The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-08-17


fiating the balloon, and learn if the
balloon were capable of successfully
raising the motor, as their had been
some doubts expressed by few of the
foreign experts, but if they had any
doubts before the imitation of the bal
loon, it was soon dispelled, when they
saw with what rapidity her machinery
filled the balloon, and with what ease
she began to rise, for unlike the Or
binary balloon, that has to be held fast
until its imitation is just so, and the
moment it is let go, bounds swiftly into
space. The Aeriomotor gradually rose
to 300 feet, and as gradually returned
to her berth,
After this successful test, it was de.
cided to run her to an altitude of five
thousand feet, and put her propellers
in action for the purpose of testing her
qualities as navigator against a
current of air. Again did she demon.
strate that she was all that her invent
ors claimed for her, and after cir.
cuitous route of about two miles, she
decended as gently as she rose, causing
her inventor to remark, cat last, at
last has patience been rewarded" But
their were those among the special
guests, especially the representatives, of
the q. s. War Department, that were
not satisfied, and claimed that the tests
were not sufficient to demonstrate her
ability to navigate any distance, so it
was arranged to run her to Blue Point,
distance of 30 miles, or total of 60
miles for the round trip. After few
alterations in her ballast, for it was seen
she carried too much, five representa-
tives stepped inside, and after bidding
farewell to their friends, the compart-
ments were securely closed and for the
third time ascended into space, but so
quickly, that it caused some of them
to regrett that they had accepted the
invitation to navigate space. The first
and paramount question to these critics
after they had ascended six thousand
feet was, in case the balloon should
burst or the machinery should break
down, what were the facilities for say.
ing ones life. TO this Morse, jr., merely
replied, She can't break down, for she
was planned and constructed so as not
to break down. We are now 5000 feet
from terra frma, and Blue Point lies
due south of our present position, so if
you gentlemen will kindly find your
respective compartments and take your
individual observations and note it
down, will run her to test her speed,
for 1 am convinced she can fairly travel
without the wind itself. They all got in
their compartments and put their eyes
to the powerful lenses, where you could
look through and guage the heavens,
but not the speed of the Aeriomotor.
Hardly had they gone, when the full
power of the machinery had been
turned on, and in exactly 40 minutes,
when the hand on the centimeograph
pointed to 30, young Morse knew that
he was exactly over their objective
point, and so began to lower the motor
to the city and telegraph back to his
father the good news of her wonderful
speed and remarkable behavior. Mr..
Morse was lying in bed when the news
was brought to him of the safe arrival
of the Aeriomotor at Blue Point, and
when he heard the good news he said,
eff that is so, then / am convinced that
1t is possible to attain very high speed
with the motor" He telegraphed back
to his son to ascend to an altitude of
ten thousand feet or higher, and put on
all the pressure that the machinery
could stand, without straining her
vitals, and after few minutes of rest
they again got into the car and began
to ascend into space, but this time to
such height, that it fairly took their
breath away, aud after an altitude of
ten thousand or more feet were reached,
her propellers were put in motion, and
in few minutes they fairly flew
through space, and in exactly twenty
six minutes they were again at their
starting point. With such remark