The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-10-01
THE ABODE OF GENIUS.
A Unique Farm In New York for
Inventors.
Everything Arranged for the Con-
venience of Those Engaged
In Scientific Researches
Queer Institution.

In the heart of New York state, be-
yond the reach of the merely curious,
yet open to all of a scientific turn OF
mind, is the only inventors farm in the
world. There is doubtless no stranger
place anywhere, for it is farm where
balloons are raised" aerial schemes are
Matched and air ships are born.
So far as the, place at Frankfort,
Herkimer county, N. Y, is surrounded
by fields and groves which give no sug-
eestion of city life, it is farm, but its
products are those of which the or
binary farmer knows nothing. For
these products are flying machines, bal
looms, strange ships that-in theory at
lcast-dart through the air or skim the
ground like bird.
Prof Carl Z. Myers, who has estab-
lished the unique farm, is like most
men of purely scientific mind in that he
is most conservative in his ideas of
publicity, and is content to live in the
midst of wonders with his assistants
and those who, from time to time, are
associated with him. If an inventor has
an idea that he will be able to overcome
the forces of nature and construct a
mechanical bird, it will no longer be nee
essary for him to spend fortunes to
work out his ideas or die without ac-
complshing his life's object. All he
needs to do will be to go to the inven
tors farm and find there willing hands
ind fruitful brains, as we'll as all ap~
pliances of this electrical age to assist
I him.
Almost in the center of the big farm
is modern country house, standing
amid many smaller buildings, in which
are to be found the materials for every
form of experiment connected with
aeronautics. The lower portion of the
large house is given over to living
rooms, while third story and attic eX-
tending the length of the building and
occupied by balloon apparatus, access
series and wonderful devices for the
construction of air ships.
The farm was especially selected for
its natural advantages. There are
stretches of level ground, gently ris-
ing slopes and strong declivities. Thus
it does not matter at what stage of work
the inventions may be, a suitable grade
can always be found on the farm at
which trials can be made If it be an
air ship that has been constructed
where there is a doubt as to the exact
nature of its workings, it can be tested
on the slight grades, so that there will
be as slight a risk as possible to human
life or to the ship.
Close to the main house, in a glen, is
situated one of the most important fea-
lures of the farm. This is the spot de-
signed for the making of fabric for all
manner of flying machines and balloons.
q On this half acre of ground, which is
skirted by the higher ground and trees.
the fabric is stretched to receive the
coatings of gasproof varnish. For this
application of varnish special machine
has been invented and constructed by
Prof. Myers, so contrived as to supply
complete coating of thick varnish and
then to remove the coating with the ex-
ceptlon of an exceedingly delicate film,
difficult to bemeasured by Instruments
One section of the attic of the big
house is workshop containing all tools
necessary for the construction of ap-
paratus from wood, metal or textile, in
Guiding lathes of various and original
designs, steam engines, all classes of
woodworking machinery and kindred
apparatus for making comparative
tests. This is the section in which is
constructed the material for the full
sized machines of the air after working
models have been tested. Another Sec
tion of the attic is given over to space
and machinery for the construction of
models especially of kites, aeroplanes,
wind-borne or self-propelled motors.
winged apparatus worked by hand and
feet, gas vessels propelled by screws or
serving to support other devices for
safe trial by their inventors.
In the little buildings scattered over
the farm are located the gas engines and
tanks for practical experiments, the
chemical chambers and several furnaces
and retorts. Some Of these last are so
strange and unusual that their APP
pearance suggests the laboratory of some
old-time alchemist rather than Nine
teenth century workshop.-N. Y. Her
aid.