The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-06

s so9' ,. ,es f e5s Pfo.
fessor himself.
The professor was n scientist of an
advanced type; in fact, he was always
ahead Of the band wagon.
He. with a great many others, be-
lieved the planet Mars to be inhabited:
but believing did not satisfy him. He
wished to demonstrate the fact beyond
doubt. and as there was no surer way
of doing this than by actual visitation,
he must visit II.
That being settled. the next thing was
how to accomplish the thing.
He had studied the theory of aerial
navigation. and had experimental in
general way. but the present means Of
propulsion were not satisfactory: he
must find some new power. something
that would. II necessary, defy the laws
Of gravitaiOn.
During one OF our visits TO his ranch
Dodson mentioned liquefied air
Any one having a suspic!5l of the
professors sanity would have had II
confirmed had they seen him then: he
danced. he laughed. he cried and ended
up by embracing DOdson. much to the
Iatter's annoyance.
Liquid afr was just the thing He had
read of Tripler's method. and had ac-
Quired n fair knowledge OF the manner
Of producing the stuff. but before he
could put it to practical use it must be
improved upon.
So the professor set to work TO pro
duce something that would suit his pur-
pose
He lived three miles out on the Big
Sandy. and owned ten acres of indiffer-
ent land, which he denominated The
Ranch.
Here he had his laboratory, and here
he carried on his scientific investiga-
tions, to his own satisfaction. IL not
TO that of his neiglrbors, who let him
severely alone. owing to the prevailing
opinion that he was little "nutty."
He made no great effort to dispel his
illusion. and was therefore at Ii's~~ty
to conduct his experiments in secrecy. so
there was method in his madness after
all
Some weeks later we were informed
that his tests had been successful, and
that he now had a power which would
penetrate space in the face of any and
all obstacles, and at speed that would
be simply terrifying
The next thing In Norder was 70 har-
ness this wonderful power and make it
subservient to that greatest OF all pow
ers. the human brain.
Consequently the professor set TO
work to construct what he called an
aeromotor. but which the uninitiated
would call a balloon.
This was In sbe form, Of f. b,go .vtobo
constructed OF wood. closely Joined and
cemented so as TO make it alright The
exterior was covered with aluminium
as an extra precaution against leakage.
The interior was securely braced. 10
prevent crushing. should the air press-
ure from the outside become too great
during its passage through space.
Through the centre was an iron pipe
or axis. so 10 speak, which penetrated
tho globe at the poles and 70 which
were attached very strong rubber tubes
reaching 30 the car beneath.
The car was conical in shape. and con
structed in the same careful manner as
the globe. 1t was attached TO the lat
ter by a network Of cords. to which
were fastened innumerable small pull
leys These acted as ball bearings. and
PEI AuAAAtQ ol the ElObG Tree action
without in any way interfering with
the vertical position OF the car, which
contained the apparatus for the man.
ufacture Of liquid air, the secret OF
which was jealousy guarded by the
professor.
There was also a series OF pumps for
producing hot air.
1t is n well-kown fact that the rapid
agitation OF air under pressure pro-
duces heat: this can be demonstrated
by the working Of a bicycle pump. As
the professor put il:
Hammer air on the head and It be-
comes hot"
So n reasoned that by a series OF
pumps working in unison he could pro-
ducc hot air in any quantity desired:
further. that the hot air produced would
become the power for operating the
pumps
In the same manner the liquid air pro-
duced would become the power for the
manufacture thereof According TO this
theory. once the machinery was started.
the power could never be exhausted: but
the practical test was yet to come.
The rubber tubes before mentioned
entered the car at the apex, and were
attached TO what the professor called a
condenser, into which both the hot and
liquid air were turned. making a vapor-
Gus gas whose lifting powers were
greater than any substance heretofore
known.