The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-03-30
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number of precursors in Europe,
where the science of aerial navigation
has for many years received careful
study.
When the Aero club of America or
gained its first exposition, In Janu-
airy, 1906, balloons were imported
from Paris. and the public was given
the opportunity of seeing what they
were like. Photographs of balloon as
tensions were displayed and an eff
fort was made to arouse popular in
terest in the sport as 1t Is practiced
abroad.
This show was followed by a num-
Der of actual ascents from different
places in the eastern states, and thus
people In one section of this country
at least were given an opportunity to
become familiar with aerial naviga-
ton in its simplest and safest form.
The home Of the Aero club, the city
of New York. is unfavorably situated
as q ballooning center. The ocean,
the one peril of the aeronauts. is close
at hand, and only with wind from
southerly direction is an ascent to be
made with perfect safety. The gas
question Is also an important factor.
and the Aero club has found at Pitts
field, Mass, a station combining the
features-distance from the sea and
an abundant supply of coal gas. The
great drawback is its distance from
New York and other centers of popu-
lation.
The Aero club has acquired two
balloons, one of them, the Centaur,
having made the record balloon jour-
ney from Paris to Russia in 1900.
These aerostats are available for
ascensions by members and it is
hoped that before long the club win
be able to acquire new balloons.
1t should be the province of the
Aero Club of America to encourage all
attempts at q solution Of the flying
problems, and it should investigate
and report upon every invention or
continuance which seems to have a
reasonable chance Of success. A tech
nical committee composed of experts
and scientists, in whose names and
regulations the public will have con-
fdence, will be appointed. This COM
mittee will be authorized to solicit and
receive subscriptions, to be spent ju-
diciously and when there is good
chance for a profitable return. Only
by lavish expenditure of money and
my continued experiments can sue
cess In flying be achieved. In France
| all that has been accomplished in
this direction has been largely done
by the generosity of few patrons Of
aeronautics. The most successful
steerable balloons now owned by the
French government are due to the
Lebaudys, who spent large sums Of
money In experiments and whose
wealth made possible their construc-
ton. The rich prizes offered by M.
Deutsch de la Muerthe stimulated San
| tos-Dumont to achieve his notable
fight around the Eifel tower. M.
Deutsch has built at his own ex-
pense a large airship which recently
Unanswered near Paris and he has Of
fered prizes of great value for aero
| planes.
Is there not in all this land of swol-
len fortunes some one who will offer
a prize of sufficient size to reward
the inventor and repay him for al: the
years he has to spend in unsuccessful
effort? To England belongs the credit
of having invented the steam rail-
road engine Ito France belongs the
honor, of producing the automobile.
Shall the United States OF America al
low themselves to be left behind in
the race to bring forth flying ma
chine that will fly, and thus confer one
of the greatest benefits on mankind?