Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-30
HAMILTON and aIS AIRSHIP
Something About the Man and Nachin,
Now in Omaha
KNABENsHUE APPARATUS ON EXHIBITION
All Right for Ascension Under Proper
Conditions, but Problem of Aerial
Navigation Has Not Yet
Been Solved.

Were walter wellman in Omaha this
week he might get a few pointers on how
to handle real live alrship, for that Is
what he is said to be looking for to make
his trip to the north pole and that is
| what the managers claim is to be seen In
Omaha this week. The flight of the
Knabenshue airshlp above the spires and
towers of Omaha will be watched by an
immense throng this week, a throng come
from afar and near to see II aerial naviga-
ton is to be perfected in this generation.
When the big ship rises above the crowd
the people will wonder which is the fore
and which is the aft of the contrivance,
| for It is different from other ships in that
the propeller goes before instead OF behind,
while the rudder is behind as in ordinary
ships. The frame work on which Hamilton
sits when he rides in his ship consists
Of three long poles in triangular arrange
ment on which Hamilton sits astride. II
any one in Omaha or hereabouts had any
idea they would like to have made an
ascension in that airship they soon had that
idea taken out of their heads as soon as
| their eyes were permitted to rest upon the
| light continuance on which Hamilton has to
| ride. Instead of a comfortable seat, as
many would imagine, he rides on one OF
| the fish poles. This might not be so bad
| in itself. but then within that triangle of
| fish poles is gasoline engine which Is
| jumping and whirling the propeller At the
| rear of the scaffolding is a large piece of
canvas which steers the ship. This rudder
| Hamilton must manipulate by two ropes.
| II Hamilton desires to send the ship up
ward he simply slides backward on the
| framework and the power of the propeller
| lifts the ship into the air. II he wants to
| ride on even keel he sits with his weight
1 balancing the ship. and when he wishes to
descend he simply goes forward, and thus
| by his weight handles the ship in Its up
and down movement
Hero of Fifty-three Falls.
Hamilton is what may be called lucky
man. OF the 1872 flights he has made in
| the last two years he has fallen NIFTY
| three times and yet shows no trace OF his
| experience by any marks he has received.
He fell a distance of 500 feet in the North
river New York. and was only slightly
| injured Before he took this airship
which Mr.. Knabenshue has invented he
] tried sailing on an aeroplane and once de-
scended from this on a moving freight
| train and escaped uninjured. At another
time he fell a distance of $50 feet at Or
| uiond Beach, during the last automobile
races and escaped uninjured One year
| ago, on Labor day. four of the leading
aeronauts of the country were killed, while
| Hamilton made a successful ascent. He
| attributes his escape in all of these falls
| to the manner in which the aeroplane
that he has used most Of the time. is con-
structed The framework is of bamboo
which strikes first and acts as a sort of
cushion.
i When seen at the grounds on the Kings
highway last week Hamilton was working
over his pet and preparing 1t for the COM
| ing ascension. In speaking of the engine
he said This is five horsepower en-
CINE and is of sufficient power to handle
! this sized bag against an ordinary breeze,
! hut I do not think that SUFFICIENT power
| can be generated on a ship to control the
| craft in a gale. This is where the auto
| matte aeroplane is to be the coming form
/ of aerial navigation. II this is ever OBJ
| tanned. The ability of an aeronaut to
control an aeroplane increases with the
| wind while II decreases In the case of the
airship. The great question to be settled
now by those experimenting with aero
| planes Is to construct one that can be
| automatically balanced In the air. Equi-
ltbrium is the essential that Is being
striven for and if this can be obtained in
the aeroplane 1t may have some practical
| value.
Power Problem Not Solved.
1.-THE inability OF builders to carry power
sufficient to control the ship is another
thing that is delaying aero-navigation. A
large enough engine could be put on for
a still day, but the difficulty comes under
unfavorable conditions. The motor used
with this ship is of five horse power and
weighs sixty pounds. is capable of 22S rev.
| olutions to the minute. motor is being
built for me, however, that is to weigh
sixty pounds, but will have twelve horse
mower and I hope to have better success
when my new motor is installed in the
ship.
.'while Americans are watching with
| great eagerness for successful airships to
be built in this country many good brains
have beer at work on the problem OF aerial
| navigation in other countries and at the
present time there is considerable rivalry.
not only between individuals. but also
among nations for the distinction Of first
bringing into shape for practical and COM
mercial uses the ship OF the air. The
Brazilian aeronaut Santos-Dumont. who has
Identified himself with French interests In
this matter, is said to have abandoned the
gas bag and now proposes to conduct fu-
ture experiments with the aeroplane. As
this was originally an American idea,
American inventors are jubilant that the
leading aeronaut of them all is now identi-
| flying his labors with this idea.
santos Dumont Really Files.
] "In an ascension TWO weeks ago in France
Santos umont broke his machine after
having proved that II was able to fly. The
moment the big ffty-horse power Antoi-
nette motor was set In motion the machine
took flying leap forward about two yards
| above the ground. The bicycle wheels on
which the light craft is built continuing to
revolve rapidly from the impetus of the
start. The rate OF speed was calculated
at about twenty-five miles an hour, but
Santos-Dumont stopped the machine after
going 200 yards and brought it gently to
the earth. In spite of the mishap it is
at least recorded before trustworthy spec
tators that mechanical flight for an ap-
probable distance was obtained
| 1.-THE series OF aero sports has been ar
ranged through the French Society of
| Aeronauts. to start from Paris September
30 when a balloon race will be run for the
| gold cup offered by James Gordon Bennett.
i This will mark the beginning of a new
| ara in nero snort.