The Saint Paul globe., 1904-11-01
PERFORMS WONDERS
WITH AN AIRSHIP
Knabenshu Makes the Most
Successful Test of the Kind
on Record


In every direction at a height of 1000
feet above the Cascades, in sight of
thousands of cheering spectators on
the worlds fair grounds, A. Roy Knab-
enshu, of Toledo, Ohio, in command Of
the Baldwin airship, today returned to
the place from which he had started
over the same course that he had
come covering the three and half
miles of the round trip under his own
power and demonstrating the claims
of the inventor, Capt Thomas S. Bald
win, of San Francisco, that "the Cali
fornia Arrow is not only dirigible, but
fhat it can make headway against a
moderate breeze.
Knabenshu started from the aero
nautic conc5urse at 3:37 p. n and re-
turned after his remarkable fight at
4:O5 %. M In the round trip the air
ship sailed back to the exact spot
where it had risen, and glided about
100 feet further west, where it settled
gracefully to the ground.
The firing machine, with its daring
navigator, was carried around the con-
course upon the shoulders Of shouting
men. Hats were thrown in the air,
and when Knabenshu called for three
cheers for his home town, they were
given with will, and another round
AN-tSN"SO-~D--~ N~-~~
Satisfaction After Backset
The successful fight came as cli-
max to a day full of discouragement.
Baldwin and Knabenshu had worked
for -tWenty-SiX hours without sleep in
order to prepare for the flight, and the
first essay at an ascent with Baldwin
himself in command of the airship had
ended disaStrously, the Arrow falling
suddenly to the ground and breaking
of Of
Baldwin announced that the damage
could be repaired at once, and said
that Knabenshu would attempt an
other fight in half an hour. At the
expiration of that time, on signal
from Xnabenshu, the airship was cast
loose and the motor started
The Arrow rose slowly and easily,
its prov directed toward the west.
When at height of about twenty-five
feet Knabenshu turned the rudder and
the aerial craft, answering to its helm,
pointed south and continued its flight
without interruption.
Knabenshu at that time was not high
enough to clear the aeronautic fence,
and as he rapidly approached 1T the
crowd held it's breath, fearing that
the craft would be dashed against the
barricade and the aeronaut badly in
jured or perhaps killed. Waving his
cap to assure those who were following
his every move, Knabenshu moved to-
ward the rear of the airship. The
Arrow pointed its PROV upward and
answering the pull of the propeller
scared lightly above the fence and rap
idly gained an altitude of about LOCO
feet. Knabenshu again changed the
direction Of the craft and passed over
the crowd in the concourse.
Makes Complete Turns
After proceeding half to three-quar-
q aTd c1I1
turned the airship about, at the same
passed over the concourse, at the same
time increasing his altitude, until he
was 1000 feet above the earth. Sailing
first to the northeast and then to the
southeast, occasionally making COM
plete turns, KnabenShu continued in
a generally easterly direction until over
the Cascades, the center Of the world s
fair grounds and a mile and half in
direct line from the point of start
ing.
At about that time the barely per-
ceptible breeze that had been blowing
from the northwest increased to eight
miles an hour and veered to the north.
In order to return to the starting point
1t was necessary for Knabenshu to
breast this breeze. His first effort
to turn the air ship from a course
before the wind was unsuccessful He
attempted several times to turn to the
left and then suddenly swung the rud-
der sharply in the other direction, and
the Arrow came into the wind, stag
Sered moment and then, gaining pow
er, came toward the conco,lrse at q
speed that caused the spectators to
cheer and toss their hats into the air.
When within a few hundred yards of
the concourSe KnabenShu moved for
ward, the Arrow responding to the
downward shift, and sailed toward the
ground without a dminution of speed.
In fl,0
from the east at a height of about 200
feet and, slowing speed, directed the
alrship directly over the wooden tres
ties that had supported the Arrow be-
lore the flight started. His momentum
was too great to admit of stopping ex-
actly in the place from which he had
made the ascent, but the airship set
tied to the ground within 100 feet.
After Knabenshu had assisted in hous-
ing the afrship in the aerodrome he was
rendered an ovation. His mother and
Wife, who had arrived from Toledo lust
In time to witness the flight, were
present and added to the young
aeronautS happiness by joining their
praise to that of the distinguished
men.
Relates His Experience
There was not a moment" said
hnabenshu, when did not have COM
plete control of the airShip IT needed
but the slightest pressure on the helm
to change the direction of the vessel
and the Arrow responded to every de-
mand that 1 made upon it. / also
profited by the lesson 1 learned on the
first flight, and when found that the
motor was working smoothly and
evenly. furnishing all the power nee
essary for successful demonstration
I let we'll enough alone and did not at :
tempt to increase the sparkling, which
action caused the motor to go dead on
my trial last Tuesday.
The mechanical part of the airshir
worked perfectly. The motor did not
miss an ignition and the revolutions OF
the propeller were steady and perfect
1 was unable to estimate the speed al
Which I moved. The sensation was
most pleasant. There was no real
danger. An operator of the Arrow
needs only to have an average amount
OF nerve, little experience as an
aeronaut and he can make a successful
flight"
Capt. Baldwin announced that he
would try for the 100000 prize.
Hosts Try Subway
NEW YORK, Oct. 81. = Sightseers
crowded the subway for hours yester-
G3V. They ;,