San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-29
ANOTHER AIR SHIP.
An Omaha Man Has Devised One
Which is All Right.

An Omaha Man Has Devised One
Which is All Right.
dispatch to the st. Louis Globe
Democrat, from Omaha, Neb., under
date of April 25th, has the following ac-
count of another air ship:
Several weeks ago the directors of
the Trans Mississippi Exposition re-
ceived letter signed "A. c. Lynton,"
applying for an option on the right to
fly an air ship from the exposition
grounds. The letter explained that the
signature was not the right name of
the air ship inventor, but that he was
the man who had been making night
ly excursions throughout the west and
that he temporarily desired to conceal
his identity. The note caused much
speculation and some investigation,
and it has been quite well established
that the inventor is Lynton A. Case,
an Omaha geuius, who some time ago
moved to Kansas City. He is an in
ventor by nature, but violin maker
by necessity. He had signed his name
backward in the communication.
The fact came out through Alva J.
Grover, a well-known civil engineer
and intimate friend of Case. Some
time before leaving Omaha, Case ex-
hibited to Grover plans of a vehicle
designed for navigating the air, to-
gether with drawings of a propelling
engine, the like of which the engineer
had never before seen. After a care
full study of the blue prints of Cases
machine Grover declared himself of
the opinion that an air ship or aero
plane built upon those lines would be
able to navigate the air, providing re-
sistence of air currents and steering
gear were in relative proportion to the
lifting capacity of the plane. 1t was
at once secretly submitted to Prof.
Roland, of John Hopkins University,
and the chief of the balloon corps Of
the United States with encouraging
results. Grover is satisfied that the
air ship floating around is Cases YES
sci.
A remarkable feature of this air ship
was the propelling engine, which, ow-
ing to the construction of the plane,
must of necessity combine great power
within small space. Cases plan show
pounds of weight, every horsepower
could be secure by each additional g.
pound weight of engine. The whole
power for carrying 1900 pounds could
be secured within the space of an or
binary office desk. Naptha was to be
used instead Of coal, being easily car
ried in tanks at the bottom of the
plane. The plane itself, of an entirely
original designe, was the result of
many years experiments. Its frame
wOrkwas to be of bamboo, which the
inventor had found to be the strongest
as well as lightest material. Thirty
foot wings of bamboo, covered with
silk, extended outward and downward
on each side of the body of the ship,
the latter having somewhat the ap-
pearance of a boats keel, tapering up
ward toward the front. The propeller
at the>rear was like an ordinary steam
ships screw, with the exception that
the blades were very long and taper
ing, and made of aluminium. At the
bottom of the ship, on each side, wheels
were placed, which assisted in starting
the plane, and they were also to be
utilized when aligthing.
Local Freight Agent c. NJ. Stone, of
the International telephoned the Light
yesterday afternoon about 4 o'clock
from the freight depot, that the air
ship had just passed there, going in
northwesterly direction. The aerial
monster, he said attracted a great deal
of attention. 1t was about 400 yards
above the ground. Mr.. Stone has in
his possession a piece of board, eigh-
teen inches in length, which, he says,
was dropped from the ship.