The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-02-27
THE ABODE OF GENIUS.
A Unique Farm In New York for
Inventors.
Everything Arranged for the Con-
venience Of Those Engaged
in Scientific Research-A
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
hatched 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-
gestion of city life, it is farm, but it's
products are those of which the or
dinary farmer knows nothing. For
these products are flying machines, bal
looms, strange ships that-in theory at
least-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
IN 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-
codnplishing his lfe'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.
planes of this electrical age to assist
him.
Almost in the center of the big farm
is a modern country house, standing
amid many smaller buildings, in which
ire to be found the materials for every
foIm Of experiment connected with
aeronautics. The lower portion of the
'arge house is given over to living
rooms, while third story and attic ex-
ending the length of the building and
occupied by balloon apparatus, access
sories and wonderful devices for the
construction of air ships.
The farm was especially selected for
is natural advantages. There are
stretches Of level ground, gently ris-
ng slopes and strong declivities. Thus
does not matter at what stage of work
he inventions may be, a suitable grade
an always be found on the farm at
which trials can be made. If it be an
iir ship that has been cons tructed
where there is & doubt as to the exact
nature of its workings, it can be tested
IN 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-
s;gned for the making of fabric for all
of flying machines and balloons.
IN this half acre of ground, which is
.llirted by the higher ground and trees,
> he fabric is stretched to receive the
.oatings of gasproof varnish. For this
Of varnish a special machine
iIas been invented and constructed by
Prof. Myers, SO contrived as to supply
Il complete coating Of thick varnish and
then to remove the coating with the ex-
>eption of an exceedingly delicate film,
litiicult to bemeasured by instruments.
One section of the attic of the big
house is workshop containing all tools
necessary for the construction of ap-
>aratus from wood, metal or textile, in
.luding lathes of various and original
IesiEns, steam engines, all classes of
machinery and kindred
apparatus for making comparative
ests. This is the section in which is
the material for the full
sized machines of the air after working
models have been tested. Another sec
ion of the attic is given over to space
and machinery for the construction of
models especially of kites, aeroplanes,
yind-borne or self-propelled motors
winged apparatus worked by hand and
,eet, gas vessels propelled by screws or
serving to support other devices for
safe trial by their inventors.
In the little buildings scattered over
he farm are located the gas engines and
Janks for practical experiments, the
,heuuical chambers and several furnaces
md retorts. Some of these last are SO
strange and unusual that their ap-
,earance suggests the laboratory OF some
,Id-time alchemist rather than Nine
.eenth century workshop.-N. \. Her
I'D.