Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-17

was preached to him. "They are the men
who seek to solve the problem With appara-
fuses lighter than the air, aud whose re-
searches are necessarily limited because such
constructions are at tho complete mercy OF
the wind. and then there are tho men Who
believe that aerial navigation may bd ae-
c0mplished By means OF apparatusea heavier
than the air la the neld Of tho former
work the French are undoubtedly ahead In
their scientific researches. and have, I am
convinced. brought the balloon to as high q
degree OF perfection as Il Is capable OF at
tanning, The latter class Of Investigators are
interesting Themselves In the possibilities Of
the asroplane. which eau be driven through
the air at a speed which makes II lndepend-
ent OF the VIVID. and being driven at such a
speed will 1T and carry heavy load-equai
or In excess OF that carried by tho Dirigoable
balloon. and without the aid OF any gasbag
whatsoever. A Frenchman has already In
vented a kind OF flying machine which ia
built something In the shape Of bird, the
motive power Of which is produced by gas
explosions taking place inside OF tho nat
tened y0lute springs-such as are used In
steam gauges. This has actually nowu
short distance. Other men who are lnyosti-
the weight OF thelf motors, 10 they have met
with only partial success. The cngineors
o. the German army are also experimenting
with the aeroplane, as we'll as with the
balloon. and the Car OF Russia has spent
many thousands OF roubles on the true aero
plane system. Leading scientists all admit
That tue navigation OF tho air shall become
possible whenever a motor sutlclontly pow
urful in proportion to It's weight shall be In
vented Birds and other winged things SUB
tain themselves In air by muscular EFFORT
and are capable OF developing an enormous
power In proportion to their weight. Heavy
birds. as the goose. with relatively small
wings, carry what Is equivalent to 100
pounds TO the horse power, while the Nlturo
and the aihatross. In which tho wing surface
IL larger, carry what Is equivalent 70 go
pounds TO the horse power.
Ny experiments have been with The
steaiu engine--that being tbs one with
which am best acquainted, put VIII nor
say that l have reached nnailty Ia produe-
Ing sufficiently light and powerful motor
though the one have been experimenting
with has been very satinfactory. The ma
chine, which you VIII zee shortly. has a
spread OF over 100 feet aud Is supplied
With suitable dynamo meters and ineaAuf-
ing machines, 40 that can correctly aHeeF-
tain the lift Of the planes experimental
With, together with the pushing power Of
me screws. The very large aeroplhne n
provided 10 prevent TOO RAPID descent
IN case Of a stoppage q tho. machinery
The two light screws are the oDly propeliHg
no,snr-each IL " feet 10 inchna IN diane
Ter. and they develop push of 1900
pounds on the machine with steam
presaure OF 800 pounds ~ the square
ineh. me Euperstrueturo Of the ma
chine and the frame on the aero.
plane are OF strong steel tubing stayed
e,ifh plano wire and the wheels on which
- a. ularnd arc OF very llElt
steeis. The workshop u 90 cOnatructed that
me doors. which occupy the whole Of QUE
md Of the workshop, can be rolled back
No that the machine can be rolled out, and
after its trial on the track. which stretches
serosa me park about a quarter Of mile.
But come and see the maehihe tYF yVui-
self" 80,
iitro neroplane stretched across the top, II
a aurer looking craft. and 70 porfect are
Inc workings Of this wonderful piece Of
rneehxuisrn that q slight tilung Of the aero
place, and heavy planks have had % be
placed along the experimental track at the
reauisite height above the wheels. 20 that
M machine cannot derail itaeli When the
machine IS completed Il viii have ten ~ings
altoFether. There Il a small aeroplane
rtretchgd across the very top. a larger one.
am feet square. beneath this a small one
Al The front, and a platform on wheels
sortu the base. The whole "a held together,
a. Nj. Maxim faid. with a framework o.
loli. steel tubing, and network Of
stroagesi plano wire, that acoDs 10 cncom-
pass The entire machine. Tho platform il
nroyidrd with a small engine house. within
which numerous little blases Of petroleum
heat the steam boiler; and without this
small engine houie--shieh u about the
80 Of an ordinary dog kennei-are nu-
nefous gauges a multitude Of fixtures that
only Mr. Maxim understands. and a brake.
ms remaining wings VIII be added for
aight. Il Is At the gauges that the great
engineer himself always stands when The
trusted his precious Invention 70 no ono
else. on the platform back OF him ara
the two tanks for water and Detreieum,
the former placed isngthwtse and tho
latter croaswiss Of the machine, and The