Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-15
TEN BIDS RECEIVED
Proposals for a DirigibIe Bal.
loon Opened.
PLANS ARE KEPT SECRET
Must Attain Twenty Miles an
Hour.
CONTEST OPEN TO FOREIGNERS
Speed and Endurance Flights Pre-.
scribed by War Department to
Take Place at Fort Myer.

Another effort was made today at the
United States signal Office to obtain a
satisfactory offer for the construction of
dirigible balloon when proposals were
opened in Gen. Aliens Office from various
firms and individuals. month ago the
office made a similar effort. and at that
time six bids were received. but because
Of the incompleteness Of the specifications
all were rejected. Later another adver-
tisement was published by the signal
office. specifications of which were some
what more exacting in some details than
those originally proposed. but the main
difference was a provision that the ma
terial for the gas bag should be furnished
by the bidder and approved by the gov
eminent. whereas in the original adver-
tisement the silk was to be furnished by
the government. thus giving an incentive
to bidders of limited means to submit pro-
posals.
Bids Received.
Ten bids in all were received a better
showing than at the previous opening.
They included some well-known domestic
manufacturers and in addition one from
Paris. France, Louis Lupetts who offered
to construct balloon in ninety days for
Thomas S. Baldwin of New York city at
$3.50. The absence of any mention in
the specifications issued by the signal
office regarding the nationality of bid
ders left the contest open to foreign as
well as domestic individuals and concerns
All the proposals will be submitted to a
board for examination and report. The
following is a list of the bidders:
Harry B. Schiller. Philadelphia, $500,
$50 days.
Soren G.. Rockman, PHILADELPHIA sos OOO
Raymond Anglemire, Chicago. no price
stated. 30 days.
Bumbaugh & Heimann ST. Louis, &c.,
600, $50 days.
Louis Lhpetts Paris. $4,000, 30 days.
Carl f. Myers. Frankfort. N. Y, 81, 994,
100 days.
William Reiferscheid & Co., streeter,
ILL.,, 5000, $50 days.
Charles Ellis. Toledo, Ohio, $4,000, no
time stated.
Thomas s. Baldwin, New York, $3.50
40 days.
Peter Cooper Hewitt. New York, $4,000.
200 days.
The Specifications.
The specifications cover the construc-
ton of dirigible balloon, to consist of
a gas bag supporting a suitable frame
work on which is to be mounted the nee
.essary propellng machinery. The bal
loon is to carry a combined weight Of
$50 pounds and at least 100 pounds Of
ballast. which latter may be used to COM
pensate for increased weight of the bal
loon when operating in the rain. The
balloon must have a speed of twenty miles
an hour in still air, and the bidders were
required to submit proposals for cost. de-
pending upon the speed attained during
the trial flight. according to a schedule
of less speed down to sixteen miles or
greater Snpod to tW0ntV- fOllY nniIo9
There is to be trial endurance flight
of two hours. during which the airship
shall travel continuously at an average
speed of 20 per cent Of that which the
htilloon accompllshes during the trial
flight for speed. The plans Of dirigibles
submitted are to be kept secret from
competitors. The trial flights will be at
Fort Myer, W.