The San Francisco call., 1896-02-29

with capital stock of from 5000 to
100000, of which in the eighborhood of
$50, 600 has already been subscribed. The
names of the promoters of the enterprise
have not yet been made public, but
meeting will be held this evening for the
purpose OF selecting a nominal board of
direc tors for incorporation purposes, to
fix the exact amount of the capital stock
and to finish up other details.
The purposes Of the new corporation
contemplate the esta blishment and main
tenance OF an extensive system of aerial
transportation for both freight and pas
sengers, the purchase of real estate for
terminal facilities and the erection of suit
able buildings thereon. 1t also contem-
plates the manufacture and sale of air.
ships and the control of patents thereon,
and on this the whole matter hinges.
Captain Charles Abbott Smith, Md,
pioneer of the pioneers, merchant. physi-
clan, miner, mechanic and inventor, who
lives at Ill Polk street, this City, has ap-
piled for patent on an airsh1p THAT will
work" and he has for suitable consid
Grafton agreed to transfer the control of
this patent to the corporation aforesaid.
So as soon as the incorporation papers are
perfected and the patent is received from
Washington the construction of one of the
airships will be begun in this City. And
this, should it prove successful, will be but
the fo-erunner in transcontinental line
where rights of way cost nil.
CAPTAIN Smiths alrship consists of two
sheet-metal tubes, one within the other,
the space between being hermeticaIly
sealed and charged with gas. From with
out, as may be noted from the illustration,
the machine looks like nothing SO much
IS huge cylinder cut in the bias at one
end and having cone point on the other.
Huge wings. bent to fit the cylinder
xx,ha hirOad lot bo fon nd
arranged with chains and pulleys that
they may be raised or lowered, or even
Tapped from within at will. An immense
fan-like propeller, driven by electric motor
or gasoline engine, will furnish the neces-
sary motive power, and perpendicular and
horizontal rudders will direct it in the way
that it should so.
The inner metal tube of the machine is
rectangular and is placed near the bottom
of the outer cylinder. In this will be the
cabins and the engine-room, and from it
to the sides are openings for light. On the
inner side amidships, is to be a well,
through which the anchor or grapnel will
be dropped, and forward is located the
steersman's window. Every Joint between
the outer and inner tubes will be carefully
sealed and the space between will be so ar
ranged that the whole may be charged
from one valve. The gas is relied on for
lifting power and the ship will be built of
aluminium in preference to any other ma
terial to prevent leakage.
Captain Smith has been an inventor for
many years. He has taken out ere now
fifteen patents Oh useful and curious novel
ties and many of his inventions are now
articles OF common household use. The
old-fashioned bootjack, whose user stuck
his boot through peculiarly shaped hole
in bit OF board, and then turned it SO that
both the heel and the toe of his footgear
onQA hv ho ttiocl- ~ 10 Of ho,,,
The button-hook with which my lady fast
ems her shoes was invented in California
by Captain Smith, who sold the patent to
cobbler for 500.
The improved "finger-board'' still used
on combined harvesters was patented by
Captain Smith and yielded him $l1 600
profit during the first year of it's manu-
facture. A ditch-digging, pipe-making,
pipe-laying machine now used in Los An
geles County was another of his inven-
tions. Speaking of his last triumph last
night Captain Smith said:
u began studying over aerial naviga-
tion about three years ago and have been
at work on my machine ever since. Now
that my plans are complete ship is to be
built, and it will work. | am certain of
that, and my experience qualities me to
judge.
1.-The proportions? Well, a ship 100
feet long would be about thirty feet high.
LIS wing SpTedu WOulu 1901 up 5iUO square
feet and its rudders about 200 square feet
The gas would furnish the necessary lift
ing power and the proper use of the pro-
peller and rudders would enable it to
descend without releasing any of the gas.
"The carrying capacity of the ship :?
Well, one such as | have described would
easily support twenty men, or say ton Of
dead weight"
1t is stated that the United States Gov
ernment has offered bonus of $1OO 900 for
the invention of a practical airship if COM
pleted within a certain time, and this. the
new corporation will claim if its venture
prove success. Among the advantages
claimed for the machine is the statement
that, being made of silver-gray aluminium,
it would in case Of war be visible to an en-
emy onlv at comparatively short distances
by reason OF It's color.
RESPITE for Turner.