The evening times., 1896-06-17

On Pillow case Hill, looking westward
ever Walkers Pond-that is tile place
where it is believed Prof. Samuel PierponI
Langley, ID. Z. L., secretary of The Smith
sonian Institution, is going to fly next
line.
But if you know where 1t is don't tell;
for II you do you may scare him away ana
spoil it all. The professor is a timid bird,
and he doesn't like to have persons looking
when lie goes to fly, especially newspaper
persons, and the newspapers are SO bad
that they would track him II they had
only an inkling of where the hill and pond
are or even Of where the professor is.
He went silently away from this city
some time ago, anu nobody at the Smith
sonian will say exactly where lie went Or
how long he is to be gone. They only
look wise-tnere are only two or three OF
them that could look any other way il
they shouid try-and say he is gone on his
summer vacation.
A few of his intimate friends, however,
know in which quarter OF the globe it Is,
and they have picked out Il convenient
place for the next test OF the wonderful
flying machine, that has already been tried
two or three times, and proved To DE j
world beatcr.'
ANOTHER TRIP SKYWARD.
They decline 10 make public the State,
or even the section of country. But that
no iDdiscrect friend may let out the secret
and prevent the flight, the time has been
kept a profound secret from everybody.
Absolutely nobody Knows or Will know
the day nor the hour till he shall appear
with his wings ready for the run ana jump
and glide away upon the mighty arms Of
the west wind. IL is only sure that ii will
be some time this summer.
The hill is fifteen hundred feet high and
overlooks the pond, so as to make an easy
and natural glide downward, if that should
be desired. II is an excellent place for bass
fishing, and DR.. W. E. Parsons, of the
Church of Reformation, has arranged tC
be present.
He will be out in a boat, as If for bass
and if the machine should prove unman
ageable, or show disposition to come
down prematurely, the water will afford
soft place TO fall, and DR.. Parsons boa,
| will rescue the professor.
Everybody is already familiar with the
successes Prof Langley has achieved His
| discovery OF the conditions of aerCpanes
| and an apparent latent force in the air
| his improvements upon the attempts al
| soaring made by DR.. Lilienthal, near Ber
| lin, and his successful experiments witt
| the flying apparatus, which he is now
l
known to all through The Times and the
| publications of the Smithsonian Institu
| ton.
DE has, beside, n book upon his investiga
tons of aeroplanes which is regarded b!
many as the most important of all recent
contributions to science.
The general theory of these modern efforti
| to fly is that if men only knew how to take
advantage of the currents in the air ant
to manage the buoyant force thatis alwayl
present very little power would be neces
sary.
As the birds do. so could man sail will
the wind and circle and turn his course an,
go where he pleased upon the mere fore
of the air current with as little or les
danger than there is in sailing upon tn,
water. The great need is To gain the eX
perience for this.
PROBLEM OF THE AGES.
Prof. Langley and Dr. Lilienthal are he
lieved to have made an excellent start il
practice and with little more experienc
| may be expected 10 show that the problem
| OF the ages has a last been solved
There is very prevalent belief that. thi
| Is close at hand. Amy one who dips littl.
below the surface with question put l.
Intimate friends will find that a maiorit
OF Americans at least think the time is no
lar distant when the dream OF Dariu
Green. near whose fancied home Prof
Langley happens to have been brought uI
will have been fully realized and ships hear
ing passeng shall course the air as freel
as Atlantic liners sail the seas.
II is said by those in a position to know
that at least ITO friends of Prof. Langle
in this city are likely to be present thi
next flight. Among them are Nj Pernar
Green. superintendent of the new Librar
building; DIR. ]. W. Powell. formerly of tn
Geological Survey: DR.. Parsons, Pro-
Schofield. DIR. Goode. Prof. Clarke, Mali
WinlOck and DR.. Mason
Really the place for the next trip OF tn
flying machine has been fixed within re;
snnabIn nrnbo hilitv