The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-01

Former Attorney General Hart Tells About
the California Mystery.

the taiitorHit nN-t'fys
\ san Francisco special to the New
York World says.
Former Attorney General Hart. as
evidence OF his faith in the new a'rship.
which is said 10 have been tried with
success, has submitted The following
statement 10 the World.
To the Editor OF the World;
In reference to the airsh'o which has
beel puzzling and astonishing mary OF
the people OF California. | will say tn.s.
havs not seen it personally, bat talked
WITH a man who claims TO bs its IN
veutor. l have spent several hours with
him. lie has shown me drawings and
diagrams of his invention. AID IN con-
WINGED that they are adapted fcr ire
purLose for which he has designed them
more than any other invention making
suCh claims that [ have ever seen.
l. seems TO me that the evidence
col ccted in reference % this airshi?. the
character of the people who nave seen
IT, the fact that it moves against cur
rents Of air as well ~ with them. aud
the fact that IL has the power 20 DAFT
from side To side or 'orwird. clsht 10
convince people that there IS soUo'fing
in tho invention.
asked the gentleman who claims TO
be the inventor what mis- dcsics were
In regard 10 carrying on the busll as,
and nu stated that he did not desire a.
money. that he did not ask or want cry
ono 10 invest in IL. that he was not n
citizen of California. and that ne came
here 20 perfect and test his airship. as
the climates and currents OF air here
were most suited To his purpose. lie
further stated that he had progressed
so well since coming 70 California that
the State was certainly entitled 10 the
honor of it's invention, as H. was yet In
a. crude state when he first came here.
He added that he had two airships al
ready constructed, one. ne said, was or
large size. capable OF carrying three
persons and thousand pounds Of adj
dltional weight. and the other WAS
smaller. capable OF carrying one man
and five or six hundred pounds OF
freight.
The inventor also stated that he WIS
a cousin OF Mr.. Linn. Who is Antony
Maceo's electrician, and that he eN-
pocted 10 take the airship TO Cuba for
| the purpose Of aiding in tho capture OF
Havana as soon as he could perfect It
and acquaint his associates with the
! handling Of II. The man IS or dark
complexion. dark eyes and about five
feet seven inches high. and weighs about
one hundred and forty pounds. lie says
he has three associates. an Of whom
are mechanics: that he uses two kinds
I Of powder. gas and electricity that his
/ lights are sometimes produced by cleo
tricity and sometimes by Gas with the
aid of ronoctors. lie claims 10 have
moved lz0 miles in one flight, and In
/ less than six hours and a half and not
/ going wholly with currents, that he uses
electricity for propellins his vessel against
the wind. and uses gas largely IN going
with the air currents, In order 10 save
power.
II is proposed 10 build another air
| shin. and one OF the parties interested
with him has told me that they wero
now AT work on a third vessel. and that
/ IL would be so constructed that In the
, event ~ the machinery getting out OF
order and its falling into the water II
could be used as a boat by detachlng
poruons Of the airship. When this IS
| completed and ready FOR use the IN
ventor intends to leave California Tor
| Cuba.
So far as the electrical power IS con-
ccrncd the Fargo storage battery Is Of
sufficient capacity. as 20 power ana
uehtnoss. 10 furnish the requisite pow
or for aerial navigation. and the inven-
tor proposes 10 use this power IN con-
nection with the other Tor his operations.
The battery can be stored 10 IT'S fun
capacity, which is twenty horsepower, IN
seventeen minutes. ] am OF the opinion
that the airship will bee a success. and
it, success far more probable m TINS
time than Morse telcgraphy was AZ tho
! time Morse first offered the same 10 the
public. So far rs public opinion Is con-
cernod. this inventor does not ask any
ono 10 invest in the enterprise Perhaps
this may be evidence OF insanity | VIII
admit that this is the first time TO my
knowledge that anybody bad anything
in which he did not want anybody 10
invest money.
". III. II. HART.