Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-25

prove the writer has had personal expert.
ence. It was during an airship ascent ID
the summer of 1904 from Shrewsbury. The
weather was very unfayorable. a high wind
raging all day-and the start was postponed
until quite late In the evening in hopes OF a
moderation OF the breeze A calm moment
for the actual ascent was specially needed
from the situation OF the airship Enclosure.
which was but OF small extent. fianked on
one side by a lofty belt of elm trees, on
another by huge white tent while q
dense crowd lined thu ropes In an immov-
able mass. 1t required no mean skill 20
rise direct into the air without coming In
contact with either of these boundaries.
and most anxiously did we. supported in
our airship. shoulder-high above the people,
await a favorable calm. IL seemed to come
at last, and at the signal "let goi' we rose
Into the air. But not far. Even as the word
was given. and the restraining hands ioosed
their hold. last sudden treacherous gust
of wind rocked the tree tops as Il bore
down upon us. A moment later and we
were caught I'm its mad career, and swept
straight toward the roof OF the big white
tent.
From the thousands of souls beneath us
there rose cry OF horror and consterna-
ton, and for one long dreadful second
| tragedy seemed inevitable-tragedy not for
ourselves alone, but for many besides The
| head or the airshlp was now pointing direct
| ly downward and the flashing whirling
blades OF the great tractor placed In the
/ front of this particular craft were but a
/ foot or two away from the canvas roof
| through which. In another moment they
would surely be tearing their relentless
| way. once entaEgled In the torn canvas
and the ridge pole nothing could save us
| We must inevitably fall helpiessy and pre-
| cipitately. not upon the ground but upon
| the packed crowd OF men. women and chill
! dren which covered II, and what havoc
might those relentless whirling blades not
| work before their mad course was stayed9
| &&
Only our aeronauts presence OF mind
| saved us Quick as thought bag OF bal
/ last had been dropped harmlessly upon a
| providentially clear space below. turn
! OF one rope had brought the rudder sail
about and Of another had stopped the cruel
| blades Just in tlme-but only Just one
| more moment OF breathless anxiety before
| the danger was passed-and then Just by
an zach we shaved the ridge-pole-and by
! an Inch only; for as Il was we snapped Off
cream the row OF little flags with which IL
| was decorated
| Even after this we were not wholly free.
| FOR before We could set our engine in mo-
| tion again the wind had carried us into fire
| top OF a great elm But from this we
escaped more easily. bearing away a big
| green Dough caught In the rudder as token
! of our encounter - ''
As to the airshlps Of the future what
| may we expect? Not In this generafior
! ploUa3iy; me airy navies, graphing in the
| central blue" OF the poet; but without doubt
great advances, and the more and moro
| complete conquest of the sky There are
| not wanting those who maintain. and with
strong arguments TO support them that the
alrship has already nearly reached the end
OF It's tether. and that Il is to the nying
macnine-as yet in its earliest infancv-that
We must look for the solving OF the proh-
lem or human flight. Airship enthusiasts
deny this. They declare that with i'm.
proved materials. lighter and more efficient
engines. greater experience their rival craft
may Wen mold their own. Time alone will
| decide. Meanwhile the afrsbIn rap,afps 81
present. the undsputed center of aerial
romance.