The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-30
of Stanford Whites
Slayer Put Up the Money
That Launched Prof. Langley's
Flying Machine Experiments.
ROOSEVELT CAME In
And Secured q Government An.
preparation of $4,000.
The "Buzzard" Is Now in the
Smithsonian Institution,

Washington, July 30.-There is the
echo Of a semi-trasic chapter in bal
looming in the tests of aerial craft TO
be begun at Ft. Myer by the govern
ment next week. The universal inter-
est which these tests have aroused has
resulted in the withdrawal of the veil
OF secrecy which has been maintained
by the officials OF the Smithsonian in
stitution in connection with the aero
plane built by the late Prof s. p.
Langley.
IF the Wright Brothers and A. M.
Herring should not succeed in carry
ing out their contracts with the gov
ernment 1t is not at all unlikely that
we will bring out the old Langley ma
chine for the purpose of conducting ex-
periments," said General James Allen.
chief signal oficer of the army and
aeronautical enthusiast. DR.. Cyrus
Adler, acting secretary of the Smith
sonian institution, which has the Gus
tody OF the Langley aeroplane the
Blzzard. has a different opinion with
regard to using the machine for any
further investigations.
1T Is a relic and should be preserv-
ed as such along with the others pro-
duced by Prof. Langley. the pioneer Of
mechanical flight" were his words. 1t
is said that the machine is the joint
property Of the army and the Smith
sonian institution.
Twenty years or more ago, Prof.
Langley, leading scientist, began ex-
periments at Pittsburg in an effort to
master the problem of aerial navigation.
This man, who was honored by the
leading scientific bodies of France.
England and other countries. was
laughed at. He was criticised by the
newspapers at that time and scientists
themselves were skeptical. -
1t was William Thaw, the Pittsburg
millionaire and father of Harry Ken
dali Thaw, who made it possible, for
Prof. Langley to carry on his expert
ments; experiments which gave to the
world the knowledge upon which the
mechanisms.
Roosevelt Procured the Money.
It was Theodore Roosevelt, then AS
sfstant secretary OF the navy, who. In
1898 was responsible for the United
States government devoting $4,000 Tor
the purpose of paying the expenses OF
the experiments, which were conduct
ed by Prof. Langley on the Potomac
river, near Washington. 1t may de-
volve upon Theodore Roosevelt. as
president of the United States to make
it possible for further experiments,
with the Langley aeroplane. Today,
five years after Prof. Langley launch
ed his aeroplane model. it is recognised
that his machine embodies principles
not fully understood by the machine
building aeronauts of today.
The Langley aeroplane. the one
which was damaged on the launching
ways of the Langley houseboat, has
been repaired and is evidently in first-
class condition.
Prof Langley was so disheartened by
the criticism and comment which fol-
lowed his disappointing experiments
that he never undertook further ex-
periments with the illfated machine.
1t was locked up in the carpenter shop
back Of the Smithsonian institution
where It has remained since. 1t has
been shown to several leading scien-
lists and aeronautical experimenters.
but yesterday was the first time 1t was
ever viewed by newspaper men at close
range.
The aeroplAne will be placed on ex-
hibition as soon as room can be found
for it. Neither the frame, the wings,
nor the motor, which Is considered to
be unique in many ways, have been
patented That further experiments
with the machine would be Of value to
the thousands who are devoting their
efforts to solving the problems OF aerial
navigation Is the belief of prominent
scientists and an effort will be made
to have the machine used by the signal
corps of the army for experimental
PURPOSES.