Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-04-20
ANOTHER FLYING MACHINE.

Those who have constructed aerial
flying machines OF are going 70 do 40
do not THU out very rapidly, notwlth-
standing the utter absence Of anything
even ~ gsestivc Of SUCCESS Ia any OF
such cou,rivances 10 far. Now comes
a man with "skycycle," with which
he proposes 10 sail from his abiding
place-Portlaud, Oregon--down to the
WORLDS Fair ami make Il one OF the
aitrs tions there. II was invented By a
brother Of joaquin Miller, the poet, and
is In the possession tf Fred 4. Merrill
Of Portland. lie was recent, In
Chicago aud Informed the Tribune that
arrangements for the manu- acture OF
the new machines will be commenced
"a soon as a few minor changes have
been made. lie caves partial descrlp.
ton f the machine, RETAINING from
minute detail, because the inventor
has lot yet patented some parts on
which he IL now experimenting,
with n Sivw OF reducing slightly the
weight OF tho machine. MIR. Merrill
said:
We have already usoi heavy ma.
chine made u wood, nscendcd thirty feet
from tho ground. ridden 200 yards made
curves. and described a circle OF 100 foot
In diameter, alighting safely. This ma
| chine, all ~ aluminium, we Intend 10
have weigh less than forty pounds, aud
can reduce It 20 ttirtv pounds " we can
get along with lighter balauco-whool
than now used,
Each machine Will have parachute
attached 10 the handle bar, which can DO
opened a. will should tho machine de-
scsnd too rapidly In case OF brcasago. or
II the rider should stop podaling. Our
Intention h to ride hut short dis auce
above tho ground, that being determined
10y the nature OF tho country over which
We are travelling and the strength OF tho
wind currents encountered, as well rs
thoir direction.
The speei which II is expected the
continuance will make is from tnirty to
forty miles an hour, and with tho wind
favorable u lie claimed tint at leas (
fiity miles can easily be made. The
machine Is propelled by the ordinary
motion Of the feot, IA with bicycle
on the ground. Gearing attached
operates tho wings, and the steer
ing is by the handle, which moves
fan tail, or rudder. Beneath tho
machine hangs n swing ny balance
weight 10 prevent the wind from turn.
ing the machine over and to give
better Storage way, the same rs n
center.board Is used In tailboat 10
hold Its course against the wind. In
starting, crane or other large bird
which runs along on the ground n
shoIt distance, using its wings at the
same time, then rising In the air, Ia
initiated. The skycycle will run on
the land even with hut a single wheel,
aud at the came time the wings mr.,
set In motion. All other machine.
made for aerial navigation re-
quire either steam or electricity Tor
motive power, and tlus, aiding ma.
terisliy to the weight, require larger
1hh AhoA' AhhbtAholht AuACuAuts Aule
is dispensed with, as the motive power
IL furnished by the rider, aud Ia,
machine Is consequently much lighter
than any other ever invented.
Mr.. Merrill's description conclude.
as follows:
Tho wings and ruddor arc sieorod or
changed IN position by the hand. Of IN,
| operator, aud no IN leit at perfect liberty
TO look over tho country above which he
IL travelling, simply Keeping his feet In
motion. Whom high up Ia the air and do
slrou- OF sloping downward he can cohs,
| podaling and turn the wings in such
manner that with the momentum already
attained lac gracefully CONES sailing down
like u bird that stops Tutoring and float,
with extended wings.
Perhaps the skyoycle will do all that
II claimed for II, but one would run Q
very small risk In saying ut once anu
without hesitation that II will not.
Aerial navigation is still an uLsolved
problem, except to tno beings whicl
were created for that purpo,e.