The Washington times., 1906-06-03
Knabenshue in His Air Ship VIII Do Stunts
Around the Tops of Washington's Skyscrapers

strict attention to the perilous work
which he performs
Mr. Knabenshue is twenty-nine years
old He has a wife and four children
the eldest being about seven years old
Like other famous air navigators the
success of Knabenshue IS the outgrowth
Of his hoyhood dreams. His father is
a prominent man in Toledo. Ohio. where
the son was born. but the parent Knab-
-enshue did not discourage the propensi-
ties Of the unusual boy.
A Roy Knabenshue built his first bal
loon when he was only fifteen years old.
He constructed IL entirely out Of mus
lin and II was tWenty-siX feet in heigth
Its capacity was 5000 cubic feet OF air,
which was heated for the occasion by a
kindling fire. Since that first balloon of
his boyhood the aeronaut has built and
sailed scores Of others. He has con
structed and SCARED in aeroplanes as
well. but he says that the most practi-
cal airship IS the elongated gas-hled
bag with prcpelling and steering equip
ment; and even this he thinks viii never
be OF practical and commercial value.
Although known in Toledo and that
vicinity for many years MI knabenshue
did not come into fame until ne went
10 St Louis IN 1903 and made seven
successful flights with the dirigible
balloon -ArrOw." built and owned
by Captain Baldwin. His success there
brought him before the eyes OF the
whole world. It is not the man who
meets fearful death who becomes
prominent in the art Of sky sailing
for there have been scores Of such
but IL is he who has an unbroken rec
ord OF achievements who attracts the
worlds attention For fourteen years
Knabenshue has given his foremost ef-
forts 10 his hazardous calling. For FIVE
years he has done nothing else and
ne has steadily progressed.
Mr.. Knabenshue IS not a dreamer,
nor an enthusiast: he IS Of the practi-
cal. level-headed sort He Is athletic
but light in weight-only 145 pounds
tons he sails out in the periloUs un-
known sea OF air as calmly as the
mOtOrman goes to his post on the street
car. He has never taken drink OF
intoxicating LIQUOR and never has smok-
ed. He says that he proposes always
10 be free from both habits. be-
cause he cannot afford to risk any
damage to his nervous organism. Be
fore he takes his place in his airship
kna benshue drinks a full big glass OF
ice water and puts bit OF chewing
gum IN his mouth He makes no other
personal preparation He does not wear
rubber shoes. and he always leaves his
nat on terra urma- His seat is the
slender wooden rod under the balloon.
He IS asTide Of this. his feet being
on parallel rods below When he wishes
his car 10 rise he moves backward
along the rod; when he wishes Il TO
descend be creeps along 10 the front
OF the pole
Death is always imminent while
knabenshue Is IN the air The greatest
danger is from the explosion OF the
! hydrogen gas which fills the balloon
A sudden fitting OF the car causes a
rush OF The gas 10 either end. and the
result may be q bursting Of the thin
SILK Of which the great bag is made
The other menace is the intense vibra-
ton caused by the gasOiene motor
There IS a constant danger that this
viii disable the machinery. Any care
lessness or reckless inattention TO his
work might at once dash the daring
air sailor 10 eternity. Kna beushue does
not think OF this peril as he rides He
hasn't time He concentrates every
| fiber, nerve and muscle on the opera
tion OF his ship
But the strong vibration is a fearful
rack TO the aeronaut. II becomes act
ual physical suffering He suffers. too.
| from the quick change Of altitude as
| he rises. His throat becomes dry. his
/ tongue swells and his ears throb and
sing until as he scars higher. he hears
nothing