The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-01-02
CRv the Associated Press.l

Chicago, Dec. 30.-.BuiId an air
ship, 90 and lind the North Pole and
report by wireless teIegraphy and
submarine cables the progress Of your
efforts
This was the startling assignment
given a few days 9 to Walter Well
man. Washington correspondent of
the Chicago ~Record-Herald by Frank
Il. Noyes, editor in chief of the pa
per, and the commission has been ac-
cepted by Mr.. Wellman, it was an
nounced tonight. AS an assistant in
this expedition, Mr.. Wellman will
have the ervices of NJ. Santos Du-
mont, of Paris, who will have charge
of the construction of the air ship
ana will act as ~aeronautic director and
pilot Of the ship ON its voyage toward
the Mort Pole.
n air ship. the order for which
has been given, viii be built by louis
GOdard, of Paris, under the uper
vision of NJ. Santos Dumont, II viii
be completed by the end Of next April.
No definite date has been set for the
start on tne journey, bat it is said
that everything will be in readiness
to get away next July, or early in
August.
After completion, the air ship will
have several trials at Paris, and in
June all the paraphernalia for the
journey will be assembled in Norway.
Early in July, headquarters will be
established in SpitZbergen, where the
explorers Will await a favorable OPP
p%ortunity for the trip toward the Pole,
which. according to Mr.. Wellman,
shouId the expedition meet with a
good run of luck, should be reached
in less than a week.
Weilman Talks of His Ship.
In announcing his acceptance to-
nighu Of the proposed expedition, Mr..
WeIlman said:
'"The air ship in which We propose to
attain the North Pole will be the larg-
est practicable air ship ever built.
1t will be 1876 feet long and its great
est diameter will be forty-five feet. Its
surface will measure $4,000 square
feet, and its volume will be 226,000
cubic feet. Inflated with hydrogen, it
will nave a total ascensional force
of 1890 pounds. Seven thousand
pounds will be the weight of the ship
and its equipment complete. leaving
5000 pounds for cargo. The ship will
be provided with three motors, with
a combined energy of 10 horse power.
If the winds hinder no more than
they help and there are no delays, this
ship can motor from North Spitzbergen
to the Pole in 45 hours.
The all ship will have an endur-
ance capacity in ~buoyancy sufficient to
enable it to remain 25 to 80 days
in the air. 1t will carry $500 pounds
Of gasoline its distance canacity dur
ing calm weather will be 1900 miles
more than the distance from Spitzber-
gen straight across the Pole and the
whole Artic ocean to Alaska. The
ship Will be equipped for safe anchor
age in the highest winds ever i'll the
Artic region. In fact the ShiD will
be subject to the will and hand of
the navigator just like a steamship
upon the ocean. Besides the $500
pounds of fuel mentioned, the ship
viii Gerry i've men. a comfortable car
to live in (Which is also Il BOAT in case
of need) GOOD and supplies for rs days.
and n complete shedding outfit ready
for use shout it be necessary to aban-
don the air ship n take TO the ice.
To Keep in Touch With Earth.
"At no time will our air ship be out
Of oCc with the surface of the earth.
Gun guide rope so called, but in our
case a smooth, tapering line of steel,
Is to drag its lower end over h ice,
to keep the ship at q fairly stable
height G50 to 200 feet). the altitude
most favorable to wireless telegraphv,
and to maintain under ordinary con
ditions the vertical stability of he
craft.
"Wiroless telegraph stations will be
established at Spitzbergen and Ham,
merfest, Norway, 500 miles distant.
Further than this Il wireless equipment
Will be carried in our air shio. and it
Will be GU effort to send frequent, il
possible daily. dispatches to the OUT
side world throughout all the time the
expedition is in the Arctic regions.
even from the Pole itself. should we
reach it."