The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-10
THE FLYING MACHINE.
Prof. LangIey's First Authentic Pop
ular Description of the New Won-
der..His ToiIsome ExDeriments,

der--His Toilsome Experiments.
In McClure's Magazine for June
Prof. S. P. Langley, of the Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, gives the first
authentic popular account of his flying
machine, and of the experiments which
led up to his successfully accomplish
ing mechanical fight. Prof. Langley, as
is well known, was formerly connected
with the Western University of Penn
sylvania, and that it was over the river
in Allegheny that he began his expert
ments. When his mind first turned to
the subject he found that he had to
begin at the very beginning and study
out the principles there being absolute
ly nothing to guide him in books, what
he found there regarding the subject
being rather misleading than otherwise.
He spent years in making experiments
on the power of plane surfaces in mo-
tionand made discoveries which over
threw all previous theories. In short,
he developed that in theory mechani-
cal fight was possible, meaning by me-
chanical fight not merely the floating
in the air of body lighter than the
atmosphere like a balloon, but the
flight of a body heavier than the air,
by means of a self-contained power.
After arriving at this conclusion
there were years more of experiment.
ing in the construction of a machine in
which this theory could be realized in
actual practice. One machine after an
other was constructed only to find that
some serious error existed, which rem
dered flight impossible. Sometimes the
| error wasobvious, but often it was puzz-
| ling and difficult to solve. But, what
ever it was, whenever discovered, it
had to be corrected, and when this was
done some other error would be found
| that would compel complete revision
| Finally, when a machine had been con-
structed of the requisite lightness and
with the requisite power to drive it
through the air, came the difficulty Of
successfully launching it. For it could
not rise from the ground like bird,
| nor could it lift itself, but it's sustain
| ing power depended upon as motion
through the air. AS finally completed
the machine is thus described:
The width of the wings from tip to tip
is between ~ and 13 feet, and the
length of the whole about 16 feet. The
weight is nearly 30 pounds, of which
| about one-fourth is contained in the
| machinery. The boiler, with it's fire
crate, weighs a little over five pounds,
| and develops between l and 1h horse
| power. The engine weighs but 26
ounces , and drives two propellers be-
! tween and feet in diameter at the
rate of from 800 to 1000 revolutions per
minute. There are two sets of wings
made of canvas attached to long steel
rod, which forms the backbone of the
70. fnl, fe- atfn he
machinery.
After the machine. which is called
the aeradrome, was completed, it took
three years more of experimenting
before II could be successfully launched
and actually made to fly. A locality
on the Potomac river, about 30 miles
below Washington, was selected, and
here, upon a scow, was erected a work
shop, from the top of which the launch
ing experiments were made. Finally
after numberless delays, on the 9Th OF
May, 1896, all the difficulties were finally
overcome, and the reward came foI
more than a dozen years of toll and
thought. On that day the machine was
launched successfully and the great
problem of the navigation of the all
that man had dreamed about for ages
was solved. The machine actually
scared throught the air, and main
tained itself In that medium for the
period that those who had launched II
desired. Owing to the fact that If Il
was allowed to settle on the land, II
might be wrecked, by contact with
trees or other subjects, II was timed
so that the steam would give out II
less than two minutes, so that II would
settle in the water. Its first flight wal
about 300 feet, in direct line, when 4
settled gently. without injury. in thu
water. and was Immediately taken ou
and launched again for a somewha