Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11
A RIVAL TO DUMONT
An Airship Building in Cali
fornia.
A JUBILANT INVENTOR
THINKS HE HAS A GOTH CEN
TURY PROBLEM SOLVED.
Feels Sure to Win the Honor and
Prize at the st. Louis
Fair.
\ JUBILANT INVENTOR
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
No one feature Of the worlds fair being
held at st. Louis will interest and attract
more general notice than the coming COM
petition in which DR.. August Greth a poor
inventor Of San Francisco, Cal, will dem
onstrate, 80 he confidently claims, to the
world at large, that he has at last solved
the problem Of aerial navigation by the
completion and perfection of his new air.
ship. which astonished the good people OF
the Pacific coast metropolis by its recent
Successful flights over the city.
In view Of the almost complete success Of
these tests, DR.. Greth is very sanguine of
being able to carry off the honor and $780,
600 offered as the worlds prize.
Scientists and inventors agree that the
unsolved problem Of the twentieth century
Is aerial navigation. Has 1t at last been
cleared by Dr. Greth? This much can. at
least, be said to his credit. He has achiev-
ed the most pronounced success in airship
building yet recorded IN the United States,
and has, many claim, constructed an air
ship which, from navigable and therefore
commercial point Of view. far surpasses
Santos Dumont's latest effort in this d.
rection.
Is Working Hard.
At his workshop in San Francisco DR..
Greth is rapidly completing his improve
ments on his air. ship Several trials have
been given the ship recently, in each of
which an added measure Of success has
been attained, and the doctor is confident
now that with the improvements which
were suggested by his last aerial fight. he
will be able to navigate the air at WILL
Within few days he will make one more
ascent, and upon this will depend largely
his success at the ST. Louis race. DR.. Greth
has the utmost confidence in his ability to
navigate the air freely.
II will succeed in the end" he said during
the course of recent interview, land when
go up a week from now l will travel as
far as l may please. l believe that will
be able to make a trip that will prove that
navigation Of the air is as feasible a scheme
as can be ina gined.
1.-THE airship which I have invented. and
which 1 successfully operated above San
Francisco, Is very different from that of
Santos Dumont. which one I mention be-
cause 1t is the only other that has been
found at all dirigible. Both are lifted by
gas, and that is almost the only similarity
In the balloons that are used there is very
great difference. Both are spindle shaped,
and in the high air they would look some
what alike: that is all. Here are some of
the points OF distinction between the two:
Points Of Distinction.
1.-THE French invention is composed of
two distinct bodies, the lower one suspend
ed twenty-five feet from the upper one.
1.-The car swings like a pendulum. and Is
SO far from the center OF greatest resist
ance that 1t has tendency to push the
point Of the balloon upward.
Shifting weights are used in the attempt
to counterfeit the tendency mentioned.
when Santos Dumont changes his posi-
ton or moves about the whole airship's
center of gravity is changed and the ship
is made to incline upward or downward.
Command OF the ship is lost by having
LNn t.,
analogous to tugboat controlling a ship at
the length of a hawSer.
1T has only one propeller. which Is at the
stern. Santos Dumont cannot steer with
his propeller, as it Is fixed in the line with
the long axis of the ship. therefore 1t must
be steered with the rudder. which has no
effect unless the airship is under good head
way.
Takes a Long Turn.
consequently the ship can be turned
around only when in rapid motion, and not
less than half a mile is required for the
turn.
THE balloon has balonet or small bal
loon inside Of 1t. This is filed with air
and is kept inflated by power obtained from
the motor, the purpose being to keep the
big balloon taut under expansion or con-
traction of the gas.
Now, my slip is built compactly, and Is
practically all one body.
1.-The car being close to the balloon part
and held rigidly in place, there Is no oscil-
laton and no plunging motion.
There is no need Of any shifting weights.
II can go all over my car without notice
ably affecting the center of gravity and
without causing even the slightest change
in the airship's motion
1.-THE car and machinery have a position
that corresponds with the location of the
engines in steamer.
Four Propellers.
my ship has four propellers at four car
dinal points of the body Of the frame.
can use the propellers In every way that
four oars can be used in boat, and also
20 steer upward or downward, the axes of |
the propellers rotating in any direction.
ut is steered only with the propellers,
the rudder being merely ornamental. Every
bit Of the engines power can therefore be
used for steering while also propelling.
Consequently 1t can be turned around
in its own length when foot above the
ground and without forward motion.
mo balonet Is needed, for the balloon 10
so constructed that the ends and upper
portion will be kept taut by the force of
the gas itself, even when the lower part OF
the balloon is half empty.
Technically described" continued the in
ventor, my airship consists of spindle
diameter. supporting steel framework
which, with the small wooden floor, weighs
about 100 pounds. The balloon holds %, 900
cubic feet Of gas and will raise ton.
Strength and Weight
"The framework of steel tubing 10 built
In trusswork 10 as to get the greatest pos
sfble strength for its weight. In the mid
die Of this framework Is car seven feet
long, four feet wide and four feet high
It 10 composed simply Of the tubing and the
board floor. The motor, ct the middle or