The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-08-21
AIRSHIP
FLEW OVER
new YORK

New York. Aug. 2.-A. Roy Knaoens-
hue OF Toledo. O., in his bullet-shaped air.
shin. left his tent In vacant lot at Sixty
second street and Eighth avenue at noon
yesterday and made trip to the Times
building and back
tent has been set up in the lot, and
when the airship was brought out and
released today II scared straight up in
the air for two or three hundred feet.
Something went wrong then and the
engine stopped. The machine came slow
ly down and settled amongst the trees
bordering the west drive. A park cop
came running up and told Knabenshue
that IL he didn't get out Immediately he
would be arrested. Knabenshue soon ad-
tusted matters enough 10 rise above the
trees and get back 10 his starting point.
There repairs were made and a second
start made at 1922. Charles J. strobel,
the baseball man OF Toledo and Knabens'
hue's financial baeker. and several re-
porters started IN an auto 10 beat the air
ship downtown. So did great crowd
which had gathered attracted by the un-
usual sight.
CHASED 1T BACK.
When the airship passed over the Circle
at Fifty-nlnth street. going south the
entlTe CTONd DFOke anu hAhtAtu h'Hh
Broadway and Eighth avenue. Some were
knocked down and trample on The cars
going south were Jammed.
The airship rose TO a height OF about
1000 feet over the circle. hesitated and
then shot away down Broadway. IL trav-
sled considerably faster than the auto
until the Times building was reached.
Knabesnshue had announced his inten-
tion OF sailing around the Flatiron build
ing, but he says he got the Times ana
rlatIron building mixed, and settled down
until he lowered just over the tower,
about 800 feet in the air
The airship then made a turn, went mp
10 It's highest rise, 1900 feet, and came
back 20 the circle.
The crowd then had grown until, the
police say. there were 1890 10 10000 peo-
pie packed around the statue of Column
bus The rope OF the traffic squad had
been swept down and the police were
lost in the shuttle.
The airship got In trouble again near
the circle and made as hoot for the Ele-
waited structure at Columbus avenue, but
righted itself in time and shot UP again.
When the airship started for Central
park the entire crowd broke again and
swept the police off their feet Horses,
pedestrians and even automobiles turned
and fed north when they sighted the on
coming crowd The few police in sight
parted and spread over roads. paths and
lawns, cheering and running
PRoPEII Or IN BOW.
In the park fully score of children
were knocked down and trampled on. No
reserves were sent for and the crowd was
utterly unchecked throughout No one
was seriously hurt in the stampede from
the circle. but scores carried bruises and
bumps home with them.
The airshlp had been slowly settling
and In just o. minutes after its start came
home gracefully through the trees on the
lawn opposite Sixty-first street. after hav-
ing sailed about two or three miles.
The crowd Immediately surrounded II
and for a time II looked as II II would
be demolished. The police at last made
their presence felt and were successful
IN keeping the crowd out OF the lot and
the airship was quickly run into tho tent.
Knabenshue said afterward:
THE first time / started I stalled my
engines by speeding IL up 10 clear the
trees. but II didn't amount &C anything
serious. When l went UP the Sc ,ond time
found quite wind blowing UP above. II
was very difficult TO steer on account OF
the tddes and whirlpoos.
"Somestimes IL got too strong for my
rudder and was forced 20 drift. Think
my highest rise was about 1900 feet, when
I started TO come back The only thing /
broke was my propeller, which was
broken by the trees"
The ariship. which is called the Toledo
No. 2, is go feet long and is feet i'm Diane
ter. II consists OF n cylindrical-shaped
gas bag. made OF $50 yards OF aJpanese
silk. and has a capacity OF 1000 cubic feet
OF hydrogen gas. the bag weighing about
IS pounds.
A light spruce frame work Is suspend
ed 10 this. The frame is riveted end
a IL. ~. IN.
bladed propeller IS at the BOW instead OF
the stern and is used 10 pull the airship,
rather than drive II. The motive power
IL furnished by four-cylinder, ten horse
rower gasoline engine. witch weighs %
pounds. The entire air ship when fully
equipped weighs only 200 pounds.