The San Francisco call., 1905-05-07
PPOF.U.U. .MONTGOMERY
THE PERSONALITY QF THE M4N. ~ HELEN DARE

nian. born here; his father. Zachariah
MONTGOMERY, came across the plains
from Kentucky: so did his mother. All
his life has been spent here; he was
educated at st. Ignatius College. and
while he has been working out the
problem that concerns all the world he
has beep teaching here in California
up in Humboldt and at Santa Clara
College.
With scientific precision and the eau
ton of an honesty that will not be ap-
plauded more than its due. he says
about his flying machine:
You must not think that the success
OF these experiments of mine means
that in few weeks or a few months.
or a year. flying nachines win be car
rying passengers and plying between
San Francisco and New York and
Paris. 1t means that the problem OF
aerial navigation Is solved-that the
question OF controlling a flying ma
chine. OF flying in the teeth of the wind.
with the wind or across the wind. is an
the mercy OF the air currents. Remem-
Der. this machine has to be taken up
from the earth. that it cannot rise of
itself. The problem OF lifting 1t has
yet to be solved. OF carrying passen-
gers. of making 1t a utility. All these
things cannctsbe accomplished at once
nor, perhaps. by one man. 1t must be
remembered that the ocean carrier. the
steamship as we know 1t to-day. is the
result of centuries Of evolution and TN
provement from the first frail. uncer-
tain bark man launched upon the
waters-when that bark was controlled
that was the first step In navigating
the waters; this is the first In navigat-
ing the air."
Professor Montgomery's devotion to
an idea-from that day forty years
ago. when his childish hands longed %
grasp the trailing skirts of the clouds
has been constant and self-sacriicing,
but not entirely Quixotic.
His suits for damages against Cap
tain Baldwin. who he says appropriated
some of his ideas for the California Ar
row. a balloon with a propeller. show
that. He will punish treachery and
hold his own.
He recognizes the commercial as well
as the scientific value of his discovery
and invention. "A man would be a
fool" he says, 'who would not seek to
benefit by his years of labor such as
mine has been.
But the real triumph for him Is not
after all in the worlds acclaim and the
money return. There are the friends OF
his heart whose belief in him will be
justified. to whom he will Justify HIM
self.
And there are gentle regrets thar
some who believed are not here to share
his triumph.
Father Neri. who was the head Of St.
Ignatius College when he was boy
there. who in his time was a scientist.
and who turned the first electric light
on California. was one Of those.
Father Neri." says Father Bell. who
was also boy at ST. ISnatius then.
FUSED to say again and again to the
rest of us. You'll hear Of Montgomery
some day He'd have been happy Co
have seen his words come true
Ard there was one nearer and dear
er-the father whose sympathy and
understanding are cherished memory
There surely is a great joy IN such
an achievement as Professor Montgom-
ery's-to see at last the work OF his
brain and hands, the incarnation OF his
life-dream soaring In heavens blue;
it would be but poor, cheap
creature. cry as husks. unworthy and
incapable of such achievement. who
could not feel such joy.
Joy he feels-and the only cloud upon
1t is that the dear father could not
share it.
Our common notion Is that science -
dry as dust. yet inventing a flying ma
chine is not after all a mere matter OF
comic sections, you see.