Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-11-26
FLYING MACHINE THAT FLIES.
Many Persons in Oakland and Sacra.
mento, CAL, Say That They Saw
It-Their Words Corrobo-
rated.

rated.
SAN FRANCISCO, November 22.-The
Chronicle prints a story which would
indicate that the airship in practical
form is an established fact. At 1
O'Clock last Monday morning the in
habitants of Sacramento who were
astir at that hour say hat they saw
an air ship passing rapidly owe the
city. Some merely say that they saw
a bright light, while others go so far
as to say that they saw a cigar-shaped
flying machine and heard human
voices from it. The residents of Oak
land also say that they saw the same
sight a few nights ago.
The story of the mysterious air
ship has been told all over the State,
and has created considerable amuse-
ment, as it was generally believed to
be a hoax.
The Chronicle prints an interview
with George d. Collins, a reputable
lawyer of this city, who says that the
airship is a reality. Attorney Collins
says:
SIT is perfectly true that at last a
successful airship is in existence and
that California will have the honor of
bringing it before the world. / have
known of the affair for some time,
and am acting as attorney for the in
ventor. He is a very wealthy man,
who has been studying the subject of
flying machines for Is years, and who
came here seven years ago from the
State of Maine, in order to be able to
perfect his idea away from the eyes
of other inventors. During the last
five years he has spent at least $780,
900 on his work. He has not yet Sc
cured his patent, but his application
is now in Washington. cannot say
much about the machine that he has
perfected, because he is my client,
and, besides, he fears that the appli-
cation will be stolen from the Patent
Office If people come to know that his
invention is practical.
"I saw the machine one night last
| week at the inventors invitation. 1t
is made of metal, is about $50 feet
long and is built to carry Is persons.
There was no motive power, as far as
1 could see; certainly, no steam.
"It is built on the aeroplane system
| and has two canvass wings, IS feet
wide, and a rudder, shaped like a
| birds tail. The inventor climbed in
to the machine and, after he had been
moving some of the mechanism for a
moment, l saw the thing beginning to
ascend from the earth very gently.
The wings tapped slowly as it arose,
and then a little faster, as it began to
move against the wind. The machine
was under perfect control all the
time.
"When it got to a height of about
80 feet the inventor shouted to me
that ne was going to make a series of
circles and then descend. He imme-
diately did SO, beginning by making a
circle about 100 yards in diameter, and
then gradually narrowing it until the
machine got within 80 feet of the
ground. 1t then fell straight down,
very gracefully, and touched the earth
as lightly as a falling leaf.
"The reports from Sacramento the
other night were true. 1t was my
clients airship that the people saw.
1t started from Oroville in Butte
County and flew go miles IN a straight
line directly over Sacramento. After
running up and down once or twice
over the capital, my friend came
right on a distance of another 20 miles
and landed at a spot on the Oakland
side of the bay, where the machine
now lies, guarded by three men. The
inventor found during his trial trip
that his ship had a wavelike motion
that made him seasick. 1t is this de-
feet that he is now remedying.
SIN another six days the trouble
will be done away with, and it is then
his intention to Immediately give the
people of San Francisco a chance to
| see his machine. He will fly right
over the city and across Market street
a dozen times. I cannot tell you
where he is housing the air ship or
what his name is, as l am under a
pledge of secrecy, but it is a fact that
the machine does it's work perfectly
and will astound the world and revo-
lutionize travel when it has been dis
played before the public. The inven-
tor a fly with it to New York to-
morrow If he wants to.
ale has forsaken the ideas of
Maxim and Langley entirely in build
ing the machine, and has constructed
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