Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-10-29
AiRSHlP SAILS
OVER ST. LOUIS
Made an Unannounced Flight of Ten
Miles, From Worlds Fair.
SCARED HIGH ABOVE BUILDINGS

SCARED HIGH ABOVE BUILDINGS
st. Louis. Oct. 26-Propelled part Of
the way by its own power. and the
remainder OF the distance by the wind.
which was blowing at the rate Of 10
| miles an hour. the Arrow. an airship
owned and perfected by Thomas S.
Baldwin. of San Francisco. in charge
| of A Roy Knabenshue. of Toledo.
made an unannounced flight of 10
miles from the Worlds Fair grounds
over st Louis and across the Missis-
sippi river to Cahokia. Ill.
Clinging to the frame work of the
| car. his precarious foothold an iron
tube that forms one side of the base
of the triangular network of supports
and ribs of the Arrows body. Kna-
benshue directed the movements of the
flying machine and manoeuvred in cir
Giles and against the wind high over
before an accident to the motor rem
dered the big fan propellers useless
| and curtailed his command of direc-
ton. but not of suspension or descen-
sion.
When the motor broke Knabenshue
manoeuvred the flying machine into
the wind. and he was enabled to steer
the Arrow In a course that varied
several points either way from the
trend of the wind and to land at a
point of his own selection.
There were few persons at the aero
drome when the flight began. The
trip from the starting point to the
main part of the exposition grounds
was unnoticed by most of the thou
sands of visitors to the fair.
AS the airship. several hundred feet
in the air. sailed over the transporta-
tion building II was seen by several.
and then by hundreds of sightseers.
and within 10 minutes of its discov-
cry thousands were watching Knabens-
hue cause the flying machine to turn
this way and that at his will.
Slowly the Arrow turned and.
breasting the wind. made progress in
the direction from which It had come.
Again the big cigar-shaped balloon
| answered its helm and again it scared
above the exposition buildings on its
way to the cascades. where hundreds
of cheering spectators marked its
flight from the Plaza St Louis. In at
tempting to make the second turn
the motor broke. Almost instantly the
navigator gained control of the ma
chine and steered a straight course. a
little east of southeast.
Steering his ship so that he could
| gain the best speed from the wind.
Knabenshue directed its course over
the southwestern residence quarter of
st. Louis. where its presence was soon
discovered and watched by thousands
OF persons who rushed from their
homes to watch the airship.
Passing rapidly eastward. the Arrow
reached the business quarter. where
its appearance was the signal for
great excitement. Clerks deserted
their desks. street cars were stopped
the airship passed.
After sailing high over the sky
scrapers. Knabenshue passed to the
Illinois side OF the Mississippi river,
stunning the murky river as bird.
and headed toward Cahokia. where he
brought the airship to the ground
| easily.
The flight occupied exactly one
hour The motor broke about Is min
utes after the airship left the aero
nautic concourse.
The airship was constructed under
the personal supervision of Captain
Baldwin in California. and differs in
many features from ships constructed
in the past. On the ship Captain Bald
win places his hopes Of winning the
| 100000 prize at the fair. The gas
balloon is cigar-shaped. made of Japa-
nese silk. 81 feet long and II feet in
diameter. and requires 5000 cubic feet
OF gas to initiate it The frame attach
ment is 80 feet long.
Pennsy Orders 5000 Cars.
Philadelphia. Oct. 27.-The Pennsyl-
vania Railroad company has placed an
order for 5000 cars. 5000 of which are
to replace damaged and worn out cars
On TIC Sdot WCot Va Atto-
burg. and which are not looked upon
as an addition to the equipment The
| orders for those cars which include
steel coal cars. wooden sided gondolas.
coke and box cars. have been about
equally distributed among the Ameri-
can Car and Foundry company. the
Pressed Steel Car company. the Stand
81
bria Steel company. The other 200
ordered are steel coke cars and with
600 ordered several weeks ago. are
additions to the equipment They will
| be built by the Cambria Steel COM