The Lamar register., 1906-01-10
FOR NORTH POLE
AIRsHlP PLAN OF WALTER WELL
MAN AND SANTOS DUMoNT.
ALL MODERN APPLIANCES

Chicago Record-Heraid Correspondent
Has Orders to Go Ahead With the
Seheme-To Start Next Summer
From Spitzbecsen.
Chicago-"Build an airship, go find
the north pole and report by wireless
telegraphy and submarine cables the
progress OF your efforts"
This was the startling assignment
given a few days ago to Walter Well
man, the Washington correspondent OF
the Chicago cord-Herald. by Frank
B. Noyes, editor-in-chief of the paper,
and the commission has been accepted
by Mr.. Wellman. As an assistant on
this daring expedition Mr.. Wellman
will have the services of Alberto San
tos-Dumont of Paris, who will have
charge of the construction of the air
ship and will act as aeronautic director
and pilot for the ship on its voyage to-
ward the north pole.
The airship, the order for which has
been given, will be built by Louis God
ard of Paris under the supervision OF
NJ Santos-Dumont, and will be COM
pleted by the end of next April. NO
definite date has been decided upon
when the explorers will start on their
journey, but 1t is expected that every
next July or early August. After com
pletion the airship will have several
trials in or about Paris. and in June
all the paraphernalia will be assembled
in SDitZbergen, where the explorers
will await a favorable opportunity Tor
the dash for the pole, which, according
to Mr.. Wellman, should the expedition
meet with good run of luck. should
be reached in less than week
In announcing his acceptance to-
night of the proposed expedition, Mr.
Wellman said:
''If | did not believe that the chances
of success were greater than those OF
failure, would not accept the com
mission. Mr.. Noyes acted on ne sud
den whom or impulse when he gave me
the order to try and locate the much
sought north pole rs he had before
him a report submitted to him as 10
The outcome of two visits to the inner
polar regions.
1.-The problem of reaching the pole
by means of an airship does not re-
quire high speed, and the present state
of the art of aerial navigation by gas
buoyed and motor-driven ships-is am
pie for that purpose. From an easily
reached base of operations in northern
Spitzbergen we have but $50 geograph'
ical miles to go to the pole and like
distance for the return voyage. II we
take the whole at ] 200 miles 1t means
but 100 hours of motoring at tweiVe
miles an hour. Santos-Dumont mas ire
auently made from nineteen to twenty
three miles an hour with small air.
ships equipped with relatively smai
motors.
THE airship in which we propose to
attain the nOrthpole Will be the largest
/ II. To, bliflt
ut will carry $500 pounds OF gaso
line and its distance capacity during
calm weather will be eighteen miles
more than equal to the distance from
| Spitzenbergen straight across the pole
| and the whole Arctic ocean 10 Alaska-
| AS our airship will be constructed II
| will be able to make headway against
twothirds of all the winds that plow'
| even though squarely adverse, and IL Is
part Of our project to motor oniy WIN
| favorable winds and to anchor our ship
| to the ice, and lie to- in all unfavorable
winds OF velocity exceeding one-halI
| the normal speed of our craft. The
ship will be equipped for safe anchor
| age in the highest winds ever known
| in the Arctic regions. In fact. the snip
will be subject to the will and hand OF
the navigator, just like steamship
| upon the ocean.
| Besides the $500 pounds OF ihei
mentioned, the ship will carry also five
men, comfortable car 10 liNe IN
| (Which is also a boat in case oil need),
food and supplies for seventy-hve days.
sledges to draw them over the ice. and,
in fact, a completely organized and
equipped sledging party, ready at any
moment. should it be necessary. TO
abandon the airship and take to the
| ice.
Wireless telegraph stations will be
/ established at Spitzbergcn and at Ham
merfest. Norway, 600 miles distant
Further than this, wireless equip
ment will be carried in our airship. ana
| it will be our effort to send daily dis
patches to the outside world through
| cut all the time the expedition is in the
Arctic regions, even from the pole IT.
self, should che successful in reach
| ing it."