Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-07
WIND WAGON MOTOR
DR.. Julian Thomas Operates
First Machine of Its Kind.
CAPABLE OF HIGH SPEED
Can Go Fast as an Express Train I'm.
der Favorable Conditions.
MANY TESTS TO BE MADE
Some Of the Forms of Aeroplanes and
the Description of Propellers
to Be Used.
ANY TESTS TO BE MADE

NEW YORK. December 7.-Dr Julian p.
Thomas last night operated the first motor
driven wind wagon ever run in this country.
In effectiveness II exceeded even his ex-
pectations and his chief difficulty was in
checking Its speed. With a free course II
would easily have run away from anything
except a very fast automobile
Incidentally DR.. Thomas was responsible
Tor more excitement than Broadway, be-
tween 10th and S0th stress. has seen in
many day. Horses SHE'D and pedestrians
crossing the street rushed in a panic for
the sidewalks. With the gasolene engine
swapping like that OF racing automobile
and the great propeller blades swishing
through the air as they swung ahead OF
the machine. the effect was as startling as
IL real flying machine had been sailing
between the lines of excited persons on
both sides of the street
NOW whizzing straight ahead and the
next instant Skidding dangerously near n
curb, the wind wagon raced up and down
the street for an hour until DR. Thomas
was satisfied that he had successfully
solved problem which has puzzled in
ventorS for years Details remain to he
perfected In the way of adjusting parts of
the machinery and it was at once made
evident that very powerful brake must
De attached before the wind wagon can be
operated with safety, but otherwise II was
complete as 1t run last night
Time Enough for Brakes.
Therell be time enough to think about
stopping the machine when we find out
whether 1t will go ahead" DIR. Thomas de-
clared before the trial was made He de-
pended upon scraping his feet on the
ground to serve as a check to his soeed.
but this proved of so little avail that he
was unable to let the machine out to its
full speed.
In general the wind wagon has the an
pearance of a huge tricycle. with a two
bladed propeller. eight feet long hung in
front and a gasolene motor built in at the
back of the machine. DR.. Thomas sits in
the middle of the wind wagon on a bicycle
seat and steers by handle bar. But I'M
like bicycle or tricycle.. the wind wagon
is steered by turning the rear wheels.
There is a good reason for that said
Or. Thomas. Il expect that wnen | let
the machine out to its highest speed the
front wheel will leave the ground and 1
shall be running on only the two rear
wheels In that case ii is, of course evil
dent that l could have no control of the
machine except by means of the rear
wheels.
The lifting power will be obtained by
raising the propeller shaft 50 that ii pulls
on the air at an angle, instead of at the
same level with the machine. This device
and the use of the rear wheels to steer
with are, so far L know. entirely new
applications to such machines. By trying
ulHeTent xmas OF propeller blades L snail
be able to learn what the best form is for
use in aeroplanes and airships OF the gas
bag type, not only in their power to pull
straight ahead but as to their lifting
power.
With an Aeroplane.
DR.. Thomas expects to use his wind
wagon in connection with a full rugged
aeroplane the design of which he has al
ready made. By adjusting broad planes
oh ha ind ba tn ia .hia
to rise in the air and SUPPORT himself
the same principles which govern all
aeroplane flights.
1t was after several weeks of hard work
and many disappointments that DR.. Thorn
brought his wind wagon at 10 o'clock
last night from a garage in Broadway and
nth street, where the final touches were
put on 1t. trial had been made the night
before, but at the first revolution of the
engine the propeller blades broke away and
shot through the air for several hundred
feet Another set of blades was ruined
when one of their supporting wires struck
too curious onlooker and narrowly es-
capped cleaving his skull.
The blades used last night were of can
vas stretched over stout wooden frame.
Curtiss motor of eight horsepower, which
gave the propeller about four hundred revo-
lutions a minute. The machine is built of
light steel tubing, with automobile wheels.
Dr. Thomas expected last night to have
the wind wagon exhibition today at the
Aero Club show, which is being held in
conjunction with the automobile show in