Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-26

proyemcntS. in the nature of refine
nents in detail" as the automobilists
say Captain Baldwin has learned a
few things, lie says, from his past ex-
perience in building airships, and as
this new creation is designed chiefly
for pleasure he has worked out some
interesting features, which will make
the machine unique in its class.
The thing that will first attract the
attention of the average observer will
be the neat arrangement of the motor
and the passenger quarters. The mo-
tor. twenty horsepower Curtiss mo-
tor, wa;or cooled and of four cylin-
ders. will be covered with On Alumni
um hood. with the radiator in front
similar TO that of automobiles. The
engine will also be equipped with a
muflier. Both of these are entirely
new departures in dirigibles
Still another radical departure Will
he the arrangement Of the passenger
quarters, which will be directly be-
hind the motor. resembling the cock
pit of an open launch power boat. The
cockpit will be Enclosed by railing.
around which will he upholstered seats
for the three passengers. the operator
occupying Il seat In front at the wheel
Of the motor. Here. again, Captain
Baldwin has devised simple scheme
for the operation of the machine that
is far in advance Of the method adopt
cd in Tie government dirigible. One
man will be able to manage the big
airshiD the wheel guiding the horizon
tai. left and right movements, while a
lever conveniently arranged on the
| right hand side of the operator con
| trolls the vertical direction in rising to
greater attitudes or descending.
The radical nature of these improve
mcnts may be better appreciated by
| contrasting this new machine with
| that of the government dirigible No l.
| where. II Will be noticed, two men are
| required to manage the ship, the sec
| ond man. who steers being far to the
| rear, while the man at the motor con-
| trolls the planes In front. causing the
| machine to rise or fall. as desired
| There is no muller on the engine of
| the government ship. and when in op-
|
| operators to hold any oral communica-
ton. Lieutenant Lahm has just had n
| speaking tube attached to the ship -
that instructions may readily be un-
| derstood by the two men.
The government machine is ninety
seven feet in length and of 10000 GU
bic feet capacity The new ship will
,, be 100 feet long. the envelope having
a capacity Of $4,000 cubic feet. and
| the frame. which will be constructed
of Oregon spruce, will be eighty feet
long and four feet wide. 1t will be
suspended at much lower distance
| from the gas bag than has been done
in other dirigibles. The cockpit for
the passengers will be eight feet long.
| The planes will be situated four feet
IN front of the motor and will extend
six feet on each side of the frame. A
| number of other improvements be
sides those mentioned have been
worked ont by Captain Baldwin, one
of which will be attaching the cross
bars in steel sockets, and when COM
! pleted this 100 foot airship viii ex-
cmplify the latest ideas in design and
convenience of operation In dirigible
| balloon construction.
The motCr is now being built at
HammonGspCrt. y. Y. where the
frame Will also be constructed, and
the balloon VIII be made in Captain
Baidwin's shop at Tuckahoe. The
| gasoline tanks. carrying twenty gal
Ions, will be placed under the seats,
and the machine will be capable of
making a seven hour trip without
coming 10 earth for fresh supplies of
fuel.-.Ncw York Times.