The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-11-05
SUCCESSFUL SHIP
Benbow Balloon Demonstrates It's
Dirigibility.

on Thursday at the World s Fair by
the airship meteor, invented and
built by T. c. Benbow, of Columbus
Montana, with the collaboration of
II. J. Wells, Of the same place, dem
onstrated the diribility of the ma
chine Mr.. Benbow propelled it in
various directions and at different
angles, raising and lowering it in the
air several times, and finally return
ing to the place Of starting.
The Benbow dirigible balloon is
constructed on entirely different
principles from the Baldwin, which
had made such brilliant successful
fight on the 25th. It is also much
larger, the cigar-shaped bag being
seventy-four feet long, and 81 1-2
feet in diameter, with a capacity Of
$4,000 cubic feet, and carrying a
weight of 900 pounds. Directly be-
meath the central line of the gas-bag
and attached to its cords, is hori-
zontal spar, about two-thirds as long
as itself, made of steel with the eX-
cepton Of a short prolongation OF
bamboo aft to which the rudder-
post is attached. From this rod Is
suspended the car proper, which IS
a framework Of aluminium sustained
bv steel rods and further strengthen
ed with braces Of paino wire. The
car. which is prolonged fore and att
into long beaks similar to and par
allel with the main spar, is divided
into two compartments, the forward
one containing ten-hOrse power
Hercules gasoline engine, and the
other rectangular wicker basket in
which the aeronault stands. The gas
oline tank is in front of the basket
and is connected with the carburator
and engine is kept cool by an ordl-
nary electric fan wheel attached i'm
mediately in front Of it.
The propeling apparatus is gear
ed to the engine by broad leather
belt. consists of two wheels. one on
each side of the car and at the exact
center of gravity of the whole appar-
atus. These wheels are twelve feet
in diameter. and make eighty revo-
lutions minute. Each is composed
of four six-foot blades or wings,
made of canvas stretched on bicycle
tubing with piano-wire braces. The
wings are collapsible and by an in
IL "a
to close up at every revolution. re-
naming open just long enough to
seize and grasp the air, and present
inc a minimum of resistance while
returning to the point of greatest
efficiency. This application to ae-
rial navigation Of the principles gov
erning the motions Of the human
hands in swimming and the change
of position of the vaes on the feath-
ers of birds during flight, IS looked
upon by Mr.. Baldwin and other ae-
ronautic experts at the Exposition as
of great and unquestionable value.
The operation Of the wings may be
modified, by means Of a crank placed
conveniently TO the hand OF the nav
igator, is such wise as to make the
vessel ascend or descend in the air
at will. While the vertical direction
is thus controlled by causing the
opening and closing of the wings to
take place at different points IN
| their revolution, the horizontal di-
rection is governed by means Of a
cord attached to a rectangular rud-
der. eight feet by five, made of cam
vas stretched on bamboo frame.
A three pronged anchor is swung
over a pulley at the bow, and is let
down by means of a hundred feet OF
rope coiled at the side Of the bas-
ket. 1t is considered special merit
in this form of airship that is able
to gradually rise or sing by means
of hundred feet Of rope cooled al
the side of the basket. 1t is consld
cred a special merit in this form OF
airship that is able to gradually rise
or sing by means Of the very same
power required for It's propulsion.
The gas-bag as in the case OF the
Baldwin balloons. is Of japanese sill
vanished with linseed oil and pro
vided with an automatic safety
valve that permits little of the gas
TO escape whenever the apparatus
pressure becomes perilously great.
The working out Of the plans fol
this airship was begun twelve years
ago. while Mr.. Benbow was leading
the life of a rambler on the great
H. huf tho ac