Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-10-27

YORK.
AS amusement resorts for which he
has performed have advertised, he was
last to try and first TO fly" Knaben
shue flies, but never except when the
wind is below eight miles an hour and
conditions other than that are per.
feet. He has accomplished remarkable
things with his airship, but it has
taken iron nerve, and a moments con,
fusion at any point in his numerous
journeys might easily have caused his
death.
This daring navigator of the air is
soon to give up his profession as
SKY pilot and buy a farm in Ohio,
where he expects to settle down and
forget that there ever was an airship
Great danger is connected with the
art of sailing the ship" points out its
inventor, land do not propose to con
tinually defy death because of the big
cash bonus at stake" Some say he
is a cynic and throws too much pes.
simism upon the future OF the air.
ship, but when everything is taken
into consideration, perhaps Knaben-
shue is right after all.
Caution is the %navigator's first trait
and hatred of those who are wont to
brand him as a fake when he re-
fused to defy the elements in making
fights as second nature. Many
times, more especially in Chicago and
nt.At Dl.apA nnt1sttANG npn oA-
verse to ascensions, taunts have
aroused the ire of Knabenshue and
he has made flights which he would not
consider under ordinary conditions.
Lake winds, due about the time G. the
fall equinox, in Chicago, made voyages
most difficult, but by careful observa-
ton of atmospheric conditions, Kna-
benshue accomplished four successful
flights in the windy city.
The young aeronaut made a fight
in New York that has gone down in
history. He flew over Central park
and for hours people crowded the
streets attempting to catch a glimpse
of the ship. He piloted Baldwin's
California Arrow" at the worlds
fair with such great success that he
decided to build a machine for himself,
He constructed the Toledo, and when
this proved unworthy the Toledo H.
was forthcoming. 1t is this last air
ship in which he has been making
a name for himself during the past
summer.
The Toledo II. comprises a gas bag,
62 feet in length, cigar-shaped, and a
framework SO feet long. The largest
diameter of the bag is 16 feet, and the
balloon requires 1000 cubic feet OF
hydrogen to initiate it. A square-mesh
net of strong cord holds the bag to the
framework, the weight of the bag be-
ing 60 pounds. The balloon is con.
structed from the finest japanese silk,
while the frame is made mostly OF
spruce with a few pieces of bamboo.
The frame weighs 210 pounds, making
the entire airship. not counting the
net. tip the scales at 275 pounds.
Placing the weight of the net at IL
pounds and that of the navigator at
$50, it will be seen that. with attend
ant %incidentals, the airship in sailing
order weighs close ito $50 pounds.
Aerial navigation has not been
solved as yet. Even the airship mar
himself says this and he further adds
that it never will be solved. Only an
unexpected improvement or something
far from the ordinary will eve make
airship sailing profitable from a com
mercial point of view. True, Knaben
shue has been more than successful
in his experiments and just as tn
amusement resort advertisements say
last to try and first Ia fy,' FITS hi
case exactly. There are pessimistie oh
servers who add land next to die u
the advertisement, but as yet the fata
moment has not arrived. and viewin:
the announcement of his retiremen
Knabenshue evidently intends that i
never shall.