The Van Buren press., 1904-10-29
THE california
ARROWS" FLIGHT
Aeronaut Knabenshue Declares He
Made a Complete DEM
onStration.
AERIAL NAVIGATION HAS PASSED
FROM MERE POSSIBILITY TO FACT.
Only For Unfortunate Baking OF
His Engine He WouId uaN" Wade
Perfect DEMONSTRATION" VIII
Make Another Flight Thursday,
Weather Permitting.

Weather Permitting.
st. Louis, Oct. 27.-A. r. KnaQen-
shue, the aeronaut who made the
fight. Tuesday, in Prof Baldwin's Cal
ifornia Arrow says Of the trip;
Il consider the flight Of the airship
as made by me from the Aeronautic
concourse at the Louisiana Purchase
exposition to a point in Illinois 10
miles away, a thorough test for the
merits of the machine and a complete
demonstration of the fact that aerial
navigation has passed from the bounds
of the possible and the probable to the
realms of accepted scientific fact.
1T is true that from the time the
airship left the transportation build
ing, during the remainder Of the flight
the gasoline engine Of the apparatus
was not working, and from that fact
the control | had over the steering APP
paratus was not as great as it should
have been and was not so great as II
was during the early portion of the
voyage. when exercised complete con
troll over every movement Of the vessel
Thousands watched Him.
Hundreds Of spectators watched me
as | rose in the air and thousands and
thousands Of Worlds fair visitors from
all parts of the grounds gazed at the
machine as it moved from boundary to
boundary of the Aeronautic cOncoursc
and sailed in a great letter s. out
over the fair grounds and around the
Administration building to the Trans
portation building, where my engine
went dead From that point of the
voyage | must acknowledge that | and
the machine were at The mercy Of the
ten-mile breeze in which we had be
come entanged, and until the landing
was safely made over in Illinois that
a higher power than mere machinery
stood between me and destruction.
No Fcnr of Personal Danger.
Although | had not been directly
connected with the development Of Mr.
Baldwin's psns for his airship, | had
taken great interest in the progress OF
his machine. ! had been connected
with the work in the AeronautiC con
course ever since the opening of the
exposition, and was we'll acquainted
with the details Of construction Of all
the ships which have been planned
there and which were intended for en-
try in the grand prize contest
80 far as the machine In which the
trial was made Is concerned | was alb
sohtely confident that the secret OF
aerial navigation had been reached,
and prepared for the trip with the as
surance, as far as | myself was con
cerncd, that little personal danger was
attached 50 long as the machinery WAS
in working condition,
Claims Z Was successful.
Successful? OF course It was sue
ccssful in the fullest sense Of the term
At every stage Of the voyage previous
TO the unfortunate accident to the en-
CINE the mechanism was absolutely
under my control Currents and cross
currents were safely naygated, and
there Is every evidence that the dream
of science for generations has at last
been realized.
Capt, Thomas 5, Baldwin, OF San
Francisco the inventor Of the airshlp
the California Arrow" which made
the voyage Tuesday afternoon, stated
that he would make another trip
Thursday, If the TcaJher conditions
were favorable,
lie IL satisfied with the work done
by his ship at the initial test, Tuesday
and Is not the least discouraged by the
failure Of the gasoline engine TO meet
the emergency He says that the con
tlngcncy may hardly be- expected TO
arise again, but he win carefully guard
II repetition, Thursdays voyage, he Is
sanguine, viii be even more successful
than Tuesdaya
As Tuesdays voyage made him
eligible for tho grand prize, he viii
have the incentive Of The 100000 prize
to spur him on 10 the greatest eXer-
tions. Knabonshuo viii again be the
nnVIVuIpr M Thur4dnV'4 uipht