Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-09-19
SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
State Fair Record Breaker in Ever
Way.

ING most successful far ever
held in the history Of the Wisconsin
State Agricultural society was
brought to a close on FRIDAY. of last
week. Mild and promising weather.
the early part of the week crowded
every train into the city with visi-
tors from all parts of Wisconsin and
neighboring states, and the enter
tanning facilities OF Milwaukee were
taxed to the utmost. Early in the
week the grounds were crowded
with visitors, and when once the
festive spirit of the fair secured a
hold on the feelings Of the guests,
the inclement weather toward the
last Of the week had little or no eff
feet on their enjoyment. The
superior and novel nature of the
attractions at once surprised and
pleased every one, and together
with the excellent speedy program,
made the State Fair the greatest
event of its kind that has been held
in the west this season. Monday,
the opening day. showed free adj
missions to the number of 90, $50
and paid admissions $780,, making
total attendance for the day of
%, 700, while the total attendance
for the week was 140, 900.
From a financial standpoint the
fair was also a signal success,
netting about $50, 900. This sum
will be placed in the hands of a
committee to be expended on i'm
provements, some of winch were
badly needed in the handling of the
enormous attendance.
The special attractions were un-
usually good, consisting of the
Christian trio, the Pek1n Zouaves in
an interesting drill, the Okabe
troupe of eight Japanese acrobats.
and thrilling exhibition of aerial
navigation in an air ship by Chas
K. Hamilton, the American aeron-
aut and inventor. In the evenings
running races were held on a mile
track, followed by a display by a
I 5000 candle power searchlight show
ing pictures Of Gov. Davidson and
other prominent men. aud monster
pyrotechnic feature showing Mt.
Vesuvius in full eruption.
The air ship used at the fair was
built by Chas. K. Hamilton of
/ Toledo, who also occup pied the car
during its ascents. It is gwen
buoyancy by-a cigar shaped balloon,
AZ #. long and Is ct. in diameter,
and has a capacity of 1000 cubic
feet of gas. The balloon is made OF
$50 yards Of single wove japanese
silk given three coats of l1nseed OH
to render it proof against moisture
and leakage of gas.
The propeller is placed in front
instead OF at the rear as in marine
navigation, and pulls the ship in
stead OF pushing it, making the
steering much easier 1t is simply
a frame of ash 81 #. from tip to
tip covered with oiled cambria, and
turns at speed of $50 revolutions
per minute. The rudder placed at
the rear of the structure is made of
bamboo and oiled canvas, and
though 81 by IL tt. weighs but FIVE
pounds. The gas used to initiate
the balloon is hydrogen, generated
at the inventors own plant. Fif-
teen hundred pounds of sulphuric
acid and ton and g half of iron
filings are required TO generate suf-
ficlent gas to initiate the balloon.
The net which incIoses the balloon
and supports the machinery is made
of No. 10 linen cord and weighs
about nine pounds. The frame on
which the engine and the operators
! seat are placed is made of spruce
sticks secured with ! inch bolts and
braced with piano wire, and weighs
fbut IS lbs. without the engine The
engine is a two cylinder motor cycle
engine, developing five horse power,
with an aluminium crank case It's
weight is Is lbs. The operator sits
astride of the triangular frame
about four feet below the gas bag.
He ascends or descends at viii by
simply shifting his weight forward
or backward so as to tilt the
length of the balloon up or down,
and the propeller pulls the device in
the desired direction. He has al
most perfect control of the ship,
turning in circle or square cor
ner, at any angle with the wind.
He made a very successful trip
from the fair grounds to the city
hall, where he circled around the
tower at height of over 200 #. and
then directly back to the grounds.
The troupe of Japanese which are
to exhibit at the Lancaster fair
brought forth universal praise from