The San Francisco call., 1896-08-14
SMITH ASP|RES TO
| B|RD-L|KE FLIGHT
His Airship Said to Be
Undoubtedly a Great
Success.
BUILDING TO COMMENCE
The Company Satisfied That
the Problem Has Been
Solved.
ALUMINIUM, GAS AND WINGS.
How DIR. Smith Has Discovered a
Means to Sail Through
the Air.
ALUMINIUM. GAS AND WINGS.

DR.. G. A. Smith is more enthusiastic
than ever before over his fying-machine
since he received telegram Wednesday
from Washington, D. c., informing him
that patent had been granted on his de-
vice for sailing through the air.
A company was incorporated in this
City last Saturday for the purpose of
building Smiths airship, navigating air
vessels and carrying on a general business
in them. l. J. Truman, president of the
Columbian Bank, and George T. Gaden
are among the stockholders and directors.
The attorney for the company is the Hon.
NJ. NJ. Estee.
These well-known men declare that
Smiths air-machine appears feasible as a
mechanical proposition, and that it is
really most ingenious solution of the
difficult problems that have faced the
scientific aeronaut.
DR.. Smith himself claims it will lift it.
self and additional weight, and, more than
that. he can so control its fight as to prac-
tIcally initiate bird on the wing. This
m cans that the airship can be lifted from
the earth and depressed at the will of the
engineer, who may also steer his vessel
hither and thIther. describe circles regard
less of the wind and perform evolutions
like ship at sea. It is still further
claimed for this wonderful invention that
it can be driven into the very teeth of a
storm. Indeed, if all that is claimed for
it proves true the long-talked-of airship-
the chimera of visionary men-will soon
be an accomplished fact.
The new company intends to open a
workshop at once and begin the construc-
tion of DR.. Smiths first airship. And
then, in the course of few months from
now, expectations of seeing the new ma
chine arise and float aloft will be very
strong.
The machine, as described by directors
OF the company, combines three princi-
pies well understood in aerial navigation,
but only poorly applied. First Of all
there is to be cigar-shaped cy ylinder of
aluminium, the lightest of metals, which
will contain gas to give buoyancy. With
gas for partial support there will be
wings, one on each side. These wings are
to be operated after the principle of birds
wings, and to act as aeroplanes as well as
parachutes. They are so devised that they
can be opened to great extent, and so
spread outward like monstrous fans.
With them in motion the ship can be
raised or lowered and propelled at will.
When closed by touching button they
are designed to fold close against the sides
of the gas cylinder. In coming down
with the airship they are to be opened and
extended, under which condition the mon
ster is to seesaw its way to mother earth.
In the rear according to DR.. Smiths
plans, there will be screw propeller with
large fans. This will be driven by small
electric engine supplied by power from
condensed storage batteries in the
machine.
What is said to be one of the most in
teresting features of this invention is the
steering apparatus, by which it is con-
tended that the ship can be positively
guided. They consist of fans that will
work in connection with the wings in
directing the fight.
While soma of the directors are not in
clined to believe that the airship of DIR.
Smith can be utilized in navigation of the
air beyond limited reconnoitering in war,
its inventor declares that it will cross the
continent from San Francisco to New
Y York in twenty-four hours.
The technical description is still with
held by the inventor, as he is not satisfied
to tell all he knows until the patent docu-
ments come from Washington.