
spark. One engine weighs minimum of
hae fp 0f
l5-horse power. These engines drive the
great wheel of four spoons that bores
through the air auger-like and draws the
ship after it, while the little fans on the
sides elevate the ship or lower it.
Everything is as light as possible, and
all the different portions of the airship are
at present in course of construction.
'In about three or four weeks" said
Edward j. Pennington in his Office yester-
day, 81 shall have the ship completed. I
will sail up to Chicago the first day and
land on the Lake Front Then l shall set
out for New York City, thence to New
Orleans and over to the Pacific coast, and
from San Francisco back to Chicago"
Mr. Pennington said this with the nom
chalance of a man who is talking about
crossing the street. There is absolutely no
doubt in his mind but the airship will sail
without hitch or falter.
Mr.. Pennington sanguine of Success.
In his mind there are no ''ifs" and
SHUTS" The ship will sail. That is all
there is about it. Mr.. Pennington has spent
nine wears of his life to make the ship as it
will appear shortly. He has studied every
work, article and magazine under the sun
en- aerial navigation, and has combined all
the superior points of others machines and
eliminated all the hindrances in the Pen
nington airship.
The hydrogen gas in the great bloated
pickle is not intended to raise the ship, but
simply to render its weight nil. The little
fans on the side do the elevating, and the