The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-26
BUILDING An AIR SHIP.
Lieutenant NirdIinser Confident He
Has Solved the Problem.
Philadelphia Record.

f,nllauelpnla RECORD.
Tie obstacles to successful aerial naviga-
ton which have puzzled scientists and in
VentorS for several centuries are claimed to
have been overcome by Lieut.. G. S. Nird-
finger, who is really Philadelphia boy, al
though for several years he has been in
business at Norfolk Va. Nrdlinger is an
officer of the Fourth Virginia Infantry, in
WHICH capacity he served under Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee.
Young Nirdlinger is a graduate of the Bos-
ton school of Technology and of the Univer-
sity of Notre Dame, at South Bend Ind He
is positive that he has solved the question
Of travelling safely and with speed through
the air For nearly fifteen years he has de-
voted himself to the construction OF an ar
ship, and next week. in New York, he pro-
poses to give to the public an ocular demon
stration of what this machine will do. His
claims for this big machine, which Is to
carry six persons. are based upon POI practical
During the past few weeks Nirdlinger has
superintendent the making of the different
parts of his big air ship, and the manufae-
turers yesterday completed the gas bag
which is % by $50 feet and will contain $3.50
cubic feet of gas.
according to his claims, IS entirely different
from that used in any other so-called air
ships Others he said yesterday, have
had rotary fan to drive them forward by
beating the wind. My principle is the SIM
pie suction of the wind to draw it forward
1t is almost precisely the same principle as
swimming. The swimmer throws his arms
forward to draw his body through the water.
instead of trying TO draw the water toward
hin"
The gas bag, which is capable of support
ing 400O pounds is surrounded by light
frame work, which holds it rigid, and it is
surmounted by a metal cap at the rear and
a cone-shaped nose in front which acts as
breaker of the wind On either side of the
gas bag are two blowers, each five feet in
diameter. Suspended about twenty feet be-
low the gas bag is a bOat-Shaped car, aris-
ing on either side of which are light iron
pillars which support the blowers. The car
itself contains a searchlight, and there are
seats in the fore part.
The center of the car is occupied by
for weight and space is marvel. The stern
is occupied by tank of chemicals to feed
the engine The entire weight of the air ship
is 800 pounds.
Il make the claim said Nirdlnger. that
it is the only thing of the kind in existence
that will fly against the wind. 1t can be
controlled as easily in the air as Il ship can
be controlled in the water. People talk
about the danger of aerial navigation, but
travel. Since the discovery Of the balloon
in 1749 there have been but forty-sX fatal
tiles. The speed of my machine depends on
the velocity of the wind
"A speed of a mile a minute i'll aerial navi-
cation ought not to be uncommon. l figure
that my air ship as it is to-day will be i'm
valuable in the army for signaling purposes,
also for dropping explosives from high alti-
tudes In warfare / l,ian that the ship
rot less than 200 feet, which IS perfectly
safe and safe DISTANCE from the enemy
The air ship will be completed by Tues
day, when it will be taken TO New York for
a public trial. A number of New oTkerS
are interested in the ipVe1tiOn.