Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-17
Miseellaaeuus 8eaaing.
HOW TO FLY TO THE POLE.
Walter WeIIman Tells of His Plans
and Hopes.

soon to make a dash for the north pole
in the largest dirigible balloon that has
ever been designed was the guest OF
honor the other night Of the New York
Motor club at its smoker held In the
Hotel Wellington, says the New York
Times. Mr.. Wellman recently return
ed from Paris, where he made arrange
ments with Louis GODDARD, the builder
Of the Labaudy airship and other ia
nous balloons. to construct the 16O
foot airship with which he will try to
discover the pole. starting from Spitz-
bergen. He related for the first time
some of the details and hopes Of his
coming arctic journey.
II am no enthusiast. no hero,' said
Mr.. We,lman after his introduction by
r. H. Johnston. land l have no desire
to reach the north pole without a re-
turn ticket and a chance to use 1t. It
was three years ago that l conceived
the idea Of getting to the pole through
the air. I studied the problem Of the
gas Inflated balloon; but, although
was younger and more reckless, came
to the conclusion that 1t was not for
mine. Then Andree came along and
used 1t, with the result that he and his
brave companions lost their lives, be-
ing at the mercy of every gust Of wind
in the arctic regions.
MY two previous trips into the arc
tic zone have made me well acquainted
with the conditions and the customary
winds. Taking zero as the most favor
able state Of the winds and 100 as the
maximum of the most difficult, l have
figured that. according to the law Of
averages, l ought not to encounter
anything worse than an average Of IS.
| With that 1t Is possible to reach the
pole. With 60 1t is still easier, and
with so more or less 1t is all right.
MY airship has been designed on a
different principle from all preceding
for speed. 1t is to make from twelve
to fifteen statute miles an hour, and
$500 pounds of gasoline will be car
ried as fuel. This will drive the ship
for a distance of 100 miles, requiring
about 14O hours. The distance from
Spitzbergen to the pole is estimated at
1,20O miles, so I will be provided with
so per cent more carrying force than Is
absolutely necessary.
THE balloon will be propelled by
two motors one Of fifty horsepower and
the other Of twenty-five horsepower.
Even the best motors fail, and would
not risk the lives of my four compan-
ions with only one engine. The carry
ing capacity of the balloon will be 49,
900 pounds 1t will be ten times larger
than the famous Santos-Dumont ship
and nearly twice as large as the Le-
Laudy airship.
You perhaps may ask how am go
ing to get back as the airship will not
carry enough fuel to come entirely
home by 1t. Well, l am now having
built in Paris and America two exper-
i'm, ntal motor sledges. Each will
weigh from 210 to 215 pounds. They
will be equipped with small engines
and will only carry the two persons
opt rating them. One has recently been
tested in Europe, and the other In this
country will be tried In a few days. II
they succeed / will take perhaps three
with me.
"One difficulty Is In going from a
given to a mathematical point; but
having arrived at the north pole, We
have this advantage, all the winds
blow to the south. Sailing with the
winds, our ship might be carried to
Siberia, and, although l have no love
for that country, it would mean safe
ty. We might reach Greenland or
Franz Josef Land, where | left large
stock of supplies on my last trip. Any
where on land is safety, and with
these motor siedges we can reach civ
ilization. If they fail shall have to
use the arctic dog sledge.
II accept the entire responsibility If
aeronauts and students have agreed
that the plan is feasible, but many
doubt its success. The final decision to
adopt this method was mine, and any
blame will attach to no one but my
self No one knows of how much or Of
how little value the discovery of the
north pole will be. One opinion Is as
good as another. The scientific spirit is
to go and find out and discuss it after
ward, and that is all that hope to do"
| QUININE, DRUG In MOST DEMAND
When a Chestnut street drug store
drug i'm greatest general demand was
he replied: "Well, If you cut out the
toilet preparations and lotions, some
of which might fairly be called drugs.
it's qunine. which is far ahead of all
the rest.
Some people take 1t all the time,
and nearly all others take 1t on spec
ial occasion and we hand out more
of it than anything else. The people
who take 1t regularly find it a tonic.
In reality it's not only that, but a
stimulant and, of course, when used
that way it has its bad effects. The
last time heard the figures this coun-
try was using more than 100 tons a
year, and it's certainly no less now.
Most people think of South Amer
lea as the source of the main supply
of quinine. but it isn't. There Is
where it was originally found, but
most of that now on the market
comes from India, CeylOn and Java.
Some experiments are being made to
grow the cinchona tree in our south
ern states. but so far they don't
amount to much" - Philadelphia
Record.
tn A tramp works hard trying to
| avoid work.