The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-01
WILL GO OVER FALLS.
saiiSr Wood Has Novel Boat for Nav
igating Niagara.
(ChIcaeo Inter Ocean.)

(ChIcaeo Inter-Ocean.1
Sailing over Niagara falls In balloon
boat looks like dangerous piece Of busi-
ness. Fred 4. Wood, young sailor now
In Chicago, has designed a machine for
this purpose, however, and proposes to
take this chances In the big whirlpool In
the near future.
"I've been a sailor on the lakes and
the ocean all my life" says Wood. ~
don't know what IL is to fear the air or
this water. I'D just as soon take my seat
in this boat and start over the terraces
above the falls as to drive over Michigan
avenue ia a cab
ME-. Wood Ia absolutely sure that his
machine VIII work. "It is Contracted
according to scientific principles, he
says, "and science never falls
The balloon boat, as designed by Mr..
Wood, consists of cylindrical balloon,
car, and boat. The balloon, from.
which the car and boat are suspended, is
ten feet long, six fest in diameter, and
pointed at the ends. 1t Is made of very
stout materials, and is capable OF sup
porting 500 pounds of weight. The car
is as light as 1t cSn be made with safety.
The frame is of steel. although the In
xantor baliavas that hap,6ko xvorla no
preferable II sufficiently tough variety
could be had In this country. Four feet
long and two feet wide are the dimen-
sions OF the car, giving room for the OPP.
10 move ahout in riirscting the oonrsa If
Sha boat as "a elescansis ths ranids NJ is
also impervious to wahW, and will Il Loaf.
npER A TINA TIfuN1 MANuTNE
Attacked 20 .h,. hv to,,. ..ao, roaa
A0aoneN " 'A's 20. " Aour sseei iouS
is boat Weighing lOO pounds, or a little
less. The four rods are fastened to a foot
nIata nv holts Thasa ara arrarsad CO
-. = =,
shat pressure ON the footpiate viii
withdraw the bolts simultaneously, and
in an instant release the boat from the
40. A. tha an5 80 ~, 49, 80 ~, 20
Va1' az s"e ouu "a Sno DSAs anu aiso VI
ire car 10 ruuuer managed by tiller
connected with the car. The car also Is
provided with TWO sir planes, or practi-
cally two Immense wings, one on each
size. These are 2O27 feet, and can be
turned 10 stand aS any angie from the
tiue OF the Car. Inc whole, IL Will be
seen, Is modelled on the plan OF Maxim's
3 machine, the aeroplane.
WOOD 8 plan Ior sainng over Niagara
Tails 10 shls; 1he balloon boat is to be
anchored in midstream, about thousand
.See oNoto uh0 'aaAe' "aoeA ~ shaA-
poses to walk out to his boat. He will
begin TO shoot down the river ranidiv
toward the moving cataract. The boat
VIII descend soatast, owing to the buoy
a $1,000 tusee ~ eh Sne osLoon AM sne sMus
play. just as the boat dashes over the
curve of the tails he will press the foot
plate IN tne nottom OF tne car ana release
The boat will he dashed into a ni,I,nn
pieces. Then, II Woods calculations do
not fail, his car and balloon, relieved OF
the 100 pounds weight of the boat, win
rise slightly and sail out through the |
mists and away from the powerful sue
tion or the boiling torrent. The naviga-
tor will allow some of the gas to escape |
from the balloon, and 1t will begin TO
come down. Here the wings on each |
Side OF the car Will come tnyo play. Or |
dinarily, as gas escaped from the bal
loon, the car would settle straight down |
and strike the water with broadside |
dash. Wood intends to turn these wings |
at an angie OF about 40 degrees This
will cau60 the to glide into the 1