The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-08-07
REPUBLICAN, NATIONAL TICKET
For President:
WlLLlAM HoWARE TAFT
or Ohio.
For Vice President:
JAMES S. SHERMAN
OF New York.
THE ArTEMpr 10 CONQUER THE

THE ATTEMPT 10 CONQUER THE
For centuries past men, Inspired by
the action Of birds, have tried to navi-
gate the air. At first they essayed
wings-and failed.
It was not until 1888 that Stephen
and Joseph Montgolfier, daring
Frenchmen who lived at Lyons, In
vented the balloon, which instantly
challenged the attention OF the world,
and, while we regard it as modern
they also invented the parachute, and
made famous leaps in those days,
more spectacular than anything ever
attempted at the present time. All
Europe went wild over the perform
ances.
Talk about wild cat mining stock
speculation! Y
People believed that the ideal meth
Cd Of transportation had been solved,
and companies were organized by the
hundred. Stock was sold at fancy
figures and at par. The International.
Aerial Transit Co. (limited) Of Eng
land had among its stockholders the
wealthiest men Of the empire, who
fairly rioted with N another for the
privilege Of purchasing as much OF
the securities as was possible. Bal
loonists came into favor, and balloon
ing parties were quite the proper
thing, men and women vying with
each other in an effort to soar the
upper regions. Within the few years
following the discovery Of the inflated.
silken bag, greater progress was made
in aerial navigation than ever before,
or since, for that matter.
AT first hot air wax used to sustain
the balloon. The demand for greater
economy brought about the use Of
the lightest substance-andy the most
dangerous-hydrogen gas. This gas is
highly infammable, and accidents oc-
CURED. The fact that the balloon
could not be steered, that 1t could
not be relied upon, that the toll Of
human life was appalling, and that
there were no returns upon the mill
lions and millions Of dollars poured
into the corporations organized to con-
quer the air, caused the business to
fall into disfavor just at the moment.
II seemed, when the proper thing had
been discovered.
Nearly a century has passed since
men had the hardihood to pick up the
thread at the point where so many
Europeans faced the bankruptcy court.
Gas Is still the favorite. It is used
to sustain the bag In the air, and
motors are utilized Is the propelling
and steering force. It is all right,
so long as fire is kept away from the
infiammable stun in the bag, n end
Of which-the lower-must be left
open, to prevent explosion in atmos-
pheres Of greater rarity or increasing
temperature. But II the gas happens
for an instant Il extend to the point
where the motor sparks, there is q
loud explosion, and people tap their
foreheads significantly and say, "Poo1
fellow" and then go on about their
business.
Then there Is the man with the
heavier-than-the-air machine. He
seems to be on the right track-it
was the idea that possessed the bal.
loonists of n hundred years ago.
when the business ~degenerated from
the field of farce to a swindle.
Recently birds have been photo.
graphed in their fight, by moving pic
ture machines, to ascertain whether
or not some action the naked eye has
lost does not take place-but it does
not.
The fowl is heavier than the air
by using its wings as planes, on which
to float, coupled with intelligence born
OF experience, and perfect knowledge
OF the air currents, it not only attaini
height, but sustains itself in the air
III You have seen a bird, with wings
outspread, ~motionless, so far as an,
effort on its part is concerned, NOV.
slowly forward in the air?
The wind beating upon its outspreaf
wings sustains it, just as a sailin,
vessel, with canvas outstretched
beats Its way almost in the eye of tn.
wind.
This idea Is the point at which tn,
old time aeronaut had arriyed-and
is the premise from which many me-
are operating at the present time
They eliminate the danger Of the gas
They rise by easy stages-every tim,
they travel 3 greater distance-ascen4
to q greater height. An accident Il
not dangerous-in the meantime, th,
operators acquire knowledge Of th,
air currents-as the birds do, from ex
perience. and sooner = later-perhapa
not In our time, but II. the not dis