Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-11-27
SAILED AN AlaV
CLAIM A MACHINE HAS BEEN IN
VENTED AND OPERATED. ~
Mysterious Client Perfected a Ship
and Navigated the Ether Above
Sacramento.

San Francisco, Nov. 22-The Chronicle
prints story which would indicate that
the air ship in practicable form is an es-
tablished fact.
About l o'clock last Monday morning
the inhabitants of Sacramento who were
astir at that hour, claim TO have seen
an air ship passing rapidly over the city.
Some merely said they saw a bright
light. while others went so far as to say
they saw cigar-shaped flying machine
and heard human voices from it. The
residents of Oakland also say they saw
the same sight a few nights ago.
The story of the mysterious air ship
created considerable amusement, as 1t
was generally believed tc be a hoax. The
Chronicle this morning prints an inter-
view with George d. Collins, a reputable
lawyer of this city, who says that the
air ship is a reality. Attorney Collins
says:
ut is perfectly true that there is at
least a successful air ship In existence
| and that California will have the honor
of bringing it before the world. I have
| known of the affair for some time and am
| acting as attorney for the inventor. He
| is 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 ideas
| away from the eyes of other inventors.
During the last five years he has spent
at least 100000 on his work. He has
not yet secured his patent, but his ap-
plication is now in Washington. I can
not say anything about the machine he
has perfected, because he is my client,
| and because he fears that the application
| will be stolen from the patent office II
people come to know that his invention
| is practicable.
Description of 1t.
st 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. 1t is built on the
aeroplane system and has two canva!
wings is feet wide and a rudder SHAPED
like a birds tail. The inventor climbed
into the machine and after he had moved
some of the mechanism for a moment,
| saw the thing begin to ascend from TIN
earth, very gently. The wings fappe'
| slowly as it rose and then little taste
as it began to move against the wind. TIL
machine was under perfect control al
the time
when 1t got to a height of about 8
feet the inventor shouted to me that h
was going to make a series of circles
He Immediately did so, beginning b.
making a circle about 100 yards in di
ameter and gradually narrowing it til
the machine got within 80 feet of tn
ground. 1t then fell straight down, yer
gracefully, and touched the earth a
} lightly as a falling leaf.
Flew Over Sacramento.
1.-THE reports from Sacramento the ott
| er night were true. 1t was my client
airship that the people saw. 1t starte
from Oroville, In Butte county, and fie'
6 miles in a straight line directly owe
| Sacramento. After running up and dow
once or twice over the capitol, my frien
came right on distance Of another
| miles, and landed at a spot on the Oal
land side of the bay, where the machir
now lies, guarded by so men. The II
| ventor said during his trial trip that h
! | ship had a wave-like motion that mad
! him seasick. 1t is this defect that he
| new remedying.
I'm another six days the trouble W:
. be done away with, and 1t is then his II
tention to Immediately give the peop
of San Francisco chance to see hts M
chine. He will fly right over the city an
: cross Market street dozen times. l ca
r | NOT fell where he ia housing the ship