New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-23
TUG T0WS AEROPIANE.
NAN CARRIED UP 500 FEET.
Successful Experiment scith Lad
Iosc's Machine Deer North RiDer

y
A monster kite. carrying man to height
- about five hundred feet over the North River
onnosite 79th-st., presented a spectacle that
,brfIed the few who saw it yesterday afternoon
It was Israel Ludlow's Aeroplane No. s. SINH
lar in construction to his aeroplane that was
.,u-Ad aloft on shore by an automobile naar
7qth-st on August IL last and to the aeroplanes
that he caused to fly later at Brighton Beach
and at Trenton. Yesterday was the first fine
Hr. Ludlow tested his machine over the wafer
IN tow of tugboat, and It was the most sI,c
oessful fight thus far attempted.
The small number of spectators at yesterdays
s1bihjtion was due to the fact that the Aigh+
was unannounced except to a few persons. in
ending some newspaper men. About thirty men
snd boys who were fishing from the uncovered
pier at T9th-st- were surprised at 2 D. m. when
+he aeroplane carried down TO the shore
from 2 neighboring coal yard and the tugboat
De Witt c. WINS drew up TO the pier ready to
be the motive power to fly the kite.
MI Ludlow clutches. having gprained
his ankle. but he had a plucky aeronaut ready
IN the person OF Charles K. Hamilton. slender
and wiry young fellow. who had been with Roy
Knabenshue as e helper in airship flights. It
took en- hour and a half in preliminary trials
before the kite could be raised IN the air. and
most Of the time Hamilton was in his place be-
tween the wings of the aeroplane with coat
and hat OF. nerved for the dangerous expert
1nent
The wind was from the west, but Mr.. Ludlow
s,B not dare risk sending the aeroplane aloft
eroun the pier, along the side Of which was
NV OF high spiles. The plan to lift the
machine from the shore. and for that purpose
.he tuehoat was sent at full speed toward the
N.v-Jersey side OF the river, dragging the
ssroplane at the end Of a rope 1900 feet long.
II was necessary to tow the aeroplane over a
long barge loaded with broken stone. and in
three trials the aeroplane got dangerously close
70 the barge without being lifted high enough
~ clear It the watchful man at the stern Of
thu boat throwing of the line just In time to
prevent an accident each time
PAT Of the delay was due also to the Diff
c,f+y IN getting launches to stay IN readiness to
ntcl, Nd Hamilton when he should take the IN
rv1tshle drop into the river. The tedium OF
waiting was relieved IN part by the jumping
ovsrboard OF a tipsy man from the pier. Ap-
ns-ertiy the man thought the small crowd was
untitled TO an exhibition Of some sort, and, after
+urupsng OF the pier, he swan and doated until
A rolsceuan helped yaak him out Of the water
with n bcathook
At 5.34 D N the tugboat made its fourth dash
N the direction OF New-Jezsey. and the aer"
n,sns with Hamilton cIingtng to 1t, shot UP into
The air cleared the barge and sailed over the
river. There was cheer from the man on the
raer and from the nen on the boat Cameras
were aimed at the big flying machine For six
minutes the tugboat was kept going at full
spsed against the wind, and the persons on the
soss watched Hamilton and the aeroplane with
szustsment not unrnixed with anxiety.
Ebsu the seroplane was at its greatest height
twas quite steady but when the speed OF the
Sss slackened and the big kite began to drop
n rwayed and rocked as If ready to take a
6pwnyard swoop TO the water. Hamilton was
sssn shifting his weight from side to side IN the
Effort to keep the machine balanced.
Fhs ferryboat Albany, Of the West Shore neet'
vas going down the river and would not stop
IS give the tugboat an opportunity TO keep
straight course. To prevent a collision the cap
tain Of the Dewitt C. WINS had to make
turn to the north As the two boats passed
close to each other the passengers on the Albany
were seen running on the decks to look at the
mass Of muslin and bamboo that was nuIperlns
down toward the surface of the river.
When the aeropIane was within fifty feet or the
water # wabbled so much that it seemed ready
10 tip over, but Hamilton managed to STEADY
It and Il sank on the surface Of the river at
length as evenly and as gently as seaguA
would have alighted The tugboat was sui 60
ing at fair rate OF speed, and the aeropLsne
skipped over the water for a time without sink
ing so that the aeronaut was able to keep dry.
As the tugboat stopped the launch Arcadia
ran alongside the aeroplane and took Hamilton
of Hamilton was chilled and his feet and legs
were wet. When he got to the tugboat' after
putting on some dry clothing he was sun
shaking with the cold. He said he was AFRAID
at one time in the fight that the bampoo ro0S'
the framework Of the machine, would break
Mr. Ludlow said the experiment he thought
proved that the aeroplane could be used efoc-
lively by a feet of warships entering hostile
harbor In order to discover masked batteries
BE gave the following description Of his latest
sachne:
Aeroplane No s has some new features, ana rs IN
modified form an illustration Of many OF Inc PHI
cipes found in bird and fish movement ne IL
de surfaces fixed q dedral angle reSeIIlpIe 4.
position Of soaring birds outstretched wings 7s -
gides forward. .-o,;v--
The air flowing through the triangular opening