Evening star., 1896-09-26


of forty-five feet and few for about mile
between thirty and forty-fiye feet above the
earth. Then. the wind increasing, the
wings were tilted up In front and the ma
chine was driven back and down to the
earth. Its flight, he says, was as rapid az
that Of dove.
Greater Spread of Wings.
Mr.. Freymann based his calculate upon
his experiments with the model, and pre-
pared working plans for a machine OF di-
mensions adapted to supporting weight of
10 pounds, in addition to that of the ma
chine itself. which will be eighty-five
pounds. He decided to build the machine in
America, because he believed that he would
find here more intelligent mechanics, and in
this expectation, he says. he has not been
disappointed.
Mr.. Freymann says that his machine. in
addition to being fitted for motive power.
will have much greater spread of wings
than Lilienthars. and consequently greater
supporting power. Lilienthal's wings, he
says, were each fifteen square meters in ex-
tent and his will be fifty-four, or about
sixty square yards. The wings will measure
thirty feet from tip to tip.
Mr. Freymann says that, according to his
calculation, the same amount of power re-
quired to run a bicycle at ordinary speed
and the same number Of pedal revolutions
will sustain his machine and propel 1t
against a moderate wind at the rate of
fifteen miles an hour. He believes that a
speed of fifty miles will be attainable under
suitable conditions. In flying before the
wind. he says no pedal motion will be
necessary except from time to time to keep
from descending. The wind, he believes,
will carry the machine along at a high rate
of speed. 1t will proceed In series Of
swoops, similar to those made by Lilien-
thaIs aeroplane, In soaring against the
wind.
In q Contrary Wind.
Mr.. Freymann says 1t will not be possible
to fly with the wind on either side. 1t will
work only against the wind or with 1t d.
rectly behind. Under these conditions great
difficulty is to be expected in turning
around, but Mr.. Freymann believes it can
be accomplished by shortening sail, so to
speak. and by proper manipulation of the
Iudder. providing the wind Is not too strong
Aeronauts have theory, which is pretty
generally accepted, that above the winds
which blow over the surface of the earth
there Is a region of comparative calm, and
perhaps Mr.. Freymann will go UP into this
district when he wants to turn around
The mechanism of the machine is COM
raratively simple, as may be seen by the
accompanying plans. The wings are moved
forward and upward and then downward
and backward by means of steel rods con-
nected with two wheels, which are revolved
together by chains running from the pedals.
The lever which Is grasped by the right
hand is connected by steel wires with the
overhead structure, part of which is nova
BILE in such a manner as to change the gen.
eral plane of the wings. The lever grasped
by the left hand is connected in a similar
manner with the rudder. The entire
mechanism Is under the control of these
three things. Gravitation and the wind are
expected to do the rest.
The expense of building the trial machine
will be about 5000. In quantities they should
be manufactured for 500 or 800 apiece, SC
that if the machine Is successful, there is
no reason why any well-regulated family
should be without one.
A Fifty-Two-Mflc Water "Toboggan."
| From New Ideas.
A system Of rapid transit transportation
| Is in use in California which for economy
| of operation is probably the lowest in the
| country. despite the fact that the cost OF
construction was considerable, the Slide
| in one place crossing the King river on a
suspension bridge 451 feet long A lumber
| company in Fresno county. Cal. Is the
| originator of this chute, which Is ffty-twC
| miles long. and in some places has grade
| of twenty-three per cent. The f1ume Is v
! shaped, and, strange to say, in addition tC
| carrying lumber. is utilized for the trans.
| portation of passengers one way; for, like
| the read to ruin in old temperance books
| the line only runs one way-and that down
| The boat or shoot in which the passengers
| travel IS also built V-shaped to fit the fiume
| and Is about sixteen feet long
| and is roughly knocked together witt
| boards since 1t Is good for one trip only
| The front end of this strange craft Is left
| open. the velocity Of the water Is Sc
! great that, despite the speed Of the boat, II
| does not run back into it. Preparatory t.
the trip plank is placed along the bottom
| on which the passengers rest their fee
| while sitting in single file on cross seats
| In some cases speed Of seventy miles pei
| hour mas been attained. For a road which
| has a long, steep hill with plenty Of watel
| at the top and bottom this kind of G
| "chute" would rrake an admirable attrac
ton for people VINO love excitement.
He Knew Maurice.
l From, the New York Tribune.