Evening journal., 1904-10-26
An AIRSHIP THAT FILES
Made an Unannounced Flight of Ten
Miles From Worlds Fair.
soAKE0 AIoA AeovE suILDINoa

Nanoeuvred In Circles Against High
Wind before Accident Rendered Big
Fan Propeller Useless - Caused
Great Excitement In st. Louis.
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 a.rship
owned and perfected by Thorias S.
Baldwin, of San Francisco. n charge
of A. Roy Knabenshue. of Toledo;
made an unannounccd fight Of 10
miles from the Worlds Fair crowds
over st. Louis and across the Missis-
sippi river TO Cahol1ia. III.
Ciinging 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
cles and against the wind high over
the great buildings Of the exposition,
before an accident TO the motor rem
dercd the big fan propellers useless
and curtailed his command of direc-
tion. but not of suspension or descen-
sion.
When the motor broke Knabenshue
manoeuvred the flying mac yne into
the wind. and he was enables 10 steer
the Arrow in a course that varied
several points either way from the
trend Of the wind and to land at q
point of his own selection.
There were few persons at the aero
drome when the flight began. The
trip from the starting point to TIE
main part Of the exposition grounds
was unnouced 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 It was seen by several.
and then by hundreds Of sightseers.
and within 10 minutes Of its discov-
cry thousands We're watching Knabens-
hue cause the flying machine to turn
this way and that at his will
Slowly the Arrow turned and.
breastinp the wind made progress in
the direction from which It had come.
Again the big cigar-shaped balloon
answered its helm and again IL 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 10 make the second turn
the motor broke, Almost instantly the
navigator gained control of the ma
chino and steered n 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 It's presence was soon
discovered and watched by thousands
Of persona 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
and an business was suspended until
the airshsp passed.
After sailing high over the sky
scrapers. Knabenshue passed 70 the
Illinois side Of the Mississippi river.
stunning the murky river as a bird.
and headed toward CaholSla. where he
brought the airship to the ground
easily
Tho flight occupied exactly one
hour. The motor hroSe about Is min.
utes after the airship left the aero
nartic 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. 54 feet long and n feet in
diameter. and requires 5000 cubic feet
Of gas to initiate IT, The frame attach
mcnt IS 80 feet long.