The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-09
HIS AIR SHIP CAN FLY
PROF. BARNARD's MACHINE SCARS
ALoFT LIKE A HUGE BIRD.
The Inventor Tells About His First
Trip-A Cig~ar-Shapcd Balloon
with Wings and PropeIIers.-

doubt that Prof. Arthur w. Barnard. physi-
cal director of the Y. NJ. c. a. of this city,
has invented an air ship that can fly.
Though the machine is not yet perfect, its
navigator has demonstrated that aerial
navigation is possible. He thus describes
his trip last Friday, when he astonished the
people at the Centennial Exposition: THE
hin from which I started" he said, lis a
good place. and then it isn't. There is a
c.amp Of trees that annoyed me, to begin
with. When got above them and before
the ropes were cut loose entirely the ball
loon struck a current Of air that gave it
that swaying motion which you say you
noticed. and l thought several times /
should be unable to get above the current
or to successfully enter it. Finally, at my
command. they turned the balloon loose
and 1 went up without any trouble what
ever. 1t was a dead calm below where
those watching me stood, but Immediate
ly found myself in a very strong current
OF air. However, in order to see whether
] had any control of the machine. l worked
the aeroplanes and turned the machine
around two or three times. l might have
continued to do that indefinitely, but as it
was the first trial, l wanted to go slow
with the experiment. So, after a few min
utee. / let the machine 90 with the current.
d. was - NA@hAA eAAA NNAANA - NtA1N0
the city and return TO the centennial
grounds, but / struck some unexpected and
unfortunate currents Of air which made it
impossible. 1 went up three miles high to
avoid them, but could not find a favorable
current in any region. When l dropped
very low the same unfavorable conditions
prevailed. If the currents had maintained
q regular course / could have controlled the
air ship much better, but Ihey were very
contrary. So / concluded to sail west and
try to return later in the day, when, per-
haps. the wind currents would be blowing
more favorably.
SAILED OVER TWENTY MILES.
IN seeking for q current that would en-
able me to circle the city l must have
crossed the river. going backwards and for
wards as many as seven or eight times. l
know that I crossed it four or five times,
but, of course, l was so busy thinking what
was best to do and how best to manage the
machine that 1 could not take note of all
these matters. Not succeeding in finding a
favorable current. / concluded to sail west,
as stated, and accordingly did so. l sup
pose 1 went about twenty miles. Then I
found a favorable current and started back.
But | had let out so much gas to lower NY
self and thrown out so much sand to ele-
Vate the ship from time to time in trying
TO avoid these clustering currents, / soon
began to ind it Impossible to attain q
proper or favorable height for propelling
and managing the machine.
This began to impress itself more and
more upon my mind as | neared the city,
and l finally concluded that | would make
a landing, feeling, nyway that l had ac-
compiished enough for one day. When 1
made up my hin to alight l was passing
over a small vilIase. which / afterward
learned to be Watkins, and l selected an
open field about half a mile from the town
as a good place to fall. Accordingly, | di-
rected the aeroplanes downward. and the
air ship began TO descend. 1t settled down
very gradually. and / began to think | was
going to fall on the exact spot selected in
ground I struck a swift current Of air, and
instead of alighting on one side of the fence
in an open field. where l had intended. l
fell'on the opposite side of the fence. in the
midst of SCl.s willows. No. not on top of
them. but between them. 1t was lust as
good a place 10 land, except that ii became
harder afterward to get the air ship out of
the place
We're you injured at all in falling?'
Not in the least"
Were you propelling the machine at the
Yes, except about five minutes of the
time, l guess. l stopped them just to see
how it would 60. At the time | was in a
calm, but presently the ship drifted into a
to get it out"
1T is said that you damaged the ma
Not at all. One of the spars broke. how
ever. while | was about two miles high. l
got INTO a kline of SquaU and the spar
snapped. 1t was of no consequence
People said that you would be coming
hlN III al GOiii
Professor Barnard laughed. That's non
sense he said. THE machine is abso-
Iutely safe. Even if the balloon burst |
nave a parachute arrangement THAI would
let it drop easily to the ground. The aero
planes are about ten feet square. They are
SIMPLY to guide 1t and are easily controlled.
The propeller is in front and is in the shape
augur into wood and does not push, but
puuS the ship along, If you can understand
the principle
COST is SMALL.
How long have you been working on
this invention?'
We'll, I have had the ideas in my head
Tor ten years or so. but have not been test
ing them more than three years. l com
menced the construction of this air ship
about a year ago. It's parts were made by
different men. Each part was guaranteed
to stand the strain required. l felt that
the machine was absolutely safe, although
/ had never tried it before. What did it
cost? Oh, the materials cost about 81, 200.
OF course, as ii is the only machine of the
KIND in the world, l could not put a value
on it
We'll, you have forgotten to tell me how
oh, yes; I came back in a wagon. Yes.
1 brought the machine with me. 1t is
IN the building at the Centennial now under
guard. Lon Mayo, a drayman at Watkins.
brought me back, and +. q. Blackman, a
farmer living somewhere out that way, re-
turned with me also, Mr.. Blackman was
just leaving the city as we We're initiating
the balloon. He saw it being inflated. and
when he met me coming back was perfectly
astOnished. l beat him to Watkins. and in
the meantime had travelled a good many
miles in circles and a considerable dis
tanCe beyond Watkins-aItogether twenty
or thirty miles, l should think 1t was very
cold in the upper regions, and had to
turn up the collar of my coat. I had no
compass but tried to steer by locating a
cluster of houses here and another there.
] could distinguish the villages very well.
and could see carriages or anything like
that passing, but could not tell whether
any one was observing me until / COM
meEced my return journey, when I was
nearer the earth by reason of the loss of
so much gas"
Then you think you nave invented a per-
feet air ship2"
Not by any MEANS was the reply. but
I think ! have an air ship that can be con-
trolled in aerial voyages under ordinary
conditions. You couldn't do anything with
# in a thunderstorm or even in a twenty
or twenty-fve-mile wind. but if the day
is calm and conditions in the upper air
favorable it can be easily controlled
The air ship has an air chamber shaped
like a cigar and forty-siX feet long by
eighteen feet in diameter. 1t is made of
silk and cotton and filled with hydrogen
gas. This chamber is confined in a network
Of small rope which holds the metallic
frame work and aeroplanes underneath.
The seat is made or the order of a bicycle
frame. and from this the operator controls
the wings or aerOplanes, on either side. The